HEALTH/FOOD SPECIAL ..SPICES

Spices are a first-rate defence ;easily available in any Indian kitchen, against ailments like the common cold and even arthritis

The peppercorn cures the wounds that have been struck by missiles; it also cures the wounds from stabs” — a hymn in the Atharvaveda, one of the Vedas, says in praise of the peppercorn. Today, although five thousand years have elapsed, the Department of Integrative Medicine at the Beth Israel Medical Center in New York suggests using pepper to heal wounds: “Run cold water over the wound to clean it, then sprinkle on pepper and apply pressure. In no time the bleeding will stop.” Physicians in India have been practising Ayurveda, which traces its origins to the Atharvaveda and contains over a hundred formulations for the treatment of diseases, many of which call for spices as a cure. In the 21st century scientists continue to make discoveries upholding Ayurvedic principals.
Take turmeric for instance. The spice, which forms the backbone of Ayurvedic medicine and is celebrated as ‘the spice of life’, has been found to protect the liver, hinder the excessive build-up of lipids (fatty substances such as cholesterol), reduce inflammation, scavenge free radicals, inhibit formation of tumours including cancerous ones, and restrain the action of microorganisms such as bacteria. Amongst its myriad health properties it is almost certainly best known for its link to the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Elderly people in India, who consume turmeric regularly, have the lowest incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in the world, being more than four times less likely than the average person to suffer from it.
The UK Food Standards Agency now upholds that consuming one gram (approximately half a teaspoon) of ground cinnamon per day in a normal diet can help with glucose metabolism. Researchers from King’s College London endorse the traditional Ayurvedic use of nigella seeds (kalonji) in treating rheumatism and other inflammatory diseases, such as asthma. It doesn’t stop there.
Spices are used in many modern medicines. Fennel seeds are contained in gripe water used to treat gastro-intestinal pain in both adults and children. Turmeric is a common antiseptic ingredient in plasters used in India.
Research by the United States Department of Agriculture further supports the reasoning for seasoning. Nearly a quarter of the top antioxidant-rich, free radical-scavenging, diseasefighting and anti-ageing foods available to us are, according to the USDA, spices. Weight-for weight, spices are the most antioxidant-rich foods on the planet. Take, for example, ground cinnamon: just one teaspoon is equivalent to up to 13 portions of grapes, based on their antioxidant potential.
With today’s medical professionals favouring multi-targeted therapy over mono-targeted therapy, the consumption of spices with antibac terial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant properties may be considered an ideal way to naturally provide the body with supplements.
Traditionally Indian food uses many spices, albeit just enough to enhance the flavour

of main ingredients. It would be unthinkable to use, say, one tablespoon of nigella seeds in a curry; instead we would use just half a teaspoon. On the other hand, in Ayurveda, using spices in large quantities to treat illnesses is the norm. Still, we do not see Ayurveda applied to the making of tasty Indian curries, and it’s shame too because spices become more bioavailable when they’re heated and probably no other cuisine is robust enough to embrace such a vast amount of spices and still deliver a delicious meal. The Indian kitchen is the ideal laboratory in which to explore the medicinal and culinary possibilities of spices.

Gurpareet Bains TOICREST4F0212