The Magic Of Spices

Common spices and their medicinal properties

Spices and condiments have always had a special magic about them.They were once a royal luxury and very few except the rich could afford them.

All spices are of plant origin.They can be flowers-cloves, fruits-chillies, seeds-coriander, roots-ginger, leaves-curry leaf, bark-cinnamon,and so on.Spices and condiments are basically adjuncts that impart a flavour and taste to the foods to which they are added.They not only improve palatability but also perform a very important task of preserving foods for long periods.This is made possible because of the anti-bacterial properties of spices.It is a very well known fact that salivary and gastric secretions are stimulated by aroma,so it follows that spices aid in digestion by adding a flavour and a tang to the food we eat.Most herbs and spices contain the B complex vitamins,and minerals like iron and calcium in appreciable concentrations.But the quantities eaten are too small to be significant.The energy value and protein content of the spices is negligible,but when thses are added,food becomes tastier and people tend to eat more,thus they may take in more nutrients.Some spices such as green chillies are rich in vitamin C,and in poor families they may contribute significantly to the vitamin C content of the diet.30gm of green chillies would suffice for the whole day's requirement of vitamin C for an adult.

Spices in general are carminative in nature.In constipated persons spices help evacuation of the bowel by irritating the intestines.The Indigenous system of medicine has given an extra special place to spices because of their unique medicinal properties.Clove oil is applied to relieve toothaches.Pepper added to hot tea is a patent "grandma's treatment" for common cold.Turmeric has anti-bacterial properties and its solution can be used as an antiseptic for cleaning wounds.With all these properties spices also have certain drawbacks associated with them.Too much spice may result in diarrhoea in some people and acidity leading to vomitting in others.