Spice Your Food A Bit
As we read, as we grow and as we gain more experiences, many of our personally held myths get burst.
A few years back I used to hear from the then health-conscious people that they were switching to ‘no-spice food’. In the absence of the proper nutrition education, I too switched to spiceless food for a while.
During my spiceless diet, I used to swallow food with no emotion but just to satiate hunger. It used to kill the aroma, the taste and my mood. My taste buds were never satisfied and there always used to be a sense of dissatisfaction.
Having explored a bit in the field of nutrition and cooking I understand the role of spices. Spices are generally not eaten on their own. We add them in little quantities to our food. And yet they have a high impact on our food’s flavour, aroma, and texture with therapeutic and nutritional values.
There are many types of spices and a pinch more or less of a spice can totally change the game. Plain boiled rice can in a second with added cumin seeds become ‘Jeera Rice’ with the most inviting aroma that makes our mouths water to help digestion. Food aromas tell our digestive system to get ready for the delicious meal that is on the way. This leads to better digestion and the added cumin seeds contain iron for nutrition.
Milk becomes ‘Curcumin Latte’ as we add a pinch of turmeric to our boiling milk. It gives a golden colour to the milk and a boost of antioxidants. Spices are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
Pepper provides us with all the spiciness levels ranging from bland to super-spicy. Spicy food gives a boost to our metabolism. Chillies even have a good amount of vitamin C. But remember moderation is the key.
On aching and bleeding gums I suggested my husband switch to a clove based toothpaste and a lot of his symptoms were relieved. My grandma’s trick.
On a bloated day, swallow a pinch of asafoetida or a few carom seeds with water and feel much better. My mom told me once when I called her with my aching stomach and while she was still on the phone I felt much better.
Like every other good thing spices too have their side-effects if used in excess. When used in moderation and guided by our ancestral wisdom spices are pure jewels.
I would never go back to plain boiled food, however, I don’t eat food overloaded with spices.
As you use them more, you build a stomach, a tongue and a nose for them. If you are new to any kind of spices then introduce them gradually to your diet. Observe how your body reacts. If all is fine then make a little space for them in your kitchen. They will join you in all your cooking adventures.