Indian food has been using the limitless assemblage of spices- both grounded and whole, to make edibles more palatable. India is known for many extraordinary things, and the Indian spices are also well-known to the world, for their aroma, flavour, and richness. Well, not only spices aid in making the food tasty but have innumerable health benefits.
Some of the benefits of spices are as follows:
- Turmeric: This pungent, fragrant rhizome, are assumedly found in every Indian kitchen. Apart from enhancing the taste and looks of the food, it being an antioxidant, cleanses toxins and keeps our liver safe. It also fights cancer, strengthens our immune system, and prevents Alzheimer’s disease, inflammation of joints.
- Cardamom: The sweet, light green cardamom or powerful black cardamom adds to the richness of the food. Like ginger, it has healing properties. This spice can be used in both spicy and sweet dishes.
- Black Pepper: Generally sourced from the Malabar region and the Western Ghats, this spice has great medicinal properties and cures gangrene, heart diseases, earache, constipation, diarrhoea along with its flavour.
- Cinnamon: This spice helps in the control of blood glucose, diabetes.
- Cloves: It has a sweet, aromatic taste, and medicinal flavour, and being technically a flower, produces oils that offer medicinal attributes. It helps in digestion and helps in the immune system.
- Cumin seeds: Smoky and intensely fragrant seeds, can be incorporated in any dish. It helps in digestion, boosts the immune system, relieves pain and nausea.
- Mustard seeds: The nutty, smoky flavour adds richness to the curries, also mustard oils are used for cooking in India. It is full of B-complex vitamins and helps in controlling asthma.
- Asafoetida: Apart from being a strong, pungent flavoured spice, it treats bronchitis, asthma, coughs, digestion, and relieves menstrual pain. This spice can alter the smell and taste of any dish.
- Coriander: It treats diabetes, and cleanses toxins from the body. This has been available for more than 7000 years and spices up any food.
It’s recommended for you to be cautious while purchasing spices. Along with the pure spice, you can also find adulteration in spice nowadays. For instance, red dyes in chili powder, lead chromate in turmeric, papaya seeds or sawdust in black pepper, etc are used to regress the quality of the spices, for economic gains. Consumption of such spices can lead to cancer, ulcers, diarrhoea, neurotoxicity, liver and skin disorders, etc.
It is advised for you to check whether the manufacturer of spice has the following aspects:
- Has AGMARK logo
- FSSAI license number
- Accurate manufacturing date, details, and expiring date
- Proper and hygienic packaging
- Sans unpleasant odour and bright colours
The best spice brand will include:
- Pleasant aroma
- Fresh and unclamped powder
- Hygienic packaging
- Quality certification
In India, the best quality, hygienic spices can be purchased from various popular Brands like:
Sahibaa Spices
MDH
Everest and more.
These branded spices have a variety of blended or whole spices, which adds richness, aroma, and flavour to your dishes. This properly manufactured spices will have no filler or artificial colours, that might make you diseased. Such pure spices enhance the taste and flavour of the food, unlike the adulterated ones, which only adds brightness. Hence, it’s advised for you to always check the details of the spices while purchasing them. Also, avoid purchasing lose spices without any details about it.
