Health Benefits of Spices

Spice is a nutritional substance which is used in insignificant quantities as a food additive for the purpose of flavour, colour, or as a preservative that kills harmful bacteria or prevents their growth. Also, it has medicinal properties other than flavor and spark to our foods. A spice is a dried seeds such as mustard, fruits such as fennel, Barks such as cinnamon and cassia, dried buds such as cloves, Roots and rhizomes such as turmeric and ginger, Stigmas such as saffron, Resins such as asafoetida or Arils such as mace.

Spices can be available in various forms such as fresh, whole dried, or pre-ground dried. A whole dried spice has the longest shelf life so can be purchased and stored in larger amounts, making it cheaper on a per-serving basis. Spices are used for various other purposes, such as medicine, religious rituals, cosmetics, perfumery or eating as vegetables. For example, turmeric is also used as a preservative; liquorice as a medicine; garlic as a vegetable.

List of spices:

Asafoetida: A popular spice in foods and medicines
Cardamom: The Queen of all spices
Chilli: Grown throughout the country and is used in almost all dishes
Cinnamon: It is the dried bark of an evergreen busy tree
Cumin: It has a particular value in the blending of Indian curry powder
Fennel: The dried ripe fruit of a perennial aromatic herbaceous plant
Ginger: A major crop cultivated in India marketed as fresh and dried spice
Mustard: It is used for its appetising flavour and preservative value
Parsley: One of the best known and used in culinary spices
Pomegranat: It is endowed with excellent medicinal properties
Turmeric: The spice is quite popular in foreign countries
Bishops Weed: A native Indian plant is an aromatic spice
Cassia: The dried husk of a small, bushy evergreen tree
Clove: One of the oldest spices in the world
Coriander: The fragrant spice has its own medicinal properties.
Fenugreek: The ripe, dried fruit of an annual leguminous herb
Garlic: It has an attractive flavour and acknowledged medicinal value
Mint: Mint is the plant with dark green leaves with pleasant fresh flavour
Onion: One of the oldest spices known to human race.
Pepper: The king of all spices and best known in the world
Rosemary: The spice is quite popular in foreign countries
Vanilla: Vanilla is a seed pod of a tropical climbing orchid

Also, it includes Mace, aniseed, Dill, Kokam, Tejpat, Basil, curry leaf, Star anise etc.

Health benefits:

Spices have more disease-fighting antioxidants than most fruits and vegetables. Other than cooking, it has lots of health benefits as well as medicinal uses. Particularly hot spices contain phytochemicals that may help ward off cell damage associated with chronic diseases. US Department of Agriculture found that spices may have, ounce per ounce, measure for measure, more anti-oxidant compounds than fruits and vegetables. Anti-oxidants help to prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and heart disease.

Cardamom: It is an aromatic spice which is commonly used in Indian curries, gravies, desserts, pilaf rice dishes. The cardamom seeds contain oil which helps to stimulate digestion and relieve flatulence. It helps in countering stomach acidity. When its powder sprinkled on coffee, it acts as aphrodisiac. It generates appetite, aids in nausea. Also, it cures bad breath problem. Mix a handful of crushed seeds in a half cup of water with some ginger root to relieve indigestion.

Basil: Basil is a spice mostly used in Italian cooking, particularly in pesto. In basil an array of flavonoids exist, which help to protect cells and chromosomes from damage. It contains an Essential oil which inhibits the growth of several types of bacteria, many of which have become resistant to antibiotics. In the essential oil of basil Eugenol is present which provides an anti-inflammatory effect, by blocking an enzyme called cyclooxygenase. So, it provides relief from the symptoms of inflammatory problems, like rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel conditions. Also, it is a good source of vitamin A, which helps to prevent damage to the cells by free radicals. It prevent the cholesterol from building up in the blood vessels by preventing free radicals to oxidize cholesterol in the blood stream.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon is a common ingredient in toothpaste, mouthwashes and chewing gum. It is a delicious and fragrant spice. Also, it is found in traditional sweets, cakes and desserts as well as many savoury dishes. Cinnamon has health boosting compounds including eugenol, which is used to relieve pain and cinnamaldehyde which has sedative properties. Also, it has anti-inflammatory and blood thinning properties. According to research, it may also help to lower blood sugar levels and so may be useful in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. It is often used as an antidote for diarrhea and stomach upset as well as a metabolism booster. Also, it can lower, triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes.

Ginger: Ginger contains antioxidants known to protect against various diseases. It aids in stomach congestion, mild fever, common cold and acidity. Also, it can decrease motion sickness and nausea; may also relieve pain and swelling associated with arthritis. It has delicious flavor so used in cakes, biscuits and desserts. It calms spasms and reduce flatulence in the digestive system. It is a popular treatment for nausea associated with travel sickness, pregnancy and hangovers. Ginger can also hinder blood clotting, so if you have to do surgery or are taking blood thinners or aspirin, be sure to talk to your doctor first.

Black pepper: Black pepper is one of the most commonly used spices. It improves digestion by stimulating the taste buds and thereby alerting the stomach to increase hydrochloric secretion. Black pepper is also an antioxidant, and it has antibacterial effects. The outermost layer of the peppercorn actually helps to stimulate the breakdown of fat cells. Also, it prevents the formation of intestinal gas, promotes urination, and promotes sweating. It is a good source of manganese as well as iron and dietary fiber.

Role of spice in fat loss:

Spice has lots of benefits which indirectly help in fat loss. It controls blood sugar levels, helps to maintain insulin sensitivity, a very powerful antioxidant, may have antibacterial and antifungal properties and dozens of other benefits. Cinnamon can increase insulin sensitivity, which essentially means that it is helping your body to control blood sugar while simultaneously allowing your body to produce less insulin. By controlling blood sugar and insulin response from your meals and thereby control your appetite and hankering throughout the day. Hence, it helps you to lose body fat more effectively over time.Chili powder is a powerful stimulant, by raising your body’s temperature it helps you to burn calories faster means fat loss.