3 Common Kitchen Herbs and Spices for Anxiety and Depression

Mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression affect over 40 million American adults - almost 18% of the population! Unfortunately, conventional medicine’s first line of defense is often to treat mental illness with a pill. But these pharmaceuticals have been proven time and time again to have some seriously dangerous and long-term health consequences.

Thankfully, nature once more is proving that a pharmaceutical isn’t always the best approach. Instead, three common kitchen condiments/ herbs and spices are emerging as promising phytotherapies for some of the most debilitating mental health issues plaguing so many today.

Often the root cause of mental illness, such as anxiety and depression, can be attributed to physiological factors in the body, such as inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, or even hormonal imbalances. Luckily, we can often turn to our own kitchen when it comes to these issues and use food as medicine to rebalance our systems, reduce inflammation, and nourish our body and, in turn, our mind.

Curcumin

Curcumin - the active component of turmeric - continues to prove itself as a standout herb when it comes to benefiting our health, including our mental health. In a randomized controlled trial, curcumin was compared against a popular antidepressant for efficacy in people with major depressive disorder.

The study provided clinical evidence that curcumin may be used as an effective and safe treatment for those suffering from depression. Another study involving 108 male adults compared those taking an antidepressant plus a placebo to those taking an antidepressant plus 1000 mg of curcumin. The curcumin group showed a significant decrease in cortisol and inflammation - key players in mental health disease - as well as depression rating scores. The study concluded that curcumin might have the potential to reverse the development of depression and enhance the outcome of antidepressant treatment in major depressive disorder. Additionally, in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 56 individuals with major depressive disorder were treated with curcumin (500 mg twice daily) or a placebo for 8 weeks. From weeks 4 - 8 curcumin was significantly more effective than the placebo in improving several mood-related symptoms.

So it would seem that, once more, this superstar of spice proves itself to be of immense benefit in helping us achieve optimal health and happiness.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a very common kitchen herb used in a variety of cooking, but it’s also a herb that has long been used in traditional medicine - and for good reason. Rosemary was shown in a mouse study to exert anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects, specifically when drunk as a tea infusion. Another study showed three compounds extracted from rosemary - rosmanol, cirsimaritin and salvigenin - exhibited anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects on mice by acting on their central nervous system.

It’s not just consuming rosemary that produces mental health benefits: rosemary essential oil has also been shown to be powerful in reducing stress and anxiety. This was reflected in a study involving graduate nursing students who, after being exposed to rosemary essential oil, scored lower on anxiety tests as well as personal anxiety statements and also exhibited reduced pulse rates. Another study, which used rosemary extract in combination with lavender, marjoram, eucalyptus, and peppermint, showed significant reductions in depression scores among participants exposed to the combination.

Rosemary not only adds delicious flavor to our food but also makes a calming, enjoyable essential oil blend that supports mental health.

Saffron

Saffron has been used in traditional medicine for a multitude of ailments. From insomnia to anxiety as well as depression, the world’s most expensive spice may very well justify its hefty price tag when it comes to its mental health benefits.

Multiple studies have looked at saffron’s ability to reduce anxiety and depression, including a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial that showed a significant reduction in depression and anxiety in subjects who were given either a popular antidepressant combined with crocin (the main active component of saffron) or the same antidepressant plus a placebo pill. Another randomized, double-blind trial involved people who had mild to moderate depression. They were given either a well-known antidepressant or saffron capsules. This study concluded that short-term therapy with saffron produced the same effects as the antidepressant medication (but without the side effects).

These aren’t the only studies of their kind. Another study also compared an antidepressant against saffron and concluded that saffron is as effective as popular antidepressants in treating mild to moderate depression. And a meta-analysis of clinical trials indicated that saffron supplementation can improve symptoms of depression in adults with major depressive disorder.

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