Black Pepper is one of the oldest known spices having been used in the East for over 4,000 years. Medicinal uses were referred to in the 17th century by the Tang Dynasty in China were as an appetite stimulant and also as an aid in digestion. It was regularly used as a food flavoring throughout the Middle Ages and also by the Romans. It is native to South-West India and also cultivated in other tropical countries such as Java and Sumatra. It is also known as a good detoxifier in relation to removing phlegm from the body and is generally good for aches and pains as well as for stimulating circulation.


Caffeine, a white tasteless powder, is a natural stimulant found in more than 60 plants, from coffee beans and tea leaves to kola nuts and cocoa beans. The benefits of caffeine found in tea have been used in Asia for millennia, and coffee may have been discovered in North Africa around 700 A.D. Caffeine is typically associated as a stimulant effecting central nervous system and mental alertness. It prevents sleepiness and speeds recovery from fatigue. Caffeine also enhances athletic ability and endurance. When caffeine is taken during exercise, subcutaneous fat (paniculus adiposus) is metabolized as an energy source rather than depleting glycogen stores, leading to increased stamina. In addition, caffeine is considered a good remedy for hangovers because caffeine blocks absorption of alcohol and enhances its metabolization. It has a diuretic function, which encourages detoxification and the discharge of body wastes and sodium (Na) that raises blood pressure. Caffeine activates blood circulation and the conventional wisdom is that it opens up the capillaries and speeds the flow of other pain-reducing drugs into the system.

Celery Salt is native to the Mediterranean region. Celery in its wild form is called smallage, and it is grown to this day for flavoring. The Greeks called it selinon, and as such it is mentioned in Homer's Odyssey, dating from 850 BC. A member of the carrot family, celery is first recorded as a plant in France in 1623 and was probably developed either there or in Italy. In spite of Celery having very few calories and low in fat, it actually has appetite-stimulating properties. It does offer a source of potassium, folic acid, carbohydrates, protein, dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B-complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium. Two medium stalks contain about 20 calories. Mostly water, Celery acts as a mild diuretic.


Chile Peppers (cayenne) are used as a food and seasoning and revered for their medicinal qualities. Chili peppers contain a substance called capsaicin, which gives peppers their characteristic pungency, producing mild to intense spice when eaten. Capsaicin is a potent inhibitor of a neuropeptide associated with inflammatory processes and is being studied as an effective treatment for pain associated with arthritis, psoriasis, and diabetic neuropathy. Red chili peppers, such as cayenne, have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and platelet aggregation, while increasing the body's ability to dissolve fibrin, a substance integral to the formation of blood clots. Cultures where hot pepper is used liberally have a much lower rate of heart attack, stroke and pulmonary embolism. Chili peppers' bright red color signals its high content of beta-carotene or pro-vitamin A. Often called the anti-infection vitamin, vitamin A is essential for healthy mucous membranes, which line the nasal passages, lungs, intestinal tract and urinary tract and serve as the body's first line of defense against invading pathogens. Chili peppers can help stomach ulcers by killing bacteria you may have ingested, while stimulating the cells lining the stomach to secrete protective buffering juices.

Cocoa (unsweetened) traces its roots back to the Aztecs. During Emperor Montezuma’s reign, cocoa beans were so valuable that they were used as currency. Cocoa was believed to impart wisdom, provide great energy and have aphrodisiacal powers. Montezuma greeted explorer Hernando Cortez with gold, silver and cocoa, and Cortez brought Montezuma’s special drink recipe back to Spain. The Spaniards added hot water, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon, and the drink became all the rage among European nobles. It then became so popular in France that chocolate houses, much like today’s coffee houses, appeared. Later, the Swiss made the most refinements to cocoa, creating the processing system still used today. The Swedish naturalist, Linnaeus, christened the chocolate plant Theobroma cacao, Latin for "food of the gods". Chocolate has exceptional nutritional qualities, being a high energy food in a small volume. It also has large quantities of potassium and magnesium, some calcium and sodium, and vitamins A1, B1, B2, D, and E. Cocoa is a powerful antioxidant rich in flavonoids, and is also associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease


Ginger is an herb that is indigenous to the South West coast of India. It is also known in the East as a hot or yang herb, and has a long history of traditional usage spanning back over 2,500 years. Ginger is often used to ease nausea and assists in digestion with its ability to calm the stomach, promote the flow of bile, and improve the appetite. It can relieve stomach cramps often quicker than any other herbal medicine. It also helps to support a healthy cardiovascular system by making platelets less sticky and therefore reducing he likelihood of aggregation (a major factor in atherosclerosis). Further, Ginger has traditionally been used to help inflammatory joint diseases such as arthritis. It is also valued for its analgesic action, which may help arthritic conditions. Studies have suggested that ginger may be useful in keeping cholesterol levels under control, although how this works is not yet understood. Ginger is also well known for its warming expectorant action on the upper respiratory tract, and this is why Chinese herbalists have traditionally used ginger to treat colds and influenza.


Honey is mankind's oldest sweetener. Bees make honey from the nectar of flowers and they will travel as far as 40,000 miles and visit over 2 million flowers to produce one pound of honey. Honey has been found in the tombs of ancient Egyptian Pharos and man harvesting honey is painted on the wall of caves by pre-historic man. Honeybees have been in Europe and Asia for hundreds of thousands of years. It was not until the late 1600's that the bee was brought to this country by Europeans. Native Americans called the honey bee "White man's flies." Approximately one half of the human diet is derived directly or indirectly from crops pollinated by bees. Today honeybees are an essential part of a healthy agriculture economy. Many individuals eat honey to build tolerances to pollen. Honey in Hebrew means "enchant". It is known to relieve indigestion and headaches, boost energy and stamina, and reduce stress by promoting revitalizing sleep. It can even be used to disinfect and help heal minor wounds. Together with other medicinal herbs, honey is effective in the relieving discomforts associated with minor respiratory ailments like colds, bronchitis and whooping cough.


Horseradish has been prized for its medicinal and gastronomic qualities for centuries. The Egyptians knew about horseradish as far back as 1500 B.C. Early Greeks used it as a rub for low back pain and an aphrodisiac. Jews still use it during Passover Seders as one of the bitter herbs. Some used horseradish syrup as an expectorant cough medicine; others were convinced it cured everything from rheumatism to tuberculosis. More recent appreciation of horseradish is believed to have originated in Central Europe, the area also linked to the most widely held theory of how horseradish was named. In German, it’s called "meerrettich" (sea radish) because it grows by the sea. Many believe the English mispronounced the German word "meer" and began calling it "mareradish." Eventually it became known as horseradish. The word "horse" (as applied in "horseradish") is believed to denote large size and coarseness. "Radish" comes from the Latin radix meaning root. Horseradish only has 2 calories per teaspoon. It is low in sodium and provides dietary fiber.


Lemon Juice is used in more ways than any other citrus fruit. The pulp yields juice containing citric acid. The lemon is a rich source of vitamin C. The demand for citrus fruits increased greatly after the 1890s when physicians found that people suffering from scurvy, a vitamin deficiency disease. It also contains some vitamin A, vitamin B1, and some of the other essential minerals. Lemons are native to southern China and Southeast Asia where they have been cultivated for approximately 4,000 years. In fact, the oldest Oriental literature includes stories about these fruits. The lemon was carried to the Middle East sometime between 400 and 600 BC. Arab traders in Asia carried lemons, citrons, limes, oranges and shaddocks to eastern Africa and the Middle East between AD 100 and 700. During the Arab occupation of Spain, citrus fruits arrived in southern Europe. From Europe they were carried to the New World by Christopher Columbus and Portuguese and Spanish explorers and were well known in Florida and Brazil by the 16th century. By the 1800s citrus fruits had been distributed worldwide by explorers and missionaries.


Taurine is naturally occurring in our body, mainly in muscle, brain, heart and blood. A person weighing 70 kg has approximately 70 g of taurine distributed throughout the body. Put another way, a person naturally has in his body 1/1000 the amount of Taurine as compared to their body weight. It’s a conditionally essential amino acid. "Conditionally essential" means that in some situations or under certain conditions it is necessary to supply the body with taurine, e.g. in times of high stress or physical exertion. Taurine is also contained in the daily diet (scallops, fish, and poultry).

Tomato Juice is high in a number of nutrients, but most significantly tomatoes provide us with the potent antioxidant, lycopene. Foods made from processed tomatoes - such as tomato juice - are being hailed for their role in reducing the risk of cancer, including pancreatic, lung and colorectal cancer, and heart disease. More and more evidence is emerging for the health benefits of lycopene. Although present in fresh tomatoes, lycopene is much more efficiently absorbed in to the bloodstream when the tomatoes have been processed. Lycopene is a natural pigment which gives tomatoes their red color. Anti-oxidants are compounds which fight cell-damaging free radicals in the bloodstream and are therefore associated with reduced disease risk.


Vegetable Bouillon consists of salt, vegetable protein, vegetable fat, potato starch, dehydrated celery, onions, carrots, leeks, lactose, parsley, marjoram, bay leaf, garlic, nutmeg, cloves, and turmeric. It is the base for numerous soups and sauces. For years, Bouillon, added to boiling water, has been used as a tasty home remedy for hang overs. The high salt content helps retain water and keep the body hydrated.


Vinegar’s (Red Wine) virtues were inscribed on stone tablets by the ancient Babylonians over 7000 years ago. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used it to treat his patients in 400 B.C. Helen of Troy bathed in it as a way of relaxing. In the Middle Ages, during the Black Plague, bands of thieves doused their skin in vinegar to protect themselves from germs before robbing the dead and dying. Research has shown that apple cider vinegar can assist in aiding digestion, lowering bad cholesterol, strengthening the heart, lowering blood pressure, stabilizing blood sugar and it contains anti-oxidants which help ward off certain cancers. Vinegar's other claims to fame include relieving sore throats, slowing the aging process, relieving leg cramps, soothing sunburn, controlling dandruff and itchy scalp, flushing harmful toxins from the system which is thought to aid arthritis and assisting in weight control.