Inflammation is the root of most health concerns, your brain health included. See, the inflammatory response generates free radicals, which can ultimately lead to oxidative stress and damage your cells over time. “Age-related diseases are often inflammation-based,” Yufang Lin, M.D., an integrative medicine specialist at Cleveland Clinic, previously told mbg. 

Antioxidants, however, can neutralize those free radicals and halt inflammation as a result. So supplying your body with antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory ingredients seems like a good idea—and according to the aforementioned study, you can’t do better than turmeric, ginger, and cardamom (also known as the Zingiberaceae family). 

Each of these spices contains bioactive compounds that boast anti-inflammatory effects. For example, the study claims ginger can inhibit tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a potent inflammatory chemical, as well as COX-2, an inflammatory enzyme; plus, it has a protective effect against amyloid-β, a key Alzheimer’s protein. 

Curcumin (which is the main bioactive in turmeric) has been found to block NF-kB, a molecule that can work its way into your cells and turn on genes that lead to inflammation. Finally, cardamom promotes certain antioxidants in the body, like glutathione, and prevents the formation of Aβ42 (an Alzheimer’s-disease-related biomarker), per the study.