Indians are foodies! We love our food and while we may ‘adjust’ everywhere, we just cannot compromise when it comes to food!
No Punjabi can live without Tandoori Chicken.
No Bengali can live without his regular cup of Mishti Doi.
No Maharashtrian can live without Misal Pav.
No Goan can live without his daily dose of fish. And the list just goes on and on and on..
However, we don’t love our food socialistically and tend not to have a balanced diet thereby missing out on a few nutrients at times.
Although not many Indians hate spicy food, not every household makes use of the numerous spices available to us.
People tend to stick to only a bunch of spices, which is something we want you to change.
The numerous but not limited benefits of all spices include –
Antioxidation Properties
Antioxidants are highly underrated and a necessary part of the diet. Since we consume spices on a daily basis, a regular dose of Antioxidants is also incorporated in our diets.
Fat Burning Properties
People who are trying to lose weight, take a note. Spices help significantly in reduction of weight and should be used generously if you are serious about burning that visceral fat (the fat around your abdomen area).
Anti-inflammatory Properties
Inflammation is basically swelling and reddening of body parts. In large proportions, inflammation becomes a very serious problem and regular consumption of spices makes sure inflammation is kept within its limits.
Protection From A Host Of Illnesses
Spices provide you considerable protection from right from common illnesses like cold and cough and right up to chronic illnesses of the heart.
Gastrointestinal Benefits
Spices keep gastrointestinal problems meaning, problems like stomach ache, constipation, irregular bowel movements and indigestion away from you.
These are just the general benefits of spices and almost every spice provides them to you, of course, in varying quantities.
When You Are Cutting Out Fat, Spices Can Add Flavour.
- Bethany Thayer
We have listed down the 10 most health beneficial spices along with their benefits to encourage you to start adopting as many as you can in your diet –
Having the English translation of ‘haldi‘ or ‘halad,‘ Turmeric was popularized by the catchy jingle of Vicco Turmeric which the entire nation knows by heart.
Of course, they are not kidding and they wouldn’t have been successful for decades had Turmeric not been so immensely beneficial in so many ways.
Turmeric Is Known As The Golden Spice Of India
Ayurveda lists a host of benefits of the superspice Turmeric as –
- Rids the body of Indigestion.
- Cures – Common Cold, Throat Infections, Liver Problems.
- The most traditional use of Turmeric Powder is applying it to wounds and infections, which is still effective today.
Modern research has shown Turmeric to have anti-fungal and antibacterial properties.
Also, Turmeric acts against illnesses and disorders like those of the kidney and heart, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and a lot of other clinical disorders.
Turmeric helps in burning of fat by acting as a purifier and a natural detoxifier.
Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne Pepper is most commonly called ‘lal mirch’ in our country and commonly employed as a powder in our meals.
It adds the zesty, fiery flavour to our foods that we all love.
The benefits of Cayenne Pepper include –
- Anti Allergen Properties.
- Boosts Digestion by Increasing Saliva Production.
- Increases Metabolism.
- Burns Fat.
- Controls Appetite.
- Many More ..
Cayenne Pepper is highly beneficial especially to overweight people since it will help you reduce weight in more than one ways you can find listed above.
Dandelion
Commonly known as ‘Kanphool,’ Dandelion spice is extracted from a plant which grows yellow flowers.
Benefits of Dandelion include –
- Antioxidation Properties.
- Nutrients like caretenoids, Vitamin K1 and dietary fibers.
- Slows down digestion making you feel full for longer periods thus capping your appetite and reducing calorie intake.
- Normalizes Blood Levels.
- Acts as a mild laxative.
Black Pepper
Commonly known as – ‘kaali mirch‘, black pepper, like lal mirch, is an important component of the typical Indian diet.
The combination of Cayenne Pepper and Black Pepper burns fats and hinders the formation of new fat cells.
Other benefits that Black Pepper offers are similar to those offered by Cayenne Pepper.
Mustard
Whereas ‘Mustard’ sounds so American, ‘Sarson‘ (Indian Name) smells of green Punjabi fields of the same plant under bright sun.
The benefits of ‘Sarson’ include –
- Excellent source of Copper, Vitamin B1, Manganese and Omega 3- fatty acids.
- Mustard is clinically proven to protect you from Asthama, Cancer, Aging, Heart Problems, Respiratory Problems, Indigestion and many more.
- It also boost metabolism and helps you burn your calories faster.
Ginger
Who doesn’t love a piping hot, steaming ‘Adrak ki Chai‘ to feel refreshed no matter what time of the day it is!
Ginger A.K.A. ‘Adrak‘ is a spice which imparts piquant flavour to the food it is added to. Unlike other powders which are powdered or used as whole, Ginger is squashed and it’s juice imparts the flavour unique to Adrak.
A Person With Pale Skin, Freckles And Red Hair Is Also Called A Ginger.
Ginger and Turmeric are quiet similar and their color doesn’t differ by much either.
Adrak has the following benefits –
- Improves Digestion.
- Fights Common Cold, Cough, Flu, Nausea and other common ailments.
- It is very helpful in losing weight since it suppresses hunger reduces your appetite, hence reducing your calorie intake.
Cumin Seeds
Commonly known as ‘Jeera‘ and essential for ‘tadka’, Cumin Seeds are found in each and every household of India.
Cumins seeds -
- Have anti-depressant properties.
- Boost memory.
- Improve your metabolism rate, thereby burning more calories and reducing your weight.
Green Tea has a lot of catching up to do in India. However, that in no way undermines this beneficial spice.
A native of China, it is certainly more credible than Chinese batteries.
Green Tea Is Also Known As Chinese Tea.
The most important benefit of Green Tea is the insane amount of Antioxidants that it has.
It also regulates digestion, burns calories and fats; which is why people trying to lose weight are constantly encouraged to replace their regular tea with Green Tea.
Clove
Commonly know as ‘long’ or ‘lavang,’ Clove is another extensively used spice in India.
Clove imparts a different flavour and a lovely sweetish fragrance when used in cooking.
Clove –
- Decreases Inflammation.
- Acts as a Aphrodisiac (boosts sex drive).
- Increases Stamina.
Cinnamon
‘Daalchini’ has a sweetish taste and looks like a small piece of wood.
It is native of the island nation of Sri Lanka.
Cinnamon That We Consume Is The Inner Bark Of Cinnamon Tree.
Daalchini is used –
- As a sugar substitute in bakeries.
- To reduce cholesterol levels by heart patients.
- Dalchini is also a rich source of antioxidants.
So these are our 10 most beneficial spices that we believe, if adopted, will give you a better overall health and lesser kilograms to carry!