Prof. Ashok Kumar Ghosh
Eco-Scope Bihar
Spices for Healthy Life: a ‘Masala’ for good health!
By Prof Ashok Kumar Ghosh
Spices and aromatics constitute integral part of Indian cooking process. They have been used since ancient times. They were mentioned in the ancient Hindu scriptures called the Vedas, ancient Egyptian Papyruses and the Old Testament. Cinnamon, listed biblically as cinnamon, was part of Moses’ sacred anointing oil for the Tent of Meeting, the Ark of the Testimony, the holy objects, and the high priests.The history of the spice trade dates back many centuries. Through nearly four centuries, the major powers raced each other to the Orient and vied for control of the spice producing lands. The Scriptures contain references to spices in 1440 Before Christ of Ishmaelite merchants bearing spices on their way to Egypt.
Isabella and the Pot of Basil
Ancient Egyptians used herbs and clay around their eyes and lips as a cosmetic as well as for protection. Cleopatra later refined this practice to an art. Stories were told of Pharaohs feeding garlic and onion to slaves, who built pyramids, to give them stamina and energy and to ward off diseases. Many herbs have a turbulent history of love and passion, but perhaps the most well-known is basil. In Keats poem “Isabella and the pot of Basil”, Isabella kept the head of her murdered loverLorenzo’s severed head in a pot of Basil and watered it with her tears!
Although it was not until the Roman conquests that western counties discovered their culinary possibilities. Spices have always been believed to have healing and magical qualities. Indian spices offer significant health benefits and contribute towards an individual’s healthy life. They add flavour and nutrients to dishes without fat or calories. They come in different colours, red, yellow, green, brown, black, and brighten up our food palette! They add taste, colour and variety to the human existence and cause us to cringe in their absence. Just a pinch here or an extra there, can make a world of difference! Spice up your life with these herbs, roots, and plants that benefit your health as much as they do your taste buds: From keeping our heart healthy and our arteries clear to reducing pain and warding off cancer, these everyday flavours add a healthy punch and zing to our life.
A recent study published in online in the Journal of Nutrition, titled “A High Antioxidant Spice Blend Attenuates Postprandial Insulin and Triglyceride Responses and Increases Some Plasma Measures of Antioxidant Activity in Healthy, Overweight Men” has confirmed that Spicing up dinner may have metabolic benefits, particularly when it comes to insulin and triglyceride levels. Adding a combination of various spices – including turmeric, cinnamon, rosemary, oregano, garlic powder, and paprika – to a plain meal significantly reduced postprandial insulin and triglyceride levels.
It has also been found that Antioxidants like spices may be important in reducing oxidative stress and thus reducing the risk of chronic disease. The study has confirmed that the addition of spices significantly reduced insulin and triglyceride responses to the meal, although there were no effects on glucose. Compared with the plain meal, insulin levels fell 21 percent and triglyceride levels dropped 31 percent after the spicy meal. It is recommended that incorporating spices into the daily diet may help normalize postprandial disturbances in glucose and lipid homeostasis while enhancing antioxidant defence. Here are a few spices that can be included in our culinary dishes regularly to keep us healthy and kicking with energy by accelerating our rate of metabolism:
-
.
Asafoetida (Hing) – also known as devil’s dung. It is a resin taken from a plant from the parsley family. It is a distinctive and pungent spice. It is most commonly found in powdered form. When cooked, it has a truffle-like flavour and a roasted garlic aroma. It is used mainly for its digestive properties, especially in the cooking of beans and lentils, as it is reputed to have anti-flatulence properties. Asafoetida was used in 1918 to fight the Spanish influenza pandemic. Scientists at the Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan report that the roots of Asafoetida produce natural antiviral drug compounds that kill the swine flu virus, H1N1. An article published in the “American Chemical Society’s Journal of Natural Products” states that thecompounds from this plant may serve as promising lead components for new drug development against this type of flu.
-
Ginger(Adrak) –It is a warming herb and is wonderful for nausea, indigestion, diarrhoea and upset stomachs. Its warming effects are great for the immune system and respiratory problems; Ginger stimulates circulation of the blood, and removes toxins from the body. Ginger is high in iron, magnesium, potassium and Vitamins C and E. Ginger also contains very potent anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols. These substances are believed to explain why so many people with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis experience reduction in their pain levels and improvements in their mobility when they consume ginger regularly. Gingererols inhibit the formation of inflammatory cytokines, chemical messengers of the immune system.
-
.
Cinnamon (Dalchini) – Cinnamon has a long history as a fragrant spice and as a medicine. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, cinnamon is known for its warming qualities which increase circulation. This enhances cognitive thinking and increases metabolism. Cinnamon contains antioxidants to boost the immune system and is an anti-blood clotting and anti-inflammatory food which helps arthritis pain and helps prevent heart disease, especially high cholesterol. Cinnamon also contains manganese, fiber, Vitamin C and calcium. Cinnamon’s unique healing abilities come from three basic components in the essential oil found in its bark. This oil contains active components called cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate and cinnamyl alcohol, plus a wide range of other volatile substances.Some of its reported uses are in cases of arthritis, asthma, cancer, diarrhoea, fever, heart problems, insomnia, menstrual problems, peptic ulcers, psoriasis, and spastic muscles
-
.
Garlic (Lahsan) – closely related to the onion. It has a powerful pungent or hot flavour when raw, which mellows when it is cooked. It has very strong odour. Bulbs, whose segments are usually called “cloves”, are the part of the plant most commonly eaten. Garlic is used as a condiment and as flavouring agent. Garlic pickles and freshly ground garlic chutneys are popular side dishes for rice, snacks and chappathis. Garlic powder is made from ground dehydrated cloves and is used widely as a substitute for fresh garlic. There are two main medical ingredients which produce the garlic health benefits: Allicin and Diallyl Sulphides. Garlic helps to purify the blood and lower blood pressure. It is considered as a cure for heart ailments. Modern science has shown that garlic is a powerful natural antibiotic. The bacteria in the body do not appear to evolve resistance to the garlic as they do to many modern pharmaceutical antibiotics. This means that its positive health benefits can continue over time rather than helping to breed antibiotic resistant “superbugs”. Studies have also shown that garlic – especially aged garlic – can have a powerful antioxidant effect. Antioxidants can help to protect the body against damaging free radicals.
-
.
Turmeric (Haldi)- Turmeric is another warming spice. Its orange/yellow gives Indian curries their distinctive colour. Turmeric is also an anti-inflammatory spice which helps persons with the symptoms of arthritis, and can help reduce cholesterol by preventing the build-up of plaque in the arteries. Curcumin, or cumin, is one of the active ingredients in turmeric and helps break down fats in the body. Turmeric contains iron, magnesium, potassium and Vitamins B6 and C.Curcumin, turmeric’s yellow pigment, has demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity in a variety of experimental models. Clinical studies have further substantiated curcumin’s anti-inflammatory effects in rheumatoid arthritis. Curcumin helps the body to destroy mutated cancer cells, so that they cannot spread into the body and cause more harm.
-
Cayenne pepper (Lal Mirch)-Cayenne pepper is a warming herb which stimulates the system, improving circulation and helping in cholesterol reduction. It also improves the digestive system. Cayenne pepper is a good source of vitamin C and A, the complete B complex, calcium and potassium. For those with arthritis, cayenne pepper is an anti-inflammatory herb which can help ease pain. Cayenne pepper breaks up sinus congestion and is good for respiratory illnesses. The intense heat produced by cayenne pepper is produced by its high concentration of capsaicin. This compound is well recognized in clinical research as an effective pain reliever, as a digestive and antiulcer aid and for its cardiovascular benefits. In addition capsaicin has the ability to lower body temperature by stimulating the cooling centre of the hypothalamus in the brain, helping to deal with the intense tropical heat.
A low metabolism is indicated by lack of energy and weight gain. Although there are no easy ways to lose weight; we can increase our metabolism to insure greater success. Use of warming ingredients (spices) in our recipes spice up metabolism and help us in losing weight more easily. Certainly the number one way to increase metabolism is to exercise and deep breathing, but there are other easy ultra-metabolism ways through spicing up our recipes. A side benefit of using these herbs and spices is that they contain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to give our body the added nutrition we need during any weight loss program. The spicy meals are well tolerated with no gastrointestinal effects, if taken in moderated quantity. Spices are a wonderful gift of nature to human beings to enjoy their food and also to keep them healthy. So do not be shy about experimenting with spices – with all the health benefits they have in store for you. Experiment with your own combinations of spices on the basis of your taste buds and health conditions, and create your own “Masala”for your healthy life.
Archives
—————————————————————————————————————————————————–
Prof. Ashok Kumar Ghosh is Professor-in-Charge in the department of Environment and Water Management, A.N.College [Magadh University], Patna, India.He writes a column on environment and water resources in Bihar, exclusively for BiharDays every Mondays.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————