Five Spices That Can Also Be Used As Home Remedies

Did you know that spices that enhance the taste of food also have innumerable health benefits? Well, our grandmothers knew about it and they used certain spices as natural remedies for common ailments. Following are some spices that have proven health benefits: Asafoetida Asafoetida, also called Hing is an important ingredient in many Indian dishes. It enhances the flavor of the food besides aiding in digestion. Hing is known to reduce flatulence, digestive disorders, prevent constipation and is an excellent laxative. It is also known to help lower blood pressure. Black peppercorns Black peppercorns alsoS known as Kali Mirch helps to lower cholesterol and aids in cardiac function recovery after a heart attack. Its active component piperine helps to jumpstart digestion, prevent certain cancers and heart disease, lower blood pressure, and prevent arthritis. Soaked peppercorns if consumed the next day relieves migraine to a great extent. Pepper also has anti-bacterial properties and can be used to fight infections and insect bites. Turmeric Turmeric is an incredibly healing and powerful spice. Its active compound curcumin is a powerful inflammatory and antiseptic. It is rich in antioxidants and neutralizes free radicals on its own. Curcumin can help treat symptoms of arthritis as well. As curcumin can cross the blood-brain barrier, it is also good for Alzheimer’s patients.  Cardamom Cardamom popularly known as Elaichi helps stimulate appetite and enhance digestion by stimulating the regular excretion of gastric juices. In cases of acidity, it helps in balancing the acids, thus providing relief during heartburns, flatulence, stomach cramps, hiccups, nausea, vomiting and constipation. It is also recommended for improving oral hygiene and to eradicate foul breath. Cinnamon Commonly known as Dalchini, cinnamon is known to reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) and increases good cholesterol (HDL). The best thing about cinnamon is that its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-microbial and anti-clotting factor. It is also useful in diabetes management as it helps control glucose levels. Consuming Cinnamon with honey has many benefits like increasing the body’s metabolism and also relieving gas and acidity. Clove Clove or Laung is most commonly used in alleviating symptoms of toothache and dental decay. Clove contains anti-inflammatory and analgesic components which help to reduce the swelling around an infected tooth and relieves pain. An important component of clove is eugenol that helps prevent clotting of blood and purifies it. Now we know the reason why people say Spice is Nice.

Cinnamon may lower risk of cardiovascular damage

Researchers from Omni Active Health technologies, an American based company, including Vijaya Juturu of Indian origin, noted that cinnamon, a spice, can reduce the risk of cardiovascular damage by lowering the fat storage process in the body.  The following study was recorded when experimenting on rats. For about 21 weeks, some rats were fed with high fat diet with cinnamon supplements while some rats were fed with only high fat diet. After completion of the time, the blood samples and other factors of the rats of both categories were checked. They found that the rats who were fed with cinnamon supplements weighed less as compared to the other rats fed only with high fat diet. Also the former reported healthier levels of blood sugar, insulin and fats as compared to the latter. After researching over the reasons for the marked changes caused by cinnamon, they came out with the fact that rats fed with cinnamon had lesser molecules involved in fat storage process than in the other rats. Also the former had more antioxidants and anti-inflammatory molecules in their body that relieves stress levels.  Thus it can be stated by this study that cinnamon helps is preventing cardiovascular damage caused by the high fat diet by producing more of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory molecules in our body thereby keeping us active and stress free.