The spices I use are known to possess therapeutic and healing properties. Spices help you elevate any dish from the ordinary to a feast for the senses of sight, smell, and taste. Spice your meals to enhance your food with better taste and medicinal and healing properties without adding calories. Spices and herbs maximize nutrient density. Herbs and spices contain antioxidants, minerals and multivitamins. Spices naturally increase your metabolism. Because spices are nutrient dense, they are thermogenic, which means they naturally increase your metabolism. Spices have real medicinal properties. Centuries old eastern medicine and now recent studies and scientific research both boast the healing benefits of spices. My faves:
TURMERIC POWDER.
Turmeric adds a warm, mild aroma and distinctive deep yellow-orange color to foods. It has been long been used in both the Chinese and Indian systems of medicine for healing and as a condiment. It is an excellent source of both iron and manganese. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, dietary fiber, and potassium. Turmeric is a heating spice for the body, turmeric contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties and is a strong antioxidant. Every teaspoon of it has medicinal value.
CORIANDER SEEDS
Coriander seeds is high on the list of the healing spices. Referred to as an “anti-diabetic” plant, it is used for its anti-inflammatory properties. Coriander seeds contain an unusual array of phytonutrients. They are a very good source of dietary fiber and a good source of iron, magnesium and manganese. Coriander is known to be a powerful aid to digestion, has anti-bacterial properties and helps to prevent infection in wounds as well as aids in combating allergies.
RED CHILI POWDER
After being harvested, red chili peppers are dried in the sun and may be left whole, crushed into flakes, or ground into powder. Chili peppers are used as a food and seasoning and revered for their medicinal qualities. (*Do not touch the eyes or any cuts when handling red chilies.) Red chili peppers contain beta-carotene, are a very good source of vitamin A, vitamin C and dietary fiber. They are also a good source of iron and potassium. Red chili aids is weight loss, fights inflammation in the body and boosts the body’s immunity to fight diseases Red chili peppers in any form should be used in very small quantities for their yoga/health benefits and should not be consumed in excess.
GINGER
Anti-nausea tea, blood thinner, substitute for coumadin. Boil 2/3 cup of freshly chopped root in 1 gallon water, wrapped in cheesecloth (or old nylon stocking) until the water is yellow. Then soak towel and lay on bruises and sprains while still hot, to ease them. Stimulates a delayed period. Warm ginger tea is good to break up congestion and fever. Ginger is one of the few herbs that easily passes the blood/brain membrane and is used in conjunction with other herbs that are meant to have an effect on the mind. Pregnant women should avoid medicinal concentrations of ginger. Its much better to have healthy life, than take drugs late. Its more obvious after reading different cases at http://sideeffectsofxarelto.org/current-xarelto-lawsuits/.
CUMIN SEEDS
Cumin seed flavor is penetrating, nutty and peppery with slight citrus overtones. It can be used in both forms – tempering the seeds(http://onesmallpot.com/2013/04/24/tempering-in-indian-cooking/ a quick fry in 1-2 tsp oil to release oils and flavors) or dry-roasted ground powder.
To Roast Cumin Powder: Add cumin seeds to a pan and dry roast on low flame until they turn dark brown. Usually it takes less than 5 minutes. Cool the seeds and use a mortar and pestle to grind to a powder (not too fine). Roasted cumin powder is rich brown in color, and the smell is quite pronounced—strong and heavy, with acrid or warm depths. The aroma and flavor persists for quite some time. Store in glass jar in a cool place. This powder stays fresh for over 6 months. Do not burn. If your seeds burn, toss them out, they will ruin the dish.
Cumin seeds are a very good source of iron and a good source of manganese. Cumin is a cooling spice. It carries a reputation as the “seeds of good digestion”. They are known to help flush toxins out of the body and provide iron for energy and immune function.
MUSTARD SEEDS
The mustard is a well-known oil seed. Tempering it leaves a crunchy, warm, slightly bitter taste with no smell. Mustard seeds are a very good source of selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. They are also a good source of phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, dietary fiber, iron, calcium, protein, niacin and zinc. Mustard not only stimulates the appetite but also has digestive, laxative, antiseptic, and circulative stimulant properties. It is also known for its anti-inflammation properties.
FENNEL SEEDS
Fennel’s aromatic taste is unique, strikingly reminiscent of licorice and anise, so much so that fennel is often mistakenly referred to as anise. Fennel is an excellent source of vitamin C. It is also a very good of dietary fiber, potassium, manganese, folate, and molybdenum. In addition, fennel is a good source of niacin as well as the minerals phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper. Fennel seeds are a cooling spice (cools the body) and have a unique combination of nutrients that make it a powerful antioxidant. Fennel seeds are also believed to help cure stomach complaints and is extremely good for digestion, they can be chewed after a meal.
For entire list of cooking spices and their healing/medicinal qualities, see the entire post at my food blog: Goddess Grub, Lowfat and Luscious Meals for the Goddess on the Go.