When you hear the words “natural remedies,” chances are you think of things like essential oils and herbs. However, there’s one type of home remedy that you may be overlooking: spices! Not only do certain spices have great health benefits, they’re also tasty!

With so many different spices to choose from and with each offering different health benefits, it can be difficult to know which ones to invest in. Sure, you want to load that pantry up with all the best healing spices, but let’s get realistic. Some of those babies cost a small fortune. Saffron, I’m talking to you.

If you’re on a budget or just want to know which ones really pack a powerful health punch, read on for the top 5 healing spices to keep on hand.

5 Healing Spices to Keep on Hand

Affiliate links included below. If you make a purchase through these links, I earn a small commission. This is NOT medical advice. Use common sense and talk to your doctor before trying to treat a health condition on your own.

1. Turmeric

If there’s just one healing spice you keep in your pantry, it should definitely be turmeric. Out of all of the healing spices, this one packs a powerful healing punch!

It can be used to treat so many different ailments. It contains extremely strong antioxidants and boasts impressive anti-inflammatory properties. I’ve personally used it to help relieve chronic pain. While I’m not going to be running a marathon anymore, it definitely helps take the edge off!

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Turmeric is largely used in Indian dishes, making it perfect for homemade curry.  If you’re not a curry fan, though, there are other ways to use it.

• You can choose to use either the ground powder or the fresh turmeric root. The powder is the easiest to find in stores.
• The best foods to pair turmeric powder with include rice, cauliflower, chicken and warm nut milk.
• Try adding half a teaspoon to some warm nut milk as a unique, soothing refreshment.

Need an idea on how to incorporate it into your diet? Try this Lemon and Turmeric Chicken recipe! It’s perfect if you enjoy a deep citrus flavor.  Soaking fresh chicken in a turmeric and lemon juice mix significantly boosts its flavor.

2. Black pepper

You may already have black pepper in your pantry, given that it’s the most popular spice used in the home. However, it definitely can’t hurt to stock up on more.

This great spice has more health benefits than you might realize. It can boost the bioavailability of various drugs, in turn making them more effective. It can also help to ease joint inflammation. While all black pepper is beneficial, the Malabar black pepper variety has the most healing qualities.

While black pepper works in pretty much any food (seriously, you can even put it in brownies!), here are a few that intrigue me.

• Black Pepper Chicken
• Black Pepper Taralli
• and of course Black Pepper Brownies!

3. Cayenne

Thanks to its power to detoxify and boost the immune system, cayenne is definitely a spice to stock up on. It’s also known to improve liver function, control the blood pressure and aid in digestion.

As an added bonus, cayenne can be used as a natural pest repellent. Ants in particular will avoid cayenne like the plague!

Like black pepper, cayenne works with many different types of food. I really love it in chocolate, though! Try these tasty cayenne desserts!

• Spicy Chocolate Cake with Cinnamon and Cayenne
• Spicy Chili Chocolate Cookies
• Spicy Mayan Chocolate Truffles

4. Garlic

Garlic is by far one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory spices you can keep in the pantry. While it’s typically used in fresh form, garlic powder can also prove useful to your health.

It can be used in many ways, including relieving a sore throat, eliminating skin eruptions and lower the blood pressure. I’ve even used it to soothe a really painful toothache!

Combine the healing benefits of garlic and black pepper with these Black Garlic Meatballs. Since I don’t eat beef, I’d make them with ground turkey or chicken.

Another tasty idea: garlic chicken & potatoes in the Instant pot! I keep increasing the amount of garlic that I put in. I love garlicky flavor, so I’m waiting for my family to complain. Then I’ll dial it back again!

One word of advice: garlic acts as a blood thinner. While overdosing on garlic is very unlikely to happen to the average healthy adult, it can be an issue for those taking blood thinners. Your doctor will likely ask you to avoid it prior to a surgery for the same reason.

5. Nutmeg

Nutmeg is known to contain many natural healing properties. It’s largely used in sweet dishes, though it can also work well with savory recipes too.

While it’s pretty well-known for its anti-diarrhea properties, nutmeg is also a great brain booster! Just don’t overdo it. Too much nutmeg can actually cause serious problems, including hallucinations, vomiting, and a serious drop in blood pressure.

One last word of advice: use these healing spices in moderation. Although we touched on it under garlic and nutmeg, too much of a good thing can be a very bad (and sometimes even fatal) thing.

These are just 5 healing spices everyone should have in their pantry. As you can see, they each offer a unique set of health benefits and can be used in many different ways.