Spices on the Autoimmune Protocol

When it comes to spices, figuring out which ones are safe on the Autoimmune Protocol can be tricky.  Many spices come from the seeds of plants and some are even from the nightshade family.  And what about the spices that come from the fruit or berry of a plant, are they safe?

I have divided spices into several categories.

Herbs and other spices derived from the leaves of fragrant plants are safe to use in your cooking, as are any spices derived from non-reproductive plant parts like barks and roots.  In fact, herbs are an awesome source of antioxidant phytochemicals (see The Amazing World of Plant Phytochemicals: Why a diet rich in veggies is so important! and Polyphenols: Magic Bullet or Health Hype?)

Seeds are eliminated on the AIP due to their unusually high food allergy and intolerance rate (see The WHYs behind the Autoimmune Protocol: Nuts and Seeds).  Seed spices should be avoided at first as well, but are considered  Phase 1 Reintroductions (see Reintroducing Foods after Following the Autoimmune Protocol).  Depending on your individual autoimmune challenges, some people tolerate the very small doses of seed-based spices typically used in cooking (see Making Healthy Choices: What’s Your Currency?).

Spices derived from berries and fruits of plants are eliminated initially on the AIP, but are considered Phase 1 Reintroductions (see Reintroducing Foods after Following the Autoimmune Protocol).  This is because these typically contain more seed than fruit and you are still consuming the ground seed.  While some people opt to include seed and berry based spices when they first adopt the AIP (see Making Healthy Choices: What’s Your Currency?), I advise leaving these spices out of your diet at first and them adding the back in to see if they make a difference (some people report having an intolerance to pepper, for example, so be careful).

Spices from the nightshade family cause problems for most people with autoimmune disease.  Nightshades are restricted on the Autoimmune Protocol due to their high saponin content (which can increase gut permeability and act as an adjuvant, exaggerating immune responses).  Spices from the nightshade family (mainly peppers) also contain capsaicin (one of the chemicals that give them heat), which is a gut irritant–don’t reintroduce these until you are ready to reintroduce all nightshades (and I would start with eggplants and bell peppers before trying chili peppers).

Safe Spices (Leaves, Flowers, Roots, Barks)

• Balm (lemon balm)       Leaf of Melissa officinalis L.
• Basil Leaves (Sweet)     Leaf of Ocimum basilicum
• Bay Leaves (Laurel Leaves)   Leaf of Laurus nobilis
• Chamomile                       Flower of Anthemisnobilis L. or Matricaria chamomilla L.
• Chervil                               Leaf of Anthriscus cerefolium
• Chives                                Leaf of Allium schoenoprasum
• Cilantro (Coriander Leaf)        Leaf of Coriandrum sativum
• Cinnamon/Cassia          Bark of Cinnamomum spp.
• Cloves                                Bud of Syzygium aromaticum
• Dill Weed                          Leaf of Anethum graveolens/Anethum sowa
• Garlic                                 Bulb of Allium sativum
• Ginger                               Root of Zingiber officinale
• Horseradish                   Root of Armoracialapathfolia Gilib.  *(Read ingredients list for horseradish sauce!)
• Lavender                         Flower of Lavandula officinalis Chaix.
• Mace                                 Aril of Myristica fragrans
• Marjoram Leaves        Leaf of Majorana hortensis Moench
• Onion Powder               Bulb of Allium cepa
• Oregano Leaves           Leaf of Origanum vulgare/Lippia spp.
• Parsley                            Leaf of Petroselinum crispum
• Peppermint                   Leaf of Mentha piperita
• Rosemary                      Leaf of Rosmarinusofficinalis
• Saffron                            Stigma of Crocus sativus
• Sage                                 Leaf of Salvia officinalis/Salvia triloba
• Salt                                  Mineral, see Is Salt Paleo?
• Savory Leaves             Leaf of Satureia montana/Satureia hortensis
• Spearmint                     Leaf of Menthaspicata
• Tarragon                       Leaf of Artemisia dracunculus
• Thyme                            Leaf of Thymus vulgaris/Thymus serpyllum/Thymus satureioides
• Turmeric                       Root of Curcuma longa, see Turmeric: The Full Scoop
• Vanilla Bean*                  Fruit of Vanilla planifolia/Vanilla tahitensis Moore

*Vanilla gets a pass because the seeds are so small that they are intact when you consume them, putting vanilla bean (which is not a legume) in the same category as berries.  Vanilla and vanilla extract is also okay provided its certified gluten-free (often grain alcohol is used).

Early Reintroduction Spices (Berries and Fruit)

• Allspice                           Berry of Pimenta officinalis
• Star Anise                       Fruit of Illicium verum Hook
• Caraway                          Fruit or Carum carvi Maton.
• Cardamom                     Fruit of Elettariacardamomum
• Juniper                            Berry of Juniperus communis
• Black Pepper                 Berry of Piper nigrum
• White Pepper                Berry of Piper nigrum
• Green Peppercorns    Berry of Piper nigrum
• Pink Peppercorns       Berry of Schinus terebinthifolius

Early Reintroduction Spices (Seeds)

• Anise Seed                     Seed of Pimpinella anisum
• Annatto Seed                Seed of Bixa orellana
• Black Caraway (Russian Caraway, Black Cumin)    Seed of Nigella sativa
• Celery Seed                   Seed of Apium graveolens
• Coriander Seed            Seed of Coriandrum sativum
• Cumin Seed                   Seed of Cuminum cyminum
• Dill Seed                         Seed of Anethum graveolens/Anethum sowa
• Fennel Seed                  Seed of Foeniculum vulgare
• Fenugreek                     Seed of Trigonellafoenum-graecum
• Mustard Seed              Seed of Brassica juncea/B. hirta/B. nigra
• Nutmeg                         Seed of Myristica fragrans
• Poppy Seed                  Seed of Papaver somniferum
• Sesame Seed                Seed of Sesamum indicum

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Avoid (Nightshades)

• Capsicums                    Seed of Capsicum spp.
• Cayenne                        Fruit of Capsicum annuum
• Chili Pepper Flakes           Many Varieties, fruit of Capsicum genus
• Chili Powder                Blend of fruit of Capsicum genus
• Curry                             A spice mixture typically containing coriander, cumin, fenugreek, and red pepper.
• Paprika                         Fruit of Capsicum spp.
• Red Pepper                  Fruit of Capsicum

Some Common Spice Blends

In general, I recommend against using any spice blends because often the ingredients list doesn’t actually tell you everything that’s in it (why is it okay to label “spices” or “natural flavors” on the labels of these?!).  But, here are some common spice blends you might have in your kitchen with components to worry about:

• Curry Powder             A spice mixture typically containing coriander, cumin, fenugreek, and red pepper.
• Chinese 5-Spice         Contains Star Anise, Peppercorns, and Fennel Seed
• Garam Masala           Contains peppercorns, cumin seeds and cardamom pods
• Poultry Seasoning    Often contains pepper, nutmeg
• Steak Seasoning        Usually contains pepper, chili, cumin, and cayenne

I hope this list helps you as you embark on the Autoimmune Protocol.  I know that this can be very overwhelming and feel overly restrictive.  Keep in mind the restrictions you already live with as you accommodate your disease and think about how great it would be to put your autoimmune disease into full remission.  And, note that the largest category of spices above are the safe spices and there are lots of wonderful meals that you can cook with those!