Spices and Ayurveda

Some Spices used in Indian Food

By Sangeeta

To the non-Indians, especially to the westerners, Indian food or to be more specific, food from the Indian subcontinents, tastes very spicy, and are very rich and heavy. I have heard many people say, “How can one eat such food?”, “How can you cook food with so much spice?”, “Indian food is so heavy and spicy that we cannot digest it properly.”, “During my stay in India, I had tremendous stomach upset,” “You are going to India; be careful about Indian food.” and so on.

My first answer to such questions would be, “Spicy or non-spicy, people with sensitive stomach will have digestion problems even if they drink a glass of plain water. Take it from me, an Ayurvedic practitioner.”

My second answer in question form will be, “Have you ever tried to know or find out why so many spices are used in Indian cooking or the cooking in the Indian subcontinent?

Know that spices, blended well and used in the right proportion in food, does not at all harm the digestive system. In fact, it helps in maintaining good health. Of course, if someone overcooks or use more spices than necessary, then obviously an healthy person, after eating it, will surely fall sick.

Let us take a look at some of the ‘general’ spices (which are actually herbs) used and found in more or less each and every Indian kitchen – be it household, be it restaurants and hotels.

(1) Adrakam (ginger)

(2) Rasuna (garlic)

(3) Haridra (turmeric)

(4) Jeeraka (cumin seed)

(5) Dhaniaka (coriander seed)

(6) Marichcham (black pepper)

(7) Tvak (cinnamon)

(8) Sukhmaila (green cardamom)

(9) Ela (black cardamom)

(10) Methika (fenugreek)

(11) Hingu (asafetida)

(12) Jatiphala (nutmeg)

(13) Ahiphenum (poppy seeds)

(14) Kumkum (saffron)

(15) Madhurica (fennel seeds)

(16) Labangam (cloves)

Let us find out what each herb has to say.

Factually and on a much serious note, proper usage of these spices helps to balance any Indian food and puts the doshas back in form.

Yes, there are people who knowing what their doshas are, tend to eat all wrong kind of food, thereby, aggravating their doshas and what they do? They blame it on the spices used!!!!!

Copyright © 2011 SangeetaAyurveda.com

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