Laboratory research comparing common culinary spices found cloves had the highest measured antioxidant capacity, while allspice, mint, oregano and cinnamon also ranked prominently, though researchers caution that laboratory antioxidant values do not directly predict health effects in people.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.
Cloves may stand out among everyday culinary spices for their antioxidant activity, with allspice, mint, oregano and cinnamon also providing substantial levels of antioxidant compounds, according to research comparing commonly used seasonings.
A 2021 study examining 12 spices placed cloves at the top for measured antioxidant capacity, with results discussed in reporting by NaturalNews.com.
The findings offer alternatives for people looking beyond nutmeg, but researchers caution that antioxidant rankings measure chemical activity under laboratory conditions rather than demonstrating that eating a particular spice will prevent disease or produce a specific clinical benefit.
Antioxidant capacity is generally expressed in millimoles per 100 grams, but results can differ considerably depending on how a food is prepared, extracted and tested. Researchers have developed multiple assays to assess antioxidant activity, and each can emphasize different chemical properties.
Among the spices evaluated, cloves produced the strongest result.
Cloves are the dried flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum, an evergreen tree that can reach approximately 30 feet in height. They are commonly used in baked foods, savory dishes and teas.
Their antioxidant capacity was reported at approximately 270 millimoles per 100 grams, substantially higher than the other spices examined in the 2021 comparison.
Cloves contain eugenol, the aromatic compound largely responsible for their characteristic fragrance and flavor. Eugenol has also been used in dentistry because of its anesthetic and analgesic properties.
The spice’s antioxidant profile has been recognized in other research.
A 2010 review examining approximately 3,100 foods and published in the Nutrition Journal identified cloves among a group of foods and herbs with particularly high antioxidant measurements. Peppermint, allspice, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, saffron and tarragon were also highlighted.
Allspice ranked behind cloves in the 2021 comparison, with antioxidant capacity reported at approximately 100 to 134 millimoles per 100 grams.
Despite its name, allspice is not a mixture of several seasonings.
It comes from the dried berries of Pimenta dioica and belongs, like cloves, to the myrtle family. Its flavor is frequently described as resembling a combination of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.
That flavor profile has made allspice a common ingredient in baked foods, but it can also be used in teas, mulled beverages and savory recipes.
Mint occupies another place near the upper end of measured antioxidant activity.
Leaves from plants in the Mentha genus were reported to contain approximately 60 to 116 millimoles of antioxidant capacity per 100 grams.
Mint is typically characterized by a mildly sweet flavor and a cooling sensation. Fresh or dried leaves can be incorporated into salads, yogurt, smoothies and savory foods or steeped to make tea.
Research has also examined how food processing can affect mint’s antioxidant properties.
A 2004 study involving gamma irradiation of dessert spices found that water extracts from irradiated mint samples did not demonstrate a significant difference in antioxidant activity from non-irradiated samples using the radical-scavenging method employed in the study.
Oregano produced antioxidant measurements of approximately 63 to 84 millimoles per 100 grams.
The familiar culinary herb is derived from the leaves of Origanum vulgare and has a concentrated, earthy flavor with some bitterness.
It is widely used in tomato-based foods, pasta, pizza, soups, stews and salad dressings and can also be steeped as an herbal tea.
Separate research comparing herbs has placed Greek, Italian and Mexican oregano varieties among those with particularly high antioxidant activity.
One reported comparison found oregano demonstrated approximately 42 times the antioxidant activity measured in apples. Such comparisons, however, generally use laboratory measurements based on equal weights rather than the quantities people would ordinarily eat.
Oregano has also been investigated for possible roles in weight management and is used in Okinawan cuisine, according to nutritional reports.
Research examining widely consumed spices has found substantial antioxidant potential across several varieties and has contributed to interest in using naturally occurring plant antioxidants in place of synthetic compounds in some applications.
Cinnamon rounds out the five highlighted alternatives.
Cinnamon is produced from the inner bark of trees belonging to the Cinnamomum genus. Cinnamon bark has been reported to provide approximately 77 millimoles of antioxidant capacity per 100 grams.
Its sweet, warm and mildly spicy flavor allows it to be used in both sweet and savory foods, including oatmeal, yogurt, baked goods, stews, hot chocolate and tea.
Cinnamon has also been studied for possible effects on glucose regulation, and nutritional reports have associated those properties with interest in the spice for weight and metabolic health.
Published research has documented antioxidant and antimutagenic activity in extracts of Cinnamomum zeylanicum fruit, although findings from laboratory extracts should not be treated as equivalent to consuming ordinary culinary quantities of cinnamon.
That distinction applies broadly to antioxidant research.
Laboratory assays attempt to measure how effectively a substance can neutralize or interact with reactive compounds, but different methods can produce different numerical values.
A 2006 review published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis described radical-scavenging tests that measure either the reduction of stable radicals or responses involving radicals generated through processes such as radiolysis, photolysis or other chemical reactions.
Extraction methods can further influence the results.
Solvent extraction, solid-phase extraction and supercritical extraction can produce different concentrations of antioxidant compounds from the same plant material. That means one antioxidant-capacity number should not necessarily be directly compared with a figure generated using a different laboratory method.
Serving size creates another important limitation.
Spices can have extremely high antioxidant measurements per 100 grams, but most people consume them in quantities of only a few grams or less. Fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains may consequently make a larger contribution to total antioxidant intake simply because people eat much greater amounts of those foods.
Research examining regional dietary patterns illustrates the difference.
In one Ugandan population, the leading dietary antioxidant source contributed 2.47 millimoles, representing 27.5% of overall antioxidant intake. Grains provided 2.13 millimoles, followed by fruits at 1.77 millimoles and legumes at 1.7 millimoles.
The data demonstrate why antioxidant density and actual dietary contribution are not necessarily the same thing.
Spices nevertheless offer a practical way to introduce additional plant compounds into foods without substantially changing the overall meal.
Cloves can be incorporated into teas and baked foods, allspice into both desserts and savory dishes, mint into beverages and salads, oregano into sauces and soups, and cinnamon into foods ranging from oatmeal to stews.
For consumers interested specifically in measured antioxidant capacity, cloves stand well above the other spices evaluated in the 2021 study, followed by allspice and the other high-ranking herbs and seasonings.
The broader research also shows why such rankings require context: antioxidant measurements describe chemical activity in a laboratory, while actual health effects depend on serving size, overall diet, absorption, metabolism and numerous other biological factors.
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