Today’s Solutions: May 04, 2026

Turmeric tends to get all the attention when it comes to anti-inflammatory spices, but don’t overlook these five other spices that functional food expert Kanchan Koya Ph.D. touts as her favorites for fighting off inflammation.

Cayenne

Cayenne is a great choice for spicy food lovers, as it will certainly add a bit of bite to your dish along with anti-inflammatory power. This hot spice is also a great source of phytonutrients, as well as potassium and magnesium.

Black pepper

If you want to max out the benefits of turmeric, then black pepper is key. As nutritional psychiatrist Uma Naidoo, M.D., tells mindbodygreen, black pepper “enhances the absorption of curcumin 20-fold,” which is turmeric’s active compound. That said, the active ingredient in black pepper, piperine, has also been linked to fighting inflammation, so grind that fresh black pepper onto your dish for some extra anti-inflammation action.

Sumac

Sumac may not have a deep-rooted history in the West, however, it’s been used in Eastern cultures for centuries. This may be because it’s a rich source of phytonutrients as well as antioxidant compounds, both of which have anti-inflammatory properties.

Nutmeg

Nutmeg brings thoughts of winter holidays cozying up next to the fireplace, but you should really be using it year-round for its anti-inflammatory compounds called monoterpenes, specifically sabinene, terpineol, and pinene.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is also widely known for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties, but according to Koya, you should be careful about which kind of cinnamon you use, especially if you consume cinnamon daily. Ceylon cinnamon has a lower concentration of coumarin, which could be detrimental to your liver in large quantities, which makes it safer than Cassia cinnamon for everyday use.

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

Brighton is building Europe’s first stadium designed entirely for women’s foo...

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For most of its history, women’s football has played in spaces that weren’t built for it: men’s training ...

Read More

What doctors want you to know about GLP-1s and bone loss

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A study presented at the 2026 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons annual meeting found that among nearly 147,000 ...

Read More

New radioactive implant attacks cancer tumors with remarkable success

Engineers at Duke University created a promising novel cancer treatment delivery system and demonstrated its efficacy against one of the disease's most complex forms. ...

Read More

Embrace the learning curve: how to get through the ‘I suck at this and ...

Amid the bustle of New Year's resolutions, as you embark on a new workout program or dive into a novel activity, remember this: "New ...

Read More