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People/ have used herbs and spices/ in food/ for thousands of years. Some of these substances/ are valued/ for their sharp taste. Others/ are chosen/ for their smell.

Generally, herbs/ come from the green leaves/ of plants or vegetables. Spices/ come from other parts/ of plants and trees. For example, cinnamon/ comes from the hard outer cover/ of cinnamon plants. The spice ginger/ comes from the part of the ginger plant/ that grows underground.

Herb and spice plants/ grow in many countries. For example, the Molucca Islands/ in Indonesia/ are famous for producing spices/ like cloves, nutmeg or mace. Vanilla/ comes from plants/ growing in South America.

Many people/ grow herb and spice plants/ near their homes. Then/ they dry the plants/ for later use. Some spices/ can even be grown/ in a house/ if they are placed/ in sunny areas/ next to windows.

Spices/ have influenced world history. For example, the Goth people of Europe/ defeated Roman forces/ in battle/ more than sixteen centuries ago. After the fighting ended, the leader of the Goths/ is said to have demanded five thousand pounds of gold/ and three thousand pounds of pepper.

More recently, Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus/ discovered new lands/ while seeking to expand trade/ with spice-growing areas/ in Asia. The Italian cities of Genoa and Venice/ became powerful/ because they were/ at the center of the spice trade. The trade/ was so important/ to national economies/ that rulers launched wars/ in their struggle/ to control spices.

Herbs and spices/ are commonly used/ because they can make food/ taste better. Several years ago, two American researchers/ reported another reason/ for spice use/ in cooking.

Researchers Paul Sherman and Jennifer Billing/ worked at Cornell University/ when their study was published/ in nineteen ninety-eight. They said/ spices/ contain substances/ that kill or slow the growth/ of dangerous bacteria/ in food. Some spices/ destroy bacteria. Spices/ have long been used/ to keep food/ safe to eat. In the past, spices/ also helped to prevent the wasting away/ of dead bodies.

A more recent study found/ that adding spices/ to meat/ before cooking/ at high temperatures/ may reduce harmful chemicals. Researchers/ from Kansas State University/ reported last year/ on their experiments/ with steaks.

The researchers/ found a major decrease/ in unwanted chemicals/ by preparing the meat/ with spice and herb marinades. The study showed/ that this may decrease formation/ of heterocyclic amines, also known as HCAs. The researchers say/ these chemicals/ may cause cancer/ in some people.

America's National Cancer Institute says/ cooking meat/ at very high temperatures/ produces the most HCAs. The chemicals/ form /when amino acids react with creatine, a chemical/ found in muscles. But meats/ from organs/ and non-meat protein sources/ have little or no HCA.

Research on HCAs/ has made some people/ afraid to prepare meat/ on a grill -- the place/ where meat/ is cooked/ on hot coals or an open fire. Cooking meat/ this way/ is a traditional favorite/ of many Americans/ during warm weather.

The Kansas State University study, however, may show a way/ that reduces risk/ for people/ who grill/ on high heat. The K.S.U. researchers/ placed some steaks/ in already prepared spice mixes, or marinades. The meat/ then was grilled/ for five minutes/ on each side/ at a temperature of more than two hundred degrees Celsius. The researchers/ also cooked steaks/ marinated without spices, and steaks/ that were not marinated. They were prepared/ at the same temperature/ as meat/ with the marinade mixes.

The researchers/ compared levels/ of the HCAs/ in all the steaks. They found/ the HCAs/ in the meat/ marinated in spices/ had decreased/ up to eighty-eight percent. The study/ appeared in the publication Journal of Food Science.

The Mayo Clinic/ operates three medical centers/ in the United States. Its Health Letter publication of November two thousand seven/ provided more evidence/ that herbs and spices/ can aid health.

For example, Mayo Clinic experts said/ people/ could reduce salt use/ by using herbs and spices/ instead. Too much salt/ is a problem/ for people/ with health problems/ like high blood pressure.

The experts said/ some plant chemicals/ are high/ in antioxidants -- substances/ that remove harmful chemicals/ from the body. These plants/ include allspice, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, oregano, sage, thyme and turmeric.

The experts also said/ antioxidants/ like garlic, rosemary, saffron and turmeric/ have qualities/ that could fight cancer. And, it said/ limited evidence/ shows that cinnamon, fenugreek and turmeric/ may affect blood sugar levels/ in people/ with diabetes.

Not all studies agree/ that spices/ could help diabetes patients. But some studies have suggested/ they could/ because of a suspected link/ between inflammation/ and diabetes. Inflammation/ is the body's way/ of reacting/ to infection or other attack. Cinnamon/ may help reduce the inflammation/ in people/ with diabetes.

Last year, researchers/ from the University of Georgia reported/ that cinnamon/ could help reduce blood sugar. The researchers/ tested twenty-four common herbs and spices. The tests showed/ that many of the substances/ contained high levels of antioxidant chemicals/ known as polyphenols.

The researchers found/ that ground clove/ had the most polyphenols. Cloves/ were the most effective/ at calming inflammation/ of any spice or herb/ they tested. Cinnamon/ was second. But K.S.U. scientist James Hargrove noted/ that cinnamon/ gets more use/ in cooking/ than ground cloves. He says/ that means/ it could affect the health/ of more people. But the Mayo Clinic warns/ that cinnamon /cannot replace proven medicines/ for diabetes.

Other studies/ also note possible health effects/ from curry, a seasoning or sauce. Many people/ like to use curry/ to sharpen the taste of foods/ like meat, fish, rice and potatoes.

Several years ago, scientists/ in Singapore/ investigated curcumin, from the curry spice turmeric. The scientists/ based their study/ on earlier evidence/ that turmeric/ has strong antioxidant/ and anti-inflammatory qualities. They said/ turmeric/ also has been shown/ to reduce evidence/ of damage/ in the brains of patients/ with Alzheimer's disease. But they said/ evidence/ was lacking/ about cases of Alzheimer's/ in curry users, compared with people/ who did not use curry.

For that reason, the researchers/ designed a study/ that examined results/ from a mental-performance test/ of older Asian adults. The people/ in the study/ were sixty to ninety three years old. None/ had severe memory losses. Those/ who sometimes ate curry, or ate it often or very often, did better/ than individuals/ who rarely or never ate curry. The American Journal of Epidemiology/ published a report/ about the study. The writers suggested/ that more studies/ were needed.

Black cohosh/ is an herb/ that comes from the root/ or underground stems/ of a tall plant/ in the buttercup family. Black cohosh/ is sometimes called/ bugbane. American Indians/ used it/ for a number of women's health conditions, including monthly menstrual pain.

Some women/ today have continued the tradition. They use the herb/ to help fight unpleasant conditions/ at the end of their reproductive years. These include difficulty/ sleeping at night and hot flashes, or sudden hot sweats.

Millions of people/ have used black cohosh/ without problems. However, the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health notes/ that pregnant women/ may want to avoid it. The same/ is true/ of women/ with breast cancer/ and patients/ with liver problems. Should signs of liver disease develop, people/ should stop taking black cohosh/ and contact a doctor.

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