Aashu’s Curiosity
“You can use turmeric powder as an antiseptic on wounds as well as add it with milk to get rid of cold & cough” Aashu’s mother told him while explaining how Indian herbs and spices can be used to treat certain health conditions.
Aashu has always seen his mother using different spices while preparing food. Her reply is always the same that these spices are added to enhance the aroma and flavour of the food.
But Aashu needs to know more about the health benefits of these Indian herbs and spices and due to this, he is on Google again. Let’s see what he finds:
5 Health benefits of Indian herbs & spices
“Most people think of antioxidants as coming strictly from foods like fruits and vegetables, dark chocolate, or red wine, but many herbs and spices not only provide flavor but also a big bang of antioxidants. A little bit goes a long way.”
– Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (the Academy)
The health benefits of Indian herbs & spices are even mentioned in historical books such as Vedas & recent scientific research has further strengthened their claim.
Ashwagandha, Cardamom, Amla, Turmeric, Pudina (Mint), Ginger, etc, have numerous health benefits & provide your body with some essential compounds that can heal your immune system & save you from chronic diseases.
Adding Indian herbs & spices not only enhances the flavour & taste of a dish but also makes it healthier & increases its healing effects. Following are some benefits that you can enjoy by adding them to your normal Indian diet:
Boosts Immunity
One of the major benefits of adding spices and herbs to your daily meal is that they work as an immunity booster. Most Indian spices and herbs contain a great quantity of antioxidants. These antioxidants resist the growth of free radicals in the human body.
The big concern is that if free radicals are left unchecked, they can lead to chronic diseases such as heart-related diseases or even cancer. Also, they have anti-inflammatory properties that are effective against fevers & viral infections.
Good for Stomach
No Indian cuisine can be completed without the fragrance of Indian spices. Some of the most commonly used spices are turmeric & ginger.
Turmeric can even be consumed with milk to cure flu & sore throat. Both spices and herbs can help you in treating stomach-related issues such as stomach pain, diarrhoea, heartburn & constipation.
Recent research on the Indian diet & western diet has found that Indians are less likely to suffer from stomach-related diseases as compared to Western people. You can say that this is because of using Indian spices and herbs in preparing meals.
Indian herbs for weight loss
Overweight is an emerging problem among Indians. This problem is so prevalent that many of us are looking for diet plans and gyms to cut down calorie intake. A proper and calculated intake of Indian spices and herbs can help you in achieving your body mass goal.
These spices are rich in antioxidants but low in carbs which means you can feel satisfied for a longer period after a meal. This also helps you to
control the overeating which is primarily responsible for obesity.
Indian diet also avoids the inclusion of processed foods & high-calorie animal foods in the meals as they are low in fibre & can boost the habit of overeating.
Heart-Friendly
There has been an exceptional rise in the number of Indians suffering from heart disease in recent years & the main cause can be traced to unhealthy eating habits.
In recent years, Indians have been greatly influenced by Western meals and have substantially added processed & fast foods to their daily meals. These foods are high in bad cholesterol (LDL) which is responsible for causing many heart diseases.
Contrary to it, traditional Indian dishes are prepared with spices that are rich in good cholesterol (HDL) & healthy fats. These nutrients can reduce the risk of heart disease to a minimum point.
Indian herbs such as garlic, ginger, cardamom & coriander are even prescribed by dieticians to heart patients for faster recovery.
Protects from Diabetes
Nearly 3% per cent of Indians are suffering from type-2 Diabetes & if we look at the urban population, this percentage goes up to 9%.
The reason is the heavy intake of sugar-added & sweet products that are the major contributor to the occurrence of type-2 diabetes.
Uncontrolled consumption of animal products such as beef, pork & lamb meat can also increase the risk of type-2 diabetes.
On the other hand, the Indian diet is much healthier as it encourages the intake of plant foods & avoids the consumption of high-calorie foods. Plant foods carry antioxidants & natural sugar to stabilize your blood sugar levels.
Indian herbs such as ginger, garlic & cinnamon consist of special compounds that can lower insulin resistivity & regulate the release of insulin in your body.
A study on Indians living in urban & rural areas found that the rural Indian population is 20% less likely to have type-2 diabetes due to their adherence to the traditional Indian diet that carries Indian herbs in good quantities.
10 Indian herbs & spices used in cooking
Here, is a list of Indian herbs and spices that are commonly used in Indian kitchens and you need to know about health benefits of them. So, next time you will be aware about their use while preparing your meal.
Cardamom
no Indian kitchen can be complete without cardamom. due to its aromatic character, cardamom is especially used in preparing sweets such as kheer and laddus throughout India.
Other than adding flavour, cardamom carries compounds that can prevent you from gastric ulcers. Studies have shown that cardamom is even effective in cancers.
Cloves
you can’t imagine any Indian curry, biryani or dessert without having cloves used in its preparation. Since ancient times, cloves have been used to cure various medicinal concoctions. It is also a good remedy against toothaches.
If you are a patient with type-2 diabetes, then cloves can help you by regulating your blood sugar levels.
Coriander
Coriander leaves are used as a dressing on dishes like curries and dals. Coriander leaves are considered herbs as oils in the leaves carry antimicrobial and antifungal properties.
Indian kitchens also use coriander seeds in the form of powder to prepare curries and gravies. They are great for digestion and can work as an immunity booster.
Cumin seeds
Due to their spicy flavour, cumin seeds are extensively used throughout India for tadka in dal. By lowering your blood sugar levels, cumin seeds are great against insulin sensitivity.
If you have a problem with cholesterol, then you can add cumin seeds as it lowers the bad cholesterol (LDL) while increasing the good cholesterol (HDL).
Ashwagandha
You can’t complete the uses of Indian herbs without mentioning Ashwagandha. It is considered a mood booster that can lower your anxiety levels and keep you away from anxiety disorder.
Studies have also shown that ashwagandha is effective in muscle growth. Regular consumption of it can help in enhancing male fertility.
Mint
Being a refreshing herb, mint or pudina is used to prepare a long list of Indian dishes. You can find mint in chutneys, thandai & raita also used as dressings on Pulao & biryanis.
Mint is a good solution if you are suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Mint can be effective against indigestion and upset stomach. You can regularly use peppermint oil in your meals as a flavouring agent to relieve these problems.
Nigella Seeds
Nigella seeds or kalonji in Hindi, are known to add taste and flavour to dishes. You just need to get these seeds roasted before being used in curry and gravy.
The medicinal properties of nigella seeds make them great to be consumed during pregnancy. Early morning consumption of nigella seeds with one teaspoon of honey can protect you against heart disease, obesity, diabetes and even cancers.
Turmeric
As we have mentioned earlier in the blog. Throughout the country, turmeric is used widely in almost all dishes. Indian cuisines like dals, curries and gravies get their yellowish colour due to this specific spice only.
Curcumin in turmeric is a compound that has anti-inflammatory & antioxidant properties. Other compounds of turmeric can protect you from mental illnesses like Alzheimer’s and depression.
Amla
Sour in taste but loaded with unimaginable health benefits, Amla can be consumed in any form. You can take amla in the form of a pickle or eat it in dried form.
A rich source of Vitamin C, Amla can boost your immunity. Also, it is helpful against bad cholesterol & indigestion. If you are planning a diet for weight loss, then you should include Amla as it accelerates metabolism.
Ginger
Usually consumed in the form of a paste, ginger has tremendous health benefits. It can deliver great flavour and taste to the cuisine. Other than this, ginger is widely used in preparing tea, mocktails and juices to add flavour and essence to them.
If you take ginger with honey, it can heal your coughing and throat problems. Suffering from constipation then having ginger juice with hot water in the morning can be helpful.
Conclusion
Not only about the health benefits, Aashu also came to know about the different uses of these herbs and spices. He knows which particular Indian spices should be used to treat any specific problem.
The list of 10 essential Indian herbs and spices helped him gain more in-depth knowledge of them and what health benefits they can provide after consumption.
