Is there anything better than curling up with a steaming hot mug of spiced cider (or wine!) and some gingerbread cookies in front of a roaring fire? Or decorating your Christmas tree with candy canes and glittering lights, and lighting that holiday scented candle?

These scents and flavors are part of what makes this time of year so special and memorable. We bake them into our food, infuse them into drinks, make them into candy, incense and candles.

There’s a reason that these particular herbs and spices are traditionally associated with the holiday season; they have medicinal value beyond just their delicious flavors and scents. So, if you’re looking for that perfect spice blend for your cookies or your essential oil diffuser, this should help inspire you. And if you’re working on getting healthier, work some of these into your daily diet to reap the rewards.

7 Holiday Spices for Health

All of the spices and herbs listen below are part of the Chinese Materia Medica, or herbal library. This style of herbalism has very sophisticated and specific diagnoses and treatments. These descriptions below pull information directly from that tradition.

Cinnamon (Cinnamomi Cortex)

Cinnamon bark and cinnamon twig are 2 distinct herbs in Chinese herbal medicine. The bark is what we use to sprinkle on our lattes and flavor our cinnamon rolls, so that’s what we’ll talk about here. Traditionally cinnamon is a very warming herb, perfect for Winter. Its action goes very deep in the body, and it can activate the lower abdomen, also called the dantien. This is where the heat in our body comes from. 

This makes cinnamon the perfect herb for when you’re feeling cold all over and you just can’t warm up. It’s also used for a weak, sore lower back or knees, watery diarrhea, and pain that doesn’t like the cold.

If you are someone who gets overheated easily, if you get reflux or hot flashes, don’t overdo it on the cinnamon.

When working more cinnamon into your diet, make sure you’re not adding a bunch more sugar as well. Try using cinnamon in your daily smoothie or oatmeal instead.

Mint (Menthae Herba)

The wild mint that’s used in Chinese medicine is slightly different than the peppermint we use in candy canes and mint extract, but it’s close enough that the basic descriptions will still work. Mint is the opposite of cinnamon in that it’s cooling as opposed to warming. It also stays on the surface of the body instead of going deep. It is said to “open the orifices”, which are the eyes, ears, nose and mouth, which makes it great for if you’ve got a stuffy nose, red, itchy eyes or a sore throat. And definitely consider mint if you’re the type of person who is hot a lot, or if you’re feeling feverish.

However, if you tend to run cold, mint is not the best herb for you.

Again, watch your sugar intake when ingesting mint; drinking it as a tea is the perfect way to use it.

Ginger (Zingiberis Rhizoma)

Just like cinnamon, there are 2 different forms of ginger used in herbalism, dried and fresh. These have differing qualities so they can’t be substituted for one another. Today we’re going to talk about the dried form of ginger, because it’s most appropriate for Winter, and it’s the kind used in gingerbread cookies!

Ginger is very warming and goes to the lungs and stomach. This makes it great for upset stomach when your upper belly feels cold to the touch. If you feel like you’re not digesting your food properly, that could mean your digestive fire is lacking, and taking ginger regularly is one way to warm it back up. Since it also affects the lungs it can help dry up thin, watery mucous.

Again, take it easy on the ginger if you run hot.

Frankincense and Myrrh (Olibanum and Myrrha)

Hold on, we’re making a sharp turn and going in a different direction with these guys. Frankincense and myrrh have very similar properties, and are often used together, so I’m pairing them together. You’re not going to want to ingest these for fun, they really taste terrible! Although if you’re really in pain they do make herbal remedies you can take that include them.

 Both frankincense and myrrh are said to “move blood”, which means they are great for sharp, shooting pain. This could be back, neck or other musculoskeletal pain, or it could be migraines or painful periods. They can work for other types of pain, like stiffness and spasms as well. In addition, they help promote skin healing, so you can use them for scars or swellings.

 The best way to use these is in essential oil form. If you want to share the goodness with everyone you can diffuse them in your home. Or to get the most pain relieving qualities, mix them into a carrier oil (like almond oil or jojoba oil) and use them directly on the area that hurts.

Clove (Caryophylli Flos)

Here comes another warming herb. There are a lot of these in holiday situations because of the cold weather this time of year. Clove directs downward, so it treats hiccups, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain – as long as your stomach is cold. 

A great way to work clove into your daily rotation is in a chai tea. In fact, if you tend to run cold, drinking chai tea daily will help warm you up, since most versions contain not just clove, but also cinnamon and ginger.

Citrus Peel (Citrus Reticulata)

We usually think of using the juice of citrus fruits for flavor, but the rind/zest, is medicinal and delicious.  A spiced cider, wine or cookie might also contain orange or another citrus peel.

The Chinese materia medica contains a number of citrus peels, including fresh and aged tangerine, and fresh and aged bitter orange. Each of these has slightly different actions, but they are similar enough that we are going to put them all together into one discussion.

Citrus peel is slightly warm, but not in the same way the warming spices are. It directs to the stomach, so it’s helpful for abdominal bloating, belching and nausea. It can also be used to dry out phlegm in your nose or that you cough up.

Adding citrus peel to your sweet and savory dishes can help you reap the benefits. It’s super helpful for keeping your digestion going when you’ve overindulged, which, let’s face it, happens more often this time of year.

While all of these herbs can add to your overall wellness through the holidays, if you’re dealing with a more serious issue, see a board-certified herbalist who can mix up a custom formula for you. 

 Author:
Elizabeth Williams, LAc is an acupuncturist and herbalist in Greenville, South Carolina, specializing in pain management, women’s health, and psycho-emotional issues. She’s passionate about helping people feel their best and sharing her wealth of knowledge with the community. Elizabeth is the owner of Dragonfly Acupuncture & Massage on Wade Hampton Boulevard. Appointments can be made by calling 864-451-4313 or scheduled online.