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The significance of spices is known from times immemorial. During European renaissance, many of the voyages were undertaken in the Far East & many lands unknown at that time under the patronage of the ruling royalty to look out for cheaper spice marketsbesidesother commodities. Considering its use in medicine, perfumery, as supplements to add tang & aroma to food, spices were considered as valuable as gold. Spices & condiments are food additives that go hands in hand in adding flavor & aroma to food. They differ in that spices are added at the time of cooking & condiments are used to garnish food post-cooking. Some of the popular condiments include fresh coriander leaves, green chilly, mint, lemongrass, parsley, ginger etc. Botanicals like black pepper, cardamom, paprika, oregano can be utilized both as spice & a condiment.

Observations backed with research work have thrown considerable light on the nutritional value of spices. India being a sub tropical country favors the growth of a great variety of spices. It alone produces spices in tune of 3 million tones approximately & earns noteworthy income of $5 billion annually from their export. Spices are not just capable of stimulating taste buds but also enthrall spirits by their natural flavor & fragrance. These refreshers are store house of vitamins, essential micro elements & antioxidants. There is more. Their medicinal use includes

? Cardamom is the queen of spices & is use to treat diseases of gums & teeth. It helps clear chest congestion, digestive disorders & inflammation of eyelids. There is more. Traditional medicine use cardamom as antidote for snake as well as scorpion venom.

? Cinnamon barks are known to increase shelf life of cooked food due to its inherent antimicrobial properties. It’s mildly used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

? Cloves are widely known for its essential oils used in aromatherapy to relax from body fatigue & pains. It also finds use to relive from toothaches.

? Regular consumption & application of curry leaves prevents graying of hair.

? Black pepper finds a wide variety of uses. Its essential oil mixed with any vegetable oil is used in aromatherapy to relieve of fatigue, body stiffness, arthritis & pain. Steam inhaled in combination with eucalyptus oil cures flue & cold. Black pepper in cooked food helps correct digestive disorders pertaining to flatulence, nausea, loss of appetite, heartburn etc. Black pepper is a tonic & its vital component called piperine strengthens immunity & propels the functioning of heart & kidney.

? Turmeric is a wonder spice & finds much use in medicine. It enhances the tissue sensitivity to hormonesbesidesreceptivity to many drugs. An active component curcumin inherently contained in turmeric prevents the accumulation of beta amyloids in the brain patients of Alzheimer’s disease. This ingredient is known to have anti-carcinogenic properties & is instrumental in curing pancreatic cancer, venereal diseases, colorectal cancer & multiple myeloma. Furthermore curcumin prevents tumor formation in human body by enabling degradation of human protein p53. Intake of turmeric in combination with the anti-cancerous taxol makes its action potent by many folds. Turmeric powder mixed with fresh cream massaged over face followed by rinsing with warm water gives glow to the face & removes dryness. Its prolonged use helps reduce age related pigmentation. In India ground turmeric is mixed in hot milk to strengthen bones & heal injuries. Recent studies point towards role of turmeric in the reduction of fat & its action as an antioxidant in delaying aging. An antioxidant helps to stabilize the free & thus unstable oxygen radical & prevents it to damage cells.

? Use of chilies in various curries benefits the user with bronchitis, sinusesbesidesin stabilizing many digestive disorders. It has a powerful impact in dilation of blood vessels. Being stimulant when consumed, it brings a flush on the face & an impression of warmth in ones general being. Application of red chilies over the wound of dog bite delays the spread of the rabies virus for considerable time.

? Fenugreek is popularly used as tonic & as anti-coagulant when consumed in various preparations. It helps in cure of digestive disorders; enable free bowel movement due to its mucilaginous content, diabetes, edema, rickets & dysenterybesidesrectifying hair problems like baldness or premature graying. Fenugreek is known to have hormone effects akin to estrogen & progesterone, the female sex hormones. Right. When roasted its seeds’ inherent ingredient trigonelline is converted into vitamin B-3 also referred to as niacin. It can sometimes be soaked over night & then consumed along with the water giving therapeutic benefits or alternatively sprouted & eaten as salad.

? Cumin is thought of to be imbued with antioxidant & anti-cancerous propertiesbesidesbeneficial digestive indications.

? Saffron is an expensive spice. It’s an active stimulant & is a treasure of many benefits that finds use in Ayurvedic system of medicine & in preparation of beauty products.

Judicious use of spices & condiments go a long way in inducing innate immunitybesidesgiving a completely unique flavor & aroma to the food. They help incitation of taste buds & free flow of digestive juices. So… Spices as natural anti-septic & anti-cancerous are in consonance with the structure & functioning of the human body.

Rosy Vohra works for online bookstore India

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