Spice Root

IF CHEMICALS give you the creeps and home remedies elicit a scornful sniff, try spices. Their medicinal qualities are the stuff of legend an...

IF CHEMICALS give you the creeps and home remedies elicit a scornful sniff, try spices. Their medicinal qualities are the stuff of legend and dadima ke nuskhe. But beyond old wives’ tales and word of mouth, spices are increasingly coming under the scanner in the west—and their properties are being ratified scientifically. Now it can be told: what makes spices so hot.

Why are spices in demand again in the medicine cabinet?
It has a lot to do with their purely natural origin, born of flowers (cloves), fruits (chillies), seeds (coriander), roots (ginger), leaves (karipatta), bark (cinnamon) and so on. Most herbs and spices contain Vitamin B complex vitamins and minerals like iron and calcium. But don’t look at getting your daily allowance from there: We eat far too little of spices for their nutritive content to impact our bodies. Their plus points lie elsewhere.

Their anti-bacterial properties help in preservation. Even in cooked food, the aroma of spices serve to excite salivary and gastric secretions, thereby aiding digestion. They take care of constipation by acting on the intestines.

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How do spices impact us?
Nutritionist Dr Shikha Sharma provides the lowdown:

Chillies: Rich in Vitamin C, green chillies are a significant contributor to the diet in poor families. Five to eight green chillies provide enough Vitamin C for a whole day for an adult. It also stimulates phlegm movement. Bite into a mirchi to clear up the sinuses!

Cloves: The tiny dried flowers pack a power punch as analgesics and antiseptics, but their popular use as toothache-relievers has more to do with their drying properties. Cloves also help asthmatics and in curing skin or hair infections. But pregnant women should be careful of over-use.

	A Word of Warning

			FOR all the good they do, spices need to be used in moderation. ODing on them can trigger diarrhoea in some people and acidity and nausea on others. If you believe in Ayurveda, here’s a handy guide: • Kapha: They usually have sluggish digestions, but can take all spices in regular quantities • Vata: Their sensitive digestive systems may not be able to take large helpings of spices. Go easy • Pita: They possess strong digestive systems, so mild to moderate spices are okay

Cinnamon: A US study recently found that a spoonful of cinnamon powder is a powerful fillip for diabetics. Of course, alternative Indian medicine has known about it for a long time. It also promotes digestion and is a mild antiseptic. To get rid of a cold, try a combination of cinnamon and honey. And to cure nausea, add a dollop of ginger.

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Coriander: The humble dhaniapatta is a calcium-boost in disguise. The seeds have anti-cholesterol and anti-bacterial properties.

Fenugreek: The slightly bitter leaves (methi) are a rich source of calcium. The seeds are medicinal for diabetics. They help relieve gastric troubles and warm up the body in winter.

Pepper: Black or white, they contain phlegm-relieving properties and so are a boon for asthmatics. They also ease muscular pain and coughs and colds (for the last, combine it with honey). Black pepper, known to be the more potent, stimulates blood circulation and removes toxins from the body.

Turmeric: Powdered from the root, it is the strongest antiseptic known to mankind. It is anti-diabetic, and helps in getting rid of jaundice (ironically enough). It’s also a mild steroid and helps boost flagging appetites.