Adding ground spices to meat can help reduce the rate of fat

For centuries that we use spices to preserve meat and now science is starting to catch up showing that adding ground spices to meat can help reduce the rate of fat oxidation and keep your meat from going rancid a little while longer. In one study, researchers from UCLA added a mixture of ground cloves, cinnamon, oregano, rosemary, ginger, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder to 95% lean ground beef and found that when people ate those burgers, compared to burgers without the spice mixture, there were reduced levels of oxidized lipids in their bodies. When spices were added to the meats, the researchers found that after cooking the burgers, the spices help prevent cooking induced oxidation of fats.

Another group of researchers tested the effects of  mixing 5 different spices – clove, ginger, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme – with meat and then storing it for 21 days. Rosemary had the greatest oxidized lipid fighting effects, while ginger and thyme had essentially no effect.

For maximum flavor and health, marinate the meats that you purchase with ground spices (especially oregano and rosemary) the day you buy them. Especially if you are going to eat some of this meat later in the week, adding spices right away will fight the formation of oxidized lipids and add intense calorie free flavor.

References:

Antioxidant-rich spice added to hamburger meat during cooking results in reduced meat, plasma, and urine malondialdehyde concentrations [American Journal of Clinical Nutrition]
Stabilization of Meat Lipids with Ground Spices [Journal of Food Lipids]

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