SUMMARY POINTS
• Oxidative stress increases the risk for developing type 2 diabetes and diabetic co-morbidities.
• Spices and culinary herbs contain high concentra¬tions of antioxidant compounds, including phenolic substances.
• The seasoning of foods with spices and/or culinary herbs increases the daily intake of antioxidants and protects foods during storage, cooking, and digestion.
• Spice and culinary herb antioxidants also have other potential anti-diabetic effects, such as anti-glycant, anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic activities.
• Further clinical researches are needed to confirm the real effectiveness of spices and herbs and/or of com¬pounds isolated from them in diabetes prevention and treatment.