Originally Posted by Subteigh
I've long been concerned that I've not been getting enough of particular vitamins in my diet and also lament that I do not habitually consume the wide range of herbs and spices that are said to be elixirs.
I've started this thread to echo the quacks I have consumed so far, and so that others can offer insights they've found.
According to The Government of my country (that is, the health service), the only vitamin that they recommend everybody takes as a supplement is Vitamin D during the darker part of the year (I don't mean night, unless you are very far north or south). I actually found it hard to find doses sold that only meet the Recommended Daily Allowance and no more. The one I actually bought says it is 2000% of the RDA (although I think it's actually 1000% going on the 8.5 to 10mg figure recommended the NHS). Apparently if you take too much Vitamin D (in one go, or over time), this is very bad for your bones & kidneys (or was it the liver). But it seems that I would be OK to take one every week or two.
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I have been utilising this website: https://cosylab.iiitd.edu.in/spicerx/
for research into herbs and spices, but ideally I would like for similar for all legal over-the-counter compounds that are safe.
The chart there is out of date it seems, based on the downloadable database, and should be more like:
Common Name Scientific Name NCBI TAX ID No. of Positive associations No. of Negative associations garlic Allium sativum 4682 1092 Positive 66 Negative ginkgo Ginkgo biloba 3311 830 Positive 37 Negative ginger Zingiber officinale 94328 795 Positive 3 Negative turmeric Curcuma longa 136217 739 Positive 9 Negative liquorice Glycyrrhiza glabra 49827 365 Positive 216 Negative black cumin Nigella sativa 555479 278 Positive 9 Negative saffron Crocus sativus 82528 237 Positive 5 Negative ceylon cinnmaon Cinnamomum verum 128608 220 Positive 20 Negative fenugreek Trigonella foenum-graecum 78534 188 Positive 17 Negative safflower Carthamus tinctorius 4222 182 Positive 10 Negative chinese cinnamon Cinnamomum aromaticum 119260 154 Positive 7 Negative sesame Sesamum indicum 4182 141 Positive 19 Negative rosemary Salvia rosmarinus 39367 132 Positive 7 Negative peppermint Mentha x piperita 34256 114 Positive 7 Negative clove Syzygium aromaticum 219868 92 Positive 16 Negative avocado leaf Persea americana 3435 83 Positive 15 Negative holy basil Ocimum tenuiflorum 204149 82 Positive sunflower Helianthus annuus 4232 77 Positive 30 Negative common chamomile Chamaemelum nobile 99037 76 Positive 7 Negative evening primrose Oenothera biennis 3942 70 Positive garden thyme Thymus vulgaris 49992 67 Positive 6 Negative red sorrel Hibiscus sabdariffa 183260 66 Positive 3 Negative common oregano Origanum vulgare 39352 65 Positive jiaogulan Gynostemma pentaphyllum 182084 64 Positive flax Linum usitatissimum 4006 63 Positive 5 Negative lemon balm Melissa officinalis 39338 60 Positive common lavender Lavandula angustifolia 39329 59 Positive 1 Negative bell pepper Capsicum annuum 4072 57 Positive 12 Negative borage Borago officinalis 13363 54 Positive 1 Negative black pepper Piper nigrum 13216 50 Positive 4 Negative celery Apium graveolens 4045 49 Positive 46 Negative coriander Coriandrum sativum 4047 49 Positive 9 Negative basil Ocimum basilicum 39350 49 Positive fennel Foeniculum vulgare 48038 46 Positive 7 Negative long pepper Piper longum 49511 44 Positive ajowan Trachyspermum ammi 52570 43 Positive mastic Pistacia lentiscus 371726 42 Positive chilli pepper Capsicum frutescens 4073 41 Positive 24 Negative chicory Cichorium intybus 13427 40 Positive 3 Negative european barberry Berberis vulgaris 258209 40 Positive common purslane Portulaca oleracea 46147 40 Positive asafoetida Ferula assa-foetida 52471 39 Positive dandelion Taraxacum officinale 50225 37 Positive 4 Negative cumin Cuminum cyminum 52462 37 Positive curry leaf Murraya koenigii 159030 36 Positive absinthium Artemisia absinthium 72332 33 Positive 5 Negative lemon grass Cymbopogon citratus 66014 31 Positive 2 Negative tanner sumac Rhus coriaria 298661 30 Positive 5 Negative westen yarrow Achillea millefolium 13329 28 Positive 4 Negative green cardamom Elettaria cardamomum 105181 28 Positive 3 Negative guinea pepper Xylopia aethiopica 1317910 27 Positive watercress Nasturtium officinale 65948 26 Positive 15 Negative nutmeg Myristica fragrans 51089 26 Positive 6 Negative german chamomile Matricaria chamomilla 98504 26 Positive 1 Negative common sage Salvia officinalis 38868 26 Positive fish mint Houttuynia cordata 16752 26 Positive aniseed Pimpinella anisum 271192 25 Positive 4 Negative spearmint Mentha spicata 29719 24 Positive caper Capparis spinosa 65558 22 Positive 1 Negative juniper Juniperus communis 58039 21 Positive 3 Negative beafsteak plant Perilla frutescens 48386 21 Positive 1 Negative star anise Illicium verum 124778 19 Positive 3 Negative zedoary Curcuma zedoaria 136224 18 Positive kencur Kaempferia galanga 97750 18 Positive mugwort Artemisia vulgaris 4220 17 Positive 57 Negative marjoram Origanum majorana 268884 17 Positive brazilian pepper tree Schinus terebinthifolia 169191 16 Positive greater galangal Alpinia galanga 94327 16 Positive common rue Ruta graveolens 37565 15 Positive 8 Negative wormseed Dysphania ambrosioides 330163 15 Positive indian borage Plectranthus amboinicus 204180 14 Positive 2 Negative lesser galangal Alpinia officinarum 199623 14 Positive achiote Bixa orellana 66672 13 Positive 6 Negative chia seed Salvia hispanica 49212 13 Positive 1 Negative ashitaba Angelica keiskei 357850 13 Positive spikenard Nardostachys jatamansi 179860 13 Positive wasabi Eutrema japonicum 75806 13 Positive summer savory Satureja hortensis 49987 13 Positive lemon verbena Aloysia triphylla 542672 12 Positive bay laurel Laurus nobilis 85223 11 Positive 7 Negative quinoa Chenopodium quinoa 63459 11 Positive 7 Negative parsely Petroselinum crispum 4043 11 Positive 1 Negative babasu oil Attalea speciosa 145700 11 Positive dill seed Anethum graveolens 40922 11 Positive melegueta pepper Aframomum melegueta 637930 10 Positive kokum Garcinia indica 547469 10 Positive caraway Carum carvi 48032 9 Positive catnip Nepeta cataria 39347 8 Positive 1 Negative willow herb Epilobium parviflorum 644182 8 Positive szechuan pepper Zanthoxylum piperitum 354529 8 Positive tarragon Artemisia dracunculus 72341 8 Positive water pepper Persicaria hydropiper 46901 8 Positive welsh onion Allium fistulosum 35875 8 Positive california bay laurel Umbellularia californica 3438 7 Positive 3 Negative indian bay Cinnamomum tamala 397098 7 Positive quassia Quassia amara 43725 7 Positive garlic chives Allium tuberosum 4683 7 Positive allspice Pimenta dioica 375272 6 Positive corn mint Mentha arvensis 292239 6 Positive breadseed poppies Papaver somniferum 3469 6 Positive alkanet Alkanna tinctoria 543564 5 Positive alligator pepper Aframomum daniellii 199616 5 Positive common verbena Verbena officinalis 79772 5 Positive clary sage Salvia sclarea 38869 5 Positive fireweed Chamerion angustifolium 13055 5 Positive horseradish Armoracia rusticana 3704 5 Positive water mint Mentha aquatica 190902 4 Positive cinnamon myrtle Backhousia myrtifolia 178105 4 Positive fingerroot Uvaria chamae 174970 4 Positive mexican marigold Tagetes minuta 169607 4 Positive boldo Peumus boldus 63812 4 Positive alfalfa Medicago sativa 3879 4 Positive checkerberry Gaultheria procumbens 157519 3 Positive 4 Negative hyssop Hyssopus officinalis 39324 3 Positive 2 Negative chive Allium schoenoprasum 74900 3 Positive 1 Negative long coriander Eryngium foetidum 477864 3 Positive shea butter Vitellaria paradoxa 292385 3 Positive spotted orchis Orchis mascula 59338 3 Positive sassafras Sassafras albidum 46945 3 Positive black mustard Brassica nigra 3710 2 Positive 2 Negative musk okra Abelmoschus moschatus 1170222 2 Positive pot marjoram Origanum onites 452416 2 Positive cubeb pepper Piper cubeba 405322 2 Positive oil seed camellia Camellia oleifera 385388 2 Positive black cumin Bunium persicum 377494 2 Positive persian cow parsley Heracleum persicum 360621 2 Positive pandan flower Pandanus odoratissimus 240453 2 Positive wild thyme Thymus serpyllum 204219 2 Positive indonesian cinnamon Cinnamomum burmannii 119261 2 Positive sheep's sorrel Rumex acetosella 61450 2 Positive herb bennet Geum urbanum 57919 2 Positive lemon myrtle Backhousia citriodora 39976 2 Positive white mustard Sinapis alba 3728 2 Positive brown mustard Brassica juncea 3707 2 Positive mexican oregano Lippia graveolens 1986359 1 Positive korarima Aframomum corrorima 1765291 1 Positive black cardamom Amomum subulatum 1008370 1 Positive pineapple sage Salvia elegans 888065 1 Positive saigon cinnamon Cinnamomum loureiroi 688535 1 Positive curry plant Helichrysum italicum 261786 1 Positive pandan leaf Pandanus amaryllifolius 260201 1 Positive red torch ginger Etlingera elatior 188493 1 Positive salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba 137456 1 Positive linden Tilia tomentosa 121718 1 Positive yellow water lily Nuphar lutea 77113 1 Positive vanilla Vanilla planifolia 51239 1 Positive winter savory Satureja montana 49988 1 Positive peruvian pepper Schinus molle 43851 1 Positive locoto Capsicum baccatum 33114 1 Positive mountain pepper Tasmannia lanceolata 3420 1 Positive sago palm Metroxylon sagu 93297 2 Negative kawakawa seed Macropiper excelsum 130373 1 Negative
In red, I've (subjectively) highlighted those that had a particular high ratio of negative assosiations (research reports) compared to the number of positive ones. But each individual will have to do their own reseach to see if the spice/herb is liable to be harmful for them (bearing in mind their individual health issues & also possible conflicts with medicines they take). For example, in my case, I have crossed out ginkgo.
The long and the short of this is that so far, I've determined that it would be good for me to definitely take garlic and tumeric (actually, the deriative active compound curcumin specifically) taking into consideration the diverse health benefits (seemingly without negative implications for my own health) and the cost.
Examine.com (which seems to be a generally reliable website for reviewing such compounds recommends about 10g (or equilavent) of garlic a day - I now 12g simply because of the dose I purchased. This costs about 8 pence a day or 11 cents.
With curcumin, it is very important for it to be activated, otherwise it won't be adequate unless you take a very large dose (research papers generally cite the use of black pepper for this purpose). I have purchased curcumin in the "Meriva" form, which is an alternative method. I take 500mg a day, which costs 27 pence or 35 cents.
Suggested websites (at your own own risk, fingers crossed!):
https://examine.com/
https://householdprof.com/best-snow-cone-machines-buyers-guide/
https://www.drugs.com/
https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/index
https://www.reddit.com/r/Supplements/
When I was going further down the list of herbs/spices, I was encountering positive associations/research for health conditions/health preservation etc. that had more positive associations with herbs/spices further up the list. Of course it is possible and likely that multiple selections compliment each other. Also, there are many conditions that are person specific, e.g. diabetes rather likely to be of general interest. Other than Garlic and Turmeric (Curcumin), so far, I have asterisked ginger, cinammon, and black cumin for my further consideration.
According to a survey conducted by the Council for Responsible Nutrition, more than half the people who consume dietary supplements say that their most trusted source for information on reliable dietary supplements was either their doctor or physician.
An article featured in Nutritional Outlook quotes Erik Goldman, “There are a lot more practitioners using supplements, recommending supplements, and in some cases dispensing supplements in their offices” now than there were just a few years ago. Goldman surveyed health practitioners and discovered that 91% of the 643 respondents (who included primary-care physicians, nurses, naturopathic doctors, and others) recommend supplements, nutraceuticals, or natural products to their patients. According to his survey, about 45% of these respondents are considering dispensing supplements and natural products out of their offices via dispensary or an online service.
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