Spices are not only able to transform the taste of even the most unpretentious dish - they are endowed with healing properties. And you must admit, sometimes it’s better to eat a piece of ginger than to swallow pills.
The homeland of spices is considered to be India, China, the Indonesian Islands, South and Central America, where for centuries spicy plants have been used to make medicines, incense, cosmetics and embalming compounds, and simultaneously added to food to improve its taste.
Spices were brought to Europe only in the Middle Ages and immediately became a source of prosperity for entire cities that seized the right to trade for this expensive product. Since then, spices have been an integral part of European cuisine.
The huge demand for spices served as an incentive for the equipment of numerous expeditions and in many respects determined the history of the most important research and discoveries. For example, Columbus brought home sweet pepper and vanilla from the New World. And Vasco da Gama, who opened the sea route to India, returned with a rich load of cloves, cinnamon, pepper and ginger.
The complex aroma and taste are given to the spicy plant by the complex chemicals contained in it: phenolic compounds, terpenoids, essential oils, indoles, isothiocyanates, etc.First of all, they are needed by the plants themselves, since due to their toxic properties they protect them from insects, pathogens, viruses, molds and fungi. It is not surprising that excessive use of spices can have a toxic effect on the human body. That is why all the herbs are used in the cooking process in small quantities.
Even in ancient Indian civilization, the taste of food was given great importance, and its lack was considered the cause of depression, fear, anger, poor memory, and insomnia. Here spices came to the rescue.
Nowadays, the healing properties are explained by the presence of biologically active substances that can in small doses affect the life of the body. Today it is known that many spices have an antioxidant effect, that is, they delay the aging process in cells, normalize the functioning of various organs, etc. However, each spice is useful in its own way.
GINGER helps with skin diseases, bronchial asthma, activates digestion, strengthens the immune system, increases the body's resistance to stress, restores strength after physical and mental overwork, has an anti-inflammatory effect.
CARDAMOM relieves pain in the heart and spasms of blood vessels, has an expectorant effect.
CORIANDER strengthens the immune system, has an antitumor effect, increases resistance to stress.
CINNAMON It has a diaphoretic and antiseptic effect, it is not by chance that it is added to tea for colds, and is also used as a rinse for tonsillitis.
NUTMEG increases immunity, has an antimicrobial effect, improves digestion, enhances sexual potency.
Carnation improves blood circulation.
FENNEL helps with gastritis and inflammation of the bronchi, stimulates lactation, lowers blood pressure.
BAY LEAF removes harmful substances from the body, increases appetite, normalizes the work of the stomach, relieves intestinal cramps.
BASIL It has an antimicrobial effect, it helps with inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and headache. Vitamin P and provitamin A contained in the basil contribute to maintaining skin elasticity.
AGAINST PAIN AND HANDS
Suddenly a headache?
Do not rush to swallow tablets, it is better to add a little red pepper or garlic to the dish. Spicy spices have a distracting effect: in response to irritation of the tongue, the body turns on its own anesthetic system and helps to cope with unpleasant symptoms. But just abusing such "medicines" is not worth it - too much acute is harmful to the stomach and intestines.
What if you suddenly started moping?
Add a little cinnamon to the dish - there will be no trace of a bad mood. The fact is that the substances contained in it are similar in composition to the hormones of happiness, and therefore will help defeat any depression.
Photo: Burda archive.
Material prepared by Elena Karpova
