Add This To Your Meals To Support GLP-1, Blood Sugar & Gut Health
Key takeaways
- Author: Ava Durgin June 06, 2026Assistant Health Editor By Ava Durgin Assistant Health Editor Ava Durgin is the former Assistant Health Editor at mindbodygreen.
- Researchers are now uncovering a long list of ways these ingredients interact with the body beyond flavor alone.
- Shop nowThe collection of papers examined several different pathways through which spices and herbs may influence health.
Why this matters: practical guidance grounded in recent research or expert insight.
Author: Ava Durgin June 06, 2026Assistant Health Editor By Ava Durgin Assistant Health Editor Ava Durgin is the former Assistant Health Editor at mindbodygreen. She holds a B.A. in Global Health and Psychology from Duke University.Image by Sophia Hsin / Stocksy June 06, 2026A little cinnamon in oatmeal. Some garlic powder on roasted vegetables. Fresh ginger in a stir fry. Spices are part of daily life, but rarely do they come up in the same conversation as metabolism, blood sugar, heart health, or longevity.
Researchers are now uncovering a long list of ways these ingredients interact with the body beyond flavor alone.
A new collection of reviews published in Nutrition Reviews pulls together decades of research on culinary herbs and spices, suggesting these ingredients may influence everything from appetite regulation and blood sugar control to gut microbiome health, inflammation, blood pressure, and even fat metabolism.