7 Winter Spices With Unexpected Health Benefits

From chai lattes and eggnog to gingerbread cookies and pecan pie, many winter-associated beverages and desserts are loaded with flavorful spices.

Not only do spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg (and more) taste delicious, but they also have many unexpected health benefits.  

In this article, learn more about the top seven winter spices, their leading benefits, and what dishes they pair best with. 

1. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is likely the most well-known spice, as it’s used in many cultures all over the world.

In addition to its warm and subtly sweet flavor, cinnamon is a spice with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties, containing antioxidant compounds like cinnamaldehyde, procyanidins, rutin, quercetin, and catechins.

Cinnamon’s relationship to blood sugar regulation is particularly interesting. A meta-analysis from 2024 combined data from 24 randomized controlled trials, concluding that cinnamon (in supplemental form) significantly reduced fasting blood sugar, markers of insulin resistance, and hemoglobin A1C (a biomarker of longer-term blood sugar control) in people with type 2 diabetes. 

Studies also show that cinnamon lowers LDL cholesterol, reduces high blood pressure, and fights oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals. 

However, it’s important to note that your run-of-the-mill, $2 grocery store cinnamon may not impart the same benefits.

Ceylon cinnamon, rather than Cassia cinnamon, is the more beneficial variety. Also referred to as “true cinnamon,” Ceylon cinnamon comes from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum verum tree native to Sri Lanka, which is more expensive, has a sweeter flavor, and more beneficial antioxidant compounds.

You can use cinnamon in both savory and sweet dishes, such as cinnamon rolls, cookies, cakes, pies, gingerbread, chai, mulled wine, holiday cocktails, and many meat dishes like curries and stews. 

2. Cloves

Even if you’ve never cooked with cloves, you’ve likely had this spice before, as it’s used in pumpkin spice blends, chai lattes, mulled wine, cider, and gingerbread.

Cloves are also a key component of spice blends like garam masala and Chinese five-spice, providing a distinctly strong, pungent, earthy flavor. 

The main compound in cloves that gives both its unique flavor and health benefits is called eugenol, an oil with natural anti-inflammatory effects. 

Eugenol has antioxidant, analgesic, and antimicrobial properties, which may be why it’s been used for pain relief and swelling, including toothaches. Cloves are thought to improve respiratory health when inhaled via steam and may also help with digestive support. 

In addition to the beverages and desserts mentioned above, the bold flavors of ground cloves also work well in savory dishes (like curry, stew, soups, and roasted meats) and holiday desserts like pies and puddings. Whole cloves are also used in pickling liquids or are brewed in medicinal teas. Keep in mind that their strong flavor means you don’t need much!

3. Ginger

Although technically a root, ground ginger is often used culinarily as a spice in wintertime recipes and has immense health benefits. 

There are many bioactive compounds in ginger (both fresh and dried or ground!), but the most studied are the “phenolic gingerols,” which include 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, and 10-gingerol. Shogaols, paradols, and zingerone also impart antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antimicrobial benefits. 

Ginger bioactives may also play a role in fighting cancer growth. According to a 2023 review published in Antioxidants, “Ginger and its active compounds have been identified with anti-carcinogenic properties against all stages of cancer development including cancer initiation, promotion, progression, and drug resistance.” 

Some cancers that ginger may provide anti-carcinogenic activities against include cervical, breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers. However, most studies are with animals or cell-based lab research, so more studies are needed with humans. 

Most wintertime recipes call for using ground ginger, but fresh ginger root is also an option. Ground ginger is milder, with a slight earthiness and spice, but fresh ginger is very zesty, sharp, and intense. Use ground ginger in dessert recipes, fruit dishes, and beverages (like chai, cider, and mulled wine), or use fresh ginger to make ginger tea or ginger shots or add an elevated sharpness to savory dishes.

4. Nutmeg

Like other winter spices spices, nutmeg contains antioxidants that help protect against oxidative stress and fight inflammation, including cyanidin, terpene, caffeic acid, and essential oils. 

Research has found that nutmeg reduces lipid (fat) oxidation, lowers LDL cholesterol, improves cardiovascular health, and may benefit cognitive function.

Two essential oils found in nutmeg, myristicin and macelignan, have been studied for their role in brain health.

Myristicin is also a psychoactive compound that can cause adverse effects in higher doses, including hallucinations, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, and seizures. You’re unlikely to experience nutmeg poisoning unless you intentionally consume a lot (which some people do for the psychoactive effects—another TikTok challenge you should avoid), as the amount in baked goods or recipes is minimal. 

Nutmeg provides a warming, sweet, and slightly nutty flavor, pairing well with many desserts, warm drinks, and savory dishes. It’s famously used to top eggnog (and many rum-based cocktails) and is also included in pumpkin pie spice, gingerbread, soups, stews, and sauces. 

5. Cardamom

Cardamom is also rich in antioxidants and can help fight inflammation and oxidative stress, with its main compounds including limonene, pinene, linalool, cardamonin, indole-3-carbinol, and diindolylmethane. 

Cardamom has been used in Ayurvedic healing practices for thousands of years, primarily for digestive problems, respiratory issues, or inflammatory conditions like toothaches and swollen gums.

Like cinnamon, cardamom also exhibits blood sugar-regulating properties in addition to helping reduce blood pressure and LDL cholesterol.  

Uniquely, chewing cardamom seeds can provide relief for coughs, sore throats, indigestion, and nausea. The antimicrobial properties of cardamom also help to fight bad breath and reduce mouth or gum inflammation. (In fact, there’s evidence that the ancient Egyptians chewed cardamom seeds to clean their teeth!)

With the nickname “The Queen of Spices,” cardamom has a long history, distinct sweet-and-spicy flavor, and varied uses across cuisines worldwide.

It has citrus and floral undertones, lending well to bread, chocolate, desserts, and other baked goods (especially in Scandinavian cultures). It’s also a key ingredient in masala chai and Turkish or Arabic coffee (qahwa) and a vital spice in many Middle Eastern and Indian meals, including curries, stews, biryanis, and meat dishes.

6. Allspice

Allspice tastes like a blend of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper (perhaps giving it its name of all the spices?), providing notes of spice, warmth, sweetness, and earthiness.

Other common names for allspice include pimenta, Jamaica pepper, or myrtle pepper, all of which are dried berries from the Pimenta dioica tree, native to the Caribbean and Central America.

Allspice contains bioactive compounds like eugenol (the same one in cloves) and gallic acid, which exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects.

In folk remedies in the Caribbean and Central America, allspice has been used for digestive problems, pain relief, menstrual cramps, muscle aches, and toothaches—all of which likely stem from its anti-inflammatory properties, which modern research has verified.

In the wintertime, you can find allspice in cakes, cookies, muffins, sweet baked bread (like pumpkin bread), or spiced cakes. It’s also a key ingredient of Caribbean jerk seasoning and is used to season chicken, pork, lamb, and seafood dishes. Cuisines that rely heavily on allspice include Caribbean, Latin American, and Middle Eastern cultures. 

Whole allspice berries are often used for infusions (like soups, stews, or pickling), while ground allspice is typically better for baking or seasoning blends.

7. Star Anise

Last but not least, star anise is one of the best winter spices. With a distinct licorice-like flavor, not only does star anise pair beautifully with desserts and savory dishes, but it also has a unique star shape that many people use for decorative purposes.

Star anise has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine, where its warming qualities were utilized primarily to treat digestive issues, congestion, and colds.

One of the key compounds in star anise is shikimic acid, which has antiviral activity and may help support immune health. In fact, shikimic acid is used in the production of the influenza medication Tamiflu. 

It’s also been studied for its analgesic, antifungal, and expectorant properties (meaning it can help to expel or clear mucus from the airways).

Star anise is an essential component of Chinese five-spice powder, Indian masala chai, Vietnamese broths, and Middle Eastern spice mixes. It’s often used in meat dishes, pho, broths, baked goods, pickling brines, mulled wine, and fruit-based desserts.

With its flavors of licorice and fennel, it’s best not to overdo star anise—you don’t need much!

Winter Spices FAQs