Many people get turned off when it comes to developing a vegan lifestyle because they think it’s bland or boring to just eat fruits and vegetables. Every vegan knows that this simply isn’t the case and food can taste just as good if not better. There are tons of ways to add flavor to any dish you make and that involves adding spices. Just like every cook has their go-to ingredients, there’s a must-have with vegan spices. Now, you might be thinking to yourself “but how do I know what spice to buy?” or “how do spices for vegan cooking differ from everyday spices?” and there is more to it than just your everyday salt and pepper combination. Below we compiled a list of 5 must-have vegan spices to vamp up your cooking.

Spices For Vegan Cooking

1. Tumeric
Tumeric has a slightly peppery, ginger flavor. You can use it fresh or in the most common form, powder. It’s mainly used in Thai and Indian dishes. It has health benefits too like fighting inflammation.

2. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is used in many different types of dessert dishes especially in fall and winter ones. It’s great to pair with sweeter foods like fruits, but it also adds flavor to teas and even bread. It has anti-inflammatory properties and can help stabilize blood sugars as well.

3. Red Pepper Flakes
Red Pepper Flakes are commonly used in Spanish and Italian dishes and are known for their extra kick of spice. They are full of antioxidants, help with suppressing appetite, boost your metabolism, and help in inflammation.

4. Cumin
Cumin is extremely popular when it comes to spices for vegan cooking. It has an earthy flavor and is used commonly in Mexican, Indian, and Middle Eastern dishes. It has health benefits like being a source of iron, magnesium, and helps with digestion.

5. Garlic
Garlic may be a basic ingredient for cooking, but it adds a ton of flavor to any dish. You can mince it fresh from cloves or use the powder. It has tons of health benefits beginning with vitamins, helping with colds, and reducing blood pressure.

As you can see, adding these must-have spices to your dishes will improve on any recipe and even gives you some added health bonuses. Hopefully, this list helps you when you make your next trip to the grocery store and you will have an idea of what spice to buy based on the dish you are making. For more information check out this video.