Spices are basically seeds, fruits, and barks used for centuries for both culinary and medicinal purposes. They are added to enhance the aroma, flavour and colour of food and beverages. The demand for spices is high across the globe due to these properties and India has the largest domestic market for spices in the world.
Spices are important food adjuncts which not only provide taste but also protect from acute and chronic diseases. Several studies have shown the diverse range of health properties that they possess via their bioactive constituents, including sulfur-containing compounds, tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids and polyphenols. They are specifically responsible for maintenance of health and protecting against diseases.
Table :- Certain important Indian spices and Benefits
|
Cardamon (Elaichi) |
Better Digestion Bad Breath |
|
Cinnamon (Dalchini) |
Supports natural production of insulin Reduce blood cholesterol |
|
Coriander (Dhaniya) |
To fight allergies Good for hormonal imbalance |
|
Cumin (Zeera) |
To ease dysentery Improves digestion Better immunity |
|
Fenugreek (Methi) |
Improve the function of insulin High cholesterol To increase milk secretion in nursing mothers |
|
Garlic (Lassan) |
Antibiotic properties Cholesterol control Better heart health |
|
Ginger (Adrak) |
Fight cough and cold Aids digestion |
|
Pepper (Kali mirch) |
Fights infections Good for soar throat Helps deal with Cough |
|
Turmeric (Haldi) |
Amazing healing properties Anti-inflammatory effect Antimicrobial properties provide better immunity |
|
Chillis (Red and Green) |
May help improve metabolism Good for controlling cholesterol |
In a nut shell, the primary role of spices is to enhance flavour, aroma of food and can also be used for home remedies to minimise digestive problems, balance sugar levels etc. They also offer important therapeutic benefits due to presence of certain compounds.
REFERENCES
TA, Jiang. (2019)Health Benefits of Culinary Herbs and Spices, PubMed. Referred from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30651162
Sonal Dubey. Indian Spices and their Medicinal Value. (2017);51(3)Suppl:S330-32.