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| Picture Courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net |
One of the most prominent thoughts that strike a foreigner's
mind when taking about India is its vibrant array of “spices”. India is a land of spices, the popularity
of which dates back to the Vedic ages. The medicinal values of these herbal
products were known to the vaidhs and hakims(doctors) of ancient India, and
even today we find a majority of spices to be a vital ingredient in various Ayurvedic
concoctions. With the increasing acquaintance of values associated with
consumption of spices, people all around the world are incorporating it into
their diets. Here I have mentioned the benefits of one of the most important
spices used in Indian cuisines—the king of the zing, Turmeric!
The perennial, herbaceous plant of turmeric bears roots that
act as a natural antiseptic and anti- inflammatory agent. When dried and
pulverized into a vibrant yellow powder, turmeric functions as an effective
home remedy for small cuts and sores. The cosmetic properties of turmeric have
long been known to the Indian women, and the trend of applying a paste of Haldi(the Hindi name for turmeric), and Besan(a kind of flour made from Indian gram
seeds), on their bodies to enhance their appearance is still widely practices
in Hindu marriage ceremonies.
The usefulness of turmeric is not just limited to it’s
antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and cosmetic nature. It is also a well-known
remedy for stomach and liver ailments. Also, the juice extracted from freshly
harvested turmeric is used in many skin conditions like eczema, chicken pox,
allergies, and scabies. Indian moms often offers warm milk mixed with turmeric
to their children suffering from fever—an ancient ayurvedic tonic used since ages to bring the body temperature
down.
Recent studies have indicated that turmeric can also serve
as an anti-cancer agent. While there’s little evidence for whether turmeric can
cure cancer or not, it has been well established that incorporating turmeric in
diet can reduce your chances of developing certain kinds of cancers. It does
make sense to say that lower cancer rates( of colon, prostrate, lung, and
breast cancer), and high consumption of turmeric in India is not a coincidence.
It is, infact, a correlative upshot observed as a result of combative actions of antioxidants(curcumin, to be more specific)
present in turmeric that fights with cancers cells and prevents its metastasis.
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Frontier All Natural
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Today, turmeric is available throughout the globe in all
major food stores. If you had still been ignorant of the richness of this
exotic Indian spice, thank me, and run to your nearest food store. Start using
turmeric regularly in your diets and make your life healthier and flavorsome!
