Condiments with Hidden Health Benefits
The toppings you put on your burger or the dip for your chips may actually have hidden health benefits!
CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton discussed the spicy details on "The Early Show."
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KETCHUP AND SALSA
The main ingredient of both is tomatoes. Lycopene -- a powerful antioxidant -- is found in tomatoes and give them their red color. The American Cancer Society says people who have diets rich in tomatoes, which contain lycopene, appear to have a lower risk of certain types of cancer, especially cancers of the prostate, lung, and stomach. It has also been said to slow the process that leads to heart disease. Lycopene is an antioxidant--a compound that keeps cells from dying.]
While all ketchup contains some lycopene, a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that organic versions contain up to 60 percent more lycopene than conventional brands. Use the darkest-hued organic ketchup you can find and the freshest salsa.
Put on turkey burgers or dip some veggies or chips into your salsa.
SAUERKRAUT
Sauerkraut is actually full of probiotic bacteria that is created in the cabbage fermenting process. The probiotics can aid digestion and produce enzymes that promote the growth of healthy flora throughout the digestive tract. From a nutritional point of view, sauerkraut is fat free, low in calorie and full of Vitamin C. The downside is a lot of salt, so people with high blood pressure should probably avoid. To maximize the healthy benefits eat it on a low fat chicken hot dog on a whole wheat bun.
HOT SAUCE
Yes, the chiles in the hot sauce contain capsaicin. Some studies have shown that chiles can improve blood flow and possibly speed up the metabolism.
New research in the European Journal of Nutrition says that capsaicin may reduce levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin and work as an appetite suppressant.
Shake some on tacos or some people even eat it on their morning eggs.
HORSERADISH
The root and the leaves of horseradish is one of nature's best sources of something called glucosinolates -- a substance that helps detoxify the body. It has up to 10 times more than broccoli, the next-best source. Recent studies have found glucosinolates increase the liver's ability to detoxify carcinogens and they may actually suppress the growth of existing cancerous tumors.
Mix it into a tangy dip.
CINNAMON
Research has linked this aromatic spice with helping lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in people with Type II diabetes, and a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that adding a little more than a teaspoon to rice pudding even helped tame blood sugar in people without diabetes.