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Showing posts with label food spices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food spices. Show all posts

Ginger Uses and Health Benefits




Ginger used as hot, fragrant kitchen spice. Young ginger rhizomes are juicy and with a very mild taste. They are pickled in vinegar or a snack, cooked as an ingredient in many dishes. Ginger can be aded to boiling water to make ginger tea.  Ginger can also be aded into candy, or ginger wine.

Uses
Juice from old ginger roots is extremely potent and used as a spice in Indian recipes, as a quintessential ingredient of Chinese, Korean, Japanese and many South Asian cuisines for flavoring dishes such as seafood or goat meat, vegetarian cuisine.Powdered dry ginger roots are  used as a flavoring for recipes such as gingerbread, cookies, crackers and cakes, and ginger beer.

How to keep ginger
Fresh ginger peeled before eating. For long-term storage, ginger has to be packed  in a plastic bag and frozen.

Beverages
Ginger is also used as a spice added to hot coffee and tea. In China, peled or sliced ginger aded to boiling water with brown sugar or honey. Sliced orange or lemon fruit can be added to give a flavor, and it may be consumed hot or cold.

Other uses
In China, sliced or whole ginger roots are often paired with savory dishes such as fish, and chopped ginger roots are commonly paired with meat, when it is cooked. However, candied ginger is sometimes a component of Chinese candys, and a tisane can also be prepared from ginger.

Ginger in Arabic coutries
In Arabic countries, ginger (zanjabil) powder is used as a spice for coffee and for milk.  In some countries ginger is ground and mixed with orange, pineapple and lemon to produce a drink, called nyamanku.

Studies have shown
Nine compounds found in ginger may bind to human serotonin receptors, which may influence gastrointestinal function. Ginger extract might control the quantity of free radicals and the peroxidation of lipids. Daily consumption of ginger can help ease muscle pain associated with exercise.Ginger roots supplement help to reduce colon inflammation markers, thus indicating a measure that might affect colon cancer.

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Black Pepper Health Benefits - Natural Cold Treatment

The world's most popular spice and cheese, eggs, fish, game, lamb, pork, poultry, salad, sausages, soup, steaks, tomatoes, veal. It is one of the most common spices added to cuisine and its descendants.Black pepper has been used since antiquity for flavour and as a medicine. Black pepper is the world's most traded spice. The spiciness of black pepper is due to the chemical piperine. Like many eastern spices, pepper is seasoning and a medicine. Long pepper, being stronger, was often the preferred medication.

Medical uses
Black Pepper used to cure illness such as constipation, diarrhea, earache, gangrene, heart disease, hernia, hoarseness, indigestion, insect bites, insomnia, joint pain, liver problems, lung disease, oral abscesses, tooth decay, and toothaches.Various sources recommend pepper to treat eye problems, often by applying salves or poultices made with pepper directly to the eye. There is no current medical evidence that any of these treatments has any benefit; pepper applied directly to the eye would be quite uncomfortable and possibly damaging. Black pepper is widely used in traditional Indian medicine and as a home remedy for relief from sore throat, throat congestion, cough etc.

Other uses
Pepper known to cause sneezing. Some sources say that piperine irritates the nostrils, causing the sneezing. Some studies shown that piperine can increase absorption of selenium, vitamin B, beta-carotene and curcumin.

Nervous system
Piperine is known as a central nervous system depressant and has good anticonvulsant and antimicrobial properties.

Dietary
Pepper contains small amounts of safrole, a mildly carcinogenic compound. Eliminated from the diet of patients having abdominal surgery and ulcers because of its irritating effect upon the intestines.In extracts from black pepper have been found  antioxidant properties and anti-carcinogenic effects.

Pharmacology
Piperine present in black pepper acts as a thermogenic compound. Piperine enhances the thermogenesis of lipid and promotes energy metabolism in the body, increases the serotonin and beta-endorphin production in the brain.

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Turmeric - Indian Spices Health Benefits




In food procession turmeric used as an agent to impart a rich, custard-like yellow color, canned beverages and baked products, dairy products, ice cream, yogurt, yellow cakes, orange juice, biscuits, popcorn color, sweets, cakes, cereals, sauces, gelatins and etc. It is a significant ingredient in curry powders. Turmeric  used in savory dishes, as well as some sweet dishes also to protect food products from sunlight.Sometimes used to color cheese, yogurt, dry mixes, salad dressings, butter and margarine. Turmeric gives a yellow color to some prepared mustards, canned chicken broths.

Health benefits
Components found in turmeric have been investigated in preliminary research for their potential effects on diseases, such as cancer, arthritis and  diabetes.Turmeric reduced the severity of pancreatitis-associated lung injury in mice. Has anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, liver detoxifier.

Medical uses
Well known for its anti-inflammatory properties, recent research has revealed that turmeric is a natural wonder, proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions starting from cancer to Alzheimer's disease. Turmeric aid in fat metabolism and help in treatment of fatness.

 Prevention
Turmeric has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Can stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors (cancer prevention). Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia. Studies have shown that when turmeric combined with cauliflower, it prevents prostate cancer and slows the growth of existing prostate cancer. Prevent breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.

 Skin diseases
Speeds up wound healing and regenerates damaged skin. Used in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions. Turmeric is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.

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