From MSN Health:
Kicking your food up a notch with spices could preserve brain function and keep your brain sharp and strong as you age.
Take turmeric, a spice that lends curries their yellow tint. It can curb mental decline and even slow the effects of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Researchers find it can effectively fight oxidation, the process behind a variety of bodily diseases.
Curcumin was singled out as a worthy spice to investigate in part because of the relatively low rate of Alzheimer’s disease in India, where curries are a dietary staple. Curcumin's antioxidant activity gives it value as a food preservative, which is probably why it has been used; the flavor is just a bonus.
[S]pices have been found to act as a kind of antibiotic, preventing or inhibiting the growth of more than 75 percent of food-borne germs. Their rich pigments often contain antioxidants.
