Spices and herbs have been used in traditional medicine for centuries, with research starting to accumulate on their beneficial properties. Of these properties, the immune-enhancing and anti-inflammatory capabilities of many spices and herbs have led to promising results. The current review article aims to explore the current research of several spices and herbs as immune-enhancers and anti-inflammatory agents. The spices and herbs examined are African potato (Hypoxis hemerocallidea), allspice (Pimenta dioica), basil (Ocimum basilicum), black pepper (Piper nigrum), chili powders (Capsicum species), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), Devil’s claw (Harpagophytem procumbens), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), ginger (Zingiber officinale), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), oregano (Origanum vulgare), rooibos (Aspalathus linearis), rosemary/sage (Salvia rosmarinus/officinalis), saffron (Crocus sativus), South African geranium (Pelargonium sidoides), and turmeric (Curcuma longa). All the spices and herbs exhibited immune-enhancing or immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory capabilities through various processes. Rooibos and oregano had the most contradictory results, with some studies finding pro-inflammatory properties, especially at high doses regarding oregano. Turmeric had the most extensive research with positive results.

The structure of fatty acid‐containing lipid classes is defined as the grouping or positioning of fatty acids on the alcohol backbone. Alcohol backbones considered are glycerol, phytosterols/‐stanols, and sucrose. Health‐related nutritional effects of food lipids depend on the fatty acids they contain (not covered here), on the alcohol backbone, on the number of fatty acids esterified on the alcohol backbone if applicable (triacylglycerols vs. diacylglycerols vs. monoacylglycerols), and on the position the fatty acids occupy. The specificity of the lipases that are present in the intestinal tract are a major determinant of the digestion products that will be formed. Different digestion products will react differently in the intestinal lumen and after absorption will be metabolized differently in the intestinal cells. Specificity of lipases in combination with different handling of different fat digestion products is at the basis of structure‐related effects of food lipids. The position of fatty acids in triacylglycerols (inner or outer) can have an effect on digestibility (for saturated fatty acids), route of transport (for medium‐chain fatty acids), conversion in higher unsaturated fatty acids (for parent essential fatty acids), chylomicronemia, cholesterolemia, and atherogenicity. The well‐known cholesterolemic and atherogenic effects of different fatty acids are more pronounced when these fatty acids are esterified at the inner position of triglycerides. Partial glycerides have nutritional effects different from triglycerides with the same fatty acid composition. The nature of the alcohol backbone of food fats is also extremely important for their health‐related nutritional effects. Phytosterol/‐stanol esters, for instance, have cholesterol‐lowering effects, and sucrose polyesters cannot be absorbed from the intestinal tract.