Indian cuisine is colourful, flavourful and spicy! Spices and aromatics are the very heart of Indian cooking. In India, we do not cook without spices. In Indian cooking there are dishes where more than 27 spices are added! Spices can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes.
The use of spices has been incredibly important throughout history. Spices have been used since ancient times and have always been celebrated for their medicinal and healing properties much before their culinary use. During their long and fascinating history, spices have often been more valuable than gold or precious stones.
India has been the hub of spices for hundreds of years. We have cultivated, processed and traded in spices with countries from the Old World for centuries. Wars have been fought for cloves, cardamom, pepper, nutmeg, etc.
Ayurveda puts spices at the heart of nutrition and good health. Spices enhance digestion and come with a plethora of health benefits. Ayurveda stresses on the benefits of spices to optimize our metabolism which is a key factor to good health. That is one of the reasons why spices are revered in Ayurvedic cuisine. Indian spices offer significant health benefits and contribute towards a person’s healthy life. They also add flavour and nutrients to food without fat or calories.
Learning your way around the kitchen, having the right spices and herbs on hand is key to your culinary journey into the magic of Indian cooking and good health! In addition to adding a variety of mild, hot, sweet, sour, aromatic and pungent flavours, spices (roots, bark, seeds, bulbs) boast of a range of health benefits. If your idea of seasoning is salt and pepper to taste, delve into the world of Indian cooking and add flavour and health benefits to your recipes! It is best to grind spices just before cooking for optimum aroma and flavour.
Spices act as appetizers and are considered essential in the culinary world, stimulate saliva flow and helps digestion in many ways. Spices such as cinnamon, chili peppers, turmeric, ginger, garlic offer many health benefits. Stroke frequency and blood pressure can be diminished or augmented with the addition of spices.
Spices curb inflammation in the body which give rise to heart disease and cancer. Spices such as fenugreek, asfoetida and cinnamon have also been linked to reduction in blood concentrations in people with diabetes. Turmeric and it’s key component, curcumin, helps to ward off dementia and cancer.
Understanding the health benefits and medicinal benefits of each ingredient is key to optimizing home-cooked meals and the particular needs of family members. So let’s find out which Indian spices are good for you.
Here are the top 10 spices that have healing effects ……
1.Turmeric (haldi)
Turmeric is the spice which gives curry it’s yellow colour. In Ayurveda, Turmeric ranks right at the top of spices which have many medicinal properties. It contains Curcumin … a substance with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties useful for treating arthritis. It is used as an antiseptic and raw turmeric juice is used to treat acidity and indigestion and also acts as a blood purifier. Studies suggest it can improve brain function, fight Alzheimer’s and significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and possibly cancer.
2.Fenugreek (methi)
Fenugreek has many medicinal uses. The golden yellow seed helps in treating diabetes and lowering blood sugar levels and cholesterol. Fenugreek seed and leaves are also good for increasing breast milk in lactating women and also helps in maintaining good metabolism and prevents constipation.
3.Black Pepper (kali mirch)
Pepper is one of the oldest and most important of all spices. It is usually dried and used both as a spice and seasoning. Pepper has a stimulating effect on the digestive organs and produces an increased flow of saliva and gastric juices. The health benefits of black pepper include relief from asthma, respiratory disorders, cough, aids in weight loss and gangrene.
4.Coriander (dhania)
Coriander is known all over the world for its medicinal properties. It is a great source of potassium, iron, vitamins A, K, and C, folic acid, magnesium, and calcium that can heal many health issues. One or two teaspoons of coriander juice helps to allievate indigestion, nausea, dysentery, hepatitis. It is also helpful in typhoid fever. Regular drinking of coriander water helps lower blood cholesterol and stimulates the kidneys.
Coriander is an integral part of Indian cuisine. It is an antioxidant with awesome properties. The leaves of the coriander plant are a stimulant and strengthen the stomach. Whenever I cook spinach I add an equal quantity of coriander leaves to sweeten the slightly bitter taste!
All parts of the coriander plant are edible but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are mildly roasted or heated briefly before grinding to enhance and improve the aroma.
5.Chillies (mirch)
With a high Vitamin ‘C’ content, hese spicy green or red ones have healing powers too. Since ancient times, chillies have been used to cure a variety of ailments. They have been used externally to relieve pain and internally to cure anything from yellow fever to the common cold. The active ingredient in peppers is a compound called capsaicin, which triggers the release of endorphins in the brain, which has a pain relieving effect similar to that of morphine.
6.Clove (laung)
Cloves can be used in cooking either whole or in a ground form, but are used sparingly as they are extremely strong. Cloves boost digestion, relieves irritation in the throat and stops cough. Clove is also an effective remedy for asthma, decreases toothache and has antiseptic properties.
7.Cumin (jeera)
Cumin is used for cooking and also possesses many medicinal properties. They are a good source of iron and keeps the immune system healthy. Water boiled with umin seeds is good for coping with dysentery.
8.Cinnamon (dalchini)
An aromatic smelling bark, Cinnamon is widely used for seasoning and flavouring. It has potent antioxidant properties, helps fight inflammation and is an antiseptic that helps kill bacteria which cause tooth decay and gum disease. It also kills many fungi and viruses that cause diseases. It helps calm the stomach and clears up urinary tract infections.
It lowers cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. It is a great boon for diabetic patients as it helps metabolise sugar and lowers fasting blood sugar levels.
9.Cardamom (elaichi)
Cardamom is the ‘Queen of Spices’ …. it is one of the most valued and valuable spices in the world. Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, with an intensely aromatic flavour. Cardamom is used chiefly in medicines as a treatment for indigestion and also for depression. Green cardamom is broadly used to treat infections in teeth and gums, to prevent and treat throat troubles and congestion of the lungs. Used in combination with Cinnamon, it is a cure for sore-throat and flu.
10. Asafoetida (hing)
A common ingredient for seasoning vegetarian dishes and pickles, adding this spice improves the nutritional value of food. Along with its culinary uses, asafetida has a prominent place in traditional medicine. Its health benefits are many …….
It helps you to tackle indigestion
It is used to combat respiratory disorders
It lowers your blood sugar levels
It helps to control high blood pressure
It plays a key role in relieving pain
It protects against cancer.
Though these spices have many extraordinary benefits, they need to be used in the right quantities. I have seen TV programmes where garam masala and chilli powders have been added by the heaped spoonfuls! This will not only make the food or the drink bitter, but, excessive use of spices can be harmful to your health! Use these resources provided by Nature sensibly and add some spice to your life!
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