Herbs & Spices for Ultimate Wellbeing

Can’t take your morning coffee without a dusting of cinnamon? You’re already taking care of your health. Cinnamon is so much more than a delicious spice; it’s a nutrient powerhouse. Cinnamon is known to regulate blood sugar, help reduce levels of “bad” (LDL) cholesterol, and preliminary studies suggest that consumption of cinnamon may even help with the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases [Source].

Try getting your daily dose in the form of our favorite cacao latte (see below). Not a fan of the taste? Fear not, you can also take it in capsule form.

Often overshadowed by basil and mint, rosemary is an unsung hero of the culinary world. Beyond being fantastic in bread and delicious on vegetables, it lends an herbaceous, tart, and refreshing flavor to a cocktail. But the perks don’t stop with the flavor. Rosemary is known as one of the most medicinal herbs in the world and has been for centuries. The most commonly touted benefits of rosemary include improving memory, stimulating hair growth, supporting the nervous system, and helping with both indigestion and muscle pain [Source].

If you’re not tossing it into your latest roast, try creating rosemary simple syrup to incorporate into your favorite cocktail recipe for a delicious twist. It goes with almost everything, from a gin fizz to a margarita. Best served over ice in our favorite tumbler.

Given its presence in almost every immunity-boosting tonic out there, it likely doesn’t come as a surprise that ginger is a health hero. But beyond the obvious illness-easing and stomach-soothing ginger does for all of us on a regular basis, it also relieves toothaches, helps manage acne, and soothes menstrual cramps. Try our preferred preparation – ginger lime tea – we promise you’ll look forward to it every day.

1. Bring water to a boil.
2. Add 2 knobs of ginger to boiling water, reduce to a simmer.
3. Leave over heat for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
4. Remove from heat, squeeze in lime juice.
5. Add a pinch of saffron and honey, if using.
6. Pour into our Casafina Mug and enjoy.

Feeling like the benefits of the herbs and spices we listed above are old news? Good on you for staying on top of your natural remedies. Allow us to introduce you to a few more nutrient-dense staples. They may not technically be “new” (in fact, most of them are ancient superfoods), but they’re still flying relatively under the radar – though probably not for much longer.

Okay, so, blue-green algae, a 3,500 million-year-old plant may not be “an upstart” in the technical sense, or even an herb. But given the way we’ve seen chlorella explode onto the wellness scene over the past few years suggests it’s just at the beginning of its meteoric rise, so we’d be remiss not to recommend it.

Chlorella, like its more commercially available (but less nutrient-dense) counterpart spirulina, is derived from blue-green algae, and often comes in the form of a vibrant green powder. Chlorella is a vitamin and mineral treasure trove, containing over 100% of the daily values (DV) of Vitamin A, Zinc, and Iron as well as all nine amino acids. Sprinkle into our favorite smoothie recipe, inspired by a favorite from LA health hotspot Honey Hi, for a supercharged morning.

Chlorella Smoothie

• ½ cup coconut water
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
• ½ cup mango
• 1 tsp chlorella
• ½ avocado
• ¼ cup mint leaves, tightly packed

Add ingredients to a high-powered blender until smooth. Enjoy!

Also commonly referred to as “Indian Ginseng,” ashwagandha is an adaptogenic, Ayurvedic herb. When you’re shopping for natural remedies, keep an eye out for the term “adaptogen”; which is a class of substances known to help regulate stress response and enhance cognitive performance [Source]. Ashwagandha is no exception, known specifically to help regulate cortisol, otherwise known as “the stress hormone.” In powder form, it has a fairly distinct taste, but drop it into our cacao latte, below – it’s chocolate milk, healthified.

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a glass.
2. Pour over milk, ensuring there’s room at the top to prevent spilling.
3. With a spoon, gently stir ingredients to bring powders up from bottom of glass.
4. Whisk with an electric whisk for 15 seconds to fully combine.
5. Add ice & enjoy.