MaryL wrote:
> I actually know very little about herbs and spices because I seldom did my
> own cooking until I was diagnosed T2. I hate to admit it, but my "meals"
> were primarily takeout and frozen meals. Now I am using almost all fresh
> foods and eat out only when it is a genuine "eating out" meal with friends.
> The problem is, I *do not* like "hot" or "spicy" foods, and they often leave
> an unpleasant (sometimes painful) burning sensation in my mouth and throat.
> I would like to try a few herbs and spices for cooking at home, but I don't
> want to waste a lot of time and money by using spices when I have absolutely
> no idea what they will do. Many recipes have a whole list of spices!
>
> Can anyone give me some direction here? Other than the obvious ones like
> chili powder, which spices would be considered "hot"? And which ones would
> be "safe"? I realize that you can't list every spice for me, but how about
> a few of the more commonly used ones?
>
> Thanks,
> MaryL

Here's a few resources to learn about spices and seasonings:

http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking...ing/index.html
http://dmoz.org/Home/Cooking/Herbs_and_Spices/
http://www.frontiercoop.com/learn/spicedirectory.html

Spices often taste different to different people so you need to try a
few and find what is pleasing to you.

Some "hot" spices you'll probably want to avoid:

Peppers - white, black, green, or red. The active ingredient is a
chemical called capsacin and it's present in varying amounts in all of
these spices. Just for your reference if you see those self defense
"pepper sprays" you note they are rated from 3 - 10. The number is the
percentage of Olium Capsicum (OC) which is essentially pure capsacin.