Health Benefits of Spices from India

Common Indian Spices

Spices are great because they let you add a lot of flavor without adding calories. When looking at India, no country in the world produces as many kinds of spices as India. The varying climates (tropical to sub-tropical), enables the growth of almost all spices. Spices can be a dried seed, fruit, root, bark, or vegetable.

Health benefits include a supply of calcium, iron, vitamin B, vitamin C, carotene, and a ton of other antioxidants. They have very little caloric content so you can experiment with different mixtures to your hearts content.

Cardamom – Part of the Ginger family. Very aromatic and helps promote digestion. Use in veggies and curries.

Chili – use with caution if you can’t handle the heat! Can be almost any color (blue, green, orange, red, yellow, white, black).

Cumin – Part of the carrot family. It’s a great natural source of iron. You can get this crushed and in seed format. In seeds it’s a great addition to sweet potato.

Ginger – Contains heaps of antioxidants. It can help prevent the onset of sickness, calm nausea from pregnancy (and hangovers).

Nutmeg – Slightly sweet spice used commonly in Indian desserts. Good addition to soups and veggies.

Pepper – The “King of Spices” It is grown in the forests as well as along the Malabar Coast in South India.

Turmeric – known as “Indian saffron” has a distinctive yellowish color.

In San Diego you can find these spices at your local Trader Joes, Vons, Ralph’s, etc. One of the cheapest areas you can get them is in “Little India.” There are several small Indian grocery stores on Blackmountain Road (intersection of Miramar Rd.)

Ker Little India - http://www.kerlittleindia.com/ - 9520 Blackmountain Rd