Spices: Health Aroma & Taste

Spices are big business, and the annual market size in India stands over 200,000 crores. Why such a massive scale of business? Well, Indians and spices are indispensable as part of the tradition that has been practiced since the Vedic Era. Thus the use of masalas in India dates back more than 5000 years. Aromatic food additives are an inherent part of the people of the country despite the incredible diversity. The communities are not homogenous, diverse ethnicity and religions prevail but despite that certain traditions are common. Masala is central to the cultural ethos and lifestyle.

Masalas in Indian Kitchen

People use sole spices as well as fusion spices like garam masala, curry masala, chicken masala, and so on. For those unfamiliar with the country, have an opinion that spices are used only for taste but this is far from the truth. These amazing recipe additives also impart tremendous health benefits when consumed regularly. Some of the spices used in India are now globally famous, turmeric is an example.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a root vegetable very much similar in appearance to ginger but the color is golden orange. It is a much-used condiment and is used daily. Turmeric is known to act against swellings in the joint as an anti-inflammatory agent. People in India, drink turmeric latte to fight a sore throat and prevent cancer. It is good for digestion and helps fight heart disease. It helps in the fight against cancer, though enough evidence is not there.

Cumin

Indian recipes are incomplete without cumin, and it is added as powder or whole directly or after roasting. The spice aids in digestion helps in insomnia and is useful in treating skin disorders. Cumin spice is added to all Indian curries and lentil soups. It is known as jeera in Hindi.

Cinnamon

This spice is popular all over the world. It is known to control cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Cinnamon is known to treat tooth decay and gum disease. The spice is globally popular and is well-known to be used in Western dishes. Cinnamon is known as dal chini in Hindi.

Cardamom

Known as elaichi in Hindi, it is used not only in curries but in sweets as well in India. Cardamom helps with nausea and gas and is good for treating heartburn. It also aids in digestion and increasing appetite. Cardomom is used to make milk-based sweet drinks and has medicinal value.

Other spices used in Indian cuisine are as follows:

Star Anise – Fights aging and diabetes rich in antioxidants.

Curry Leaves – Very common in everyday cooking the characteristic flavor imparts a strong aroma to food. They contain antioxidants and anti-diabetic properties. They lower cholesterol and fight leukemia.

More Healthy Spices

There are many other Indian sole spices used in the kitchen and usage is common like in the case of mustard, asafoetida, bay leaf, and ajwain.

Black Pepper

Clove

• Caraway Seeds – Kala Jeera
• Nigella Seeds/Kalonji
• Mint/Pudina
• Dill/Soa
• Carom/Ajwain
• Mustard Seeds/Sarso
• Asafoetida
• Bay Leaf
• Mace
• Nutmeg
• Mace

Usually, housewives and chefs mix these healthy spices as suited for a recipe. Hence they buy sole masalas from the market as loose or in packets. But then this tradition is losing ground as there have been instances of adulterations and low quality.

What is Trending?

Whole spices are trending in India as they can be observed and tested for quality before use. Living Beyond based in Mumbai is one such company that sells Indian whole spices in India. It is also selling premix recipes comprising whole spices in perfect ratio. It uses the services of master chefs to create these gastronomic specialties.

Uday writes often on Indian wildlife especially about the tigers. He works as a naturalist and is fond of travel. Uday also provides search engine optimization service and website contents in English.