Indian Spices: Brimming With Flavor & Health Benefits

The spices and herbs that have made Indian cooking immensely popular all around the world do more than provide delicious flavor and aroma. Many of these spices also have health benefits that are worth investigating. After all, if we are what we eat, then paying attention to foods' health benefits as well as their taste makes a lot of sense.

Turmeric: This yellow spice is made from dried turmeric roots ground into powder. Also known as Indian saffron, turmeric serves as the base for many curry dishes and for curry powder used for spicing up lentils, rice and vegetables. What many people don't know is that turmeric has anti-bacterial properties, as well as being an excellent anti-oxidant and an anti-inflammatory as well. Turmeric can be sprinkled on a cut or a scrape to prevent bacteria from entering the wound. It has also been mixed with milk as a facial to prevent acne, and as a drink for internal injuries. One word of caution, however: turmeric can stain cloth and utensils almost permanently, so be careful when using it for purposes other than cooking.

Garam Masala: This spice is actually a blend of several very aromatic spices and frequently is the heart of flavor in Indian cooking. Masalas can be made from cumin seeds, black cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cardamom, dry ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and mace. Sniffing any one of these spices by itself can produce a good sneeze, so imagine what it's like to grind them together! To make garam masala at home, roast the spices together in a skillet for no more than two minutes. Take great care with this mixture, because it will be extremely aromatic, and may cause irritation to people with allergies or asthma. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool, then grind everything together in a coffee grinder.

Ginger: This spice comes from the ginger root, which is ground into a powder. Ginger is used in many Asian recipes for its flavor, but it is also used for medicinal purposes. People who suffer from intestinal disturbances often are advised to drink ginger tea. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy often are encouraged to eat candied ginger to offset the nausea that can come from the extremely strong drugs used in treatment.

Garlic: While technically a root vegetable, garlic is often ground into powder as a spice, and also mixed with salt to make garlic salt. Garlic has been shown to have anti-clotting properties and many natural healing practitioners recommend daily doses for people who suffer from cardiovascular diseases. Garlic also seems to have antibacterial properties and possibly even anti-viral properties (or maybe it's just that people want to stay away from people who've eaten garlic!).

Mustard Seed: This spice is quite familiar to older people who remember times before antibiotics and respiratory drugs. "Mustard plasters," made of ground mustard combined with water and applied as a poultice, were often used to relieve chest congestion from colds and other respiratory illnesses. In Indian cooking, it's often ground into a powder and used in sauces and stir-fry dishes.

Now that you have all your spices why not make a great apricot lamb curry with a crock pot. Not only are crock pot recipes easy to make but the variety is endless. Make anything you want from crock pot chicken recipes to seafood slow cooker recipes.