Spices – An overview – All about spices
Spices – An overview – All about spices – Uses- Medicinal values – Health properties -Home remedies
Spices are the leaves,roots, barks, stems, buds or fruits of temperate zone plants which are aromatic. Spices have a vast range of functionalities which include medicinal use,flavouring of food, perfumery, cosmetics, and preservative properties. Herbs are the leaves of such aromatic plants. Spices and herbs impart distinctive flavours to food because they contain volatile materials known as essential oils — which give them their characteristic flavour and odour; these make food more palatable. Spices and herbs, along with salt, vinegar, tamarind and extracts like kewra, vanilla and strawberry, are placed under the category of food accessories.
Spices do not make any significant contribution in terms of nutrition; the major function performed by items in this category is to impart taste to food and improve its flavour and appearance. Spices do have therapeutic properties however, and our ancestors were quite well-versed with them. Spices were used in day-to-day food preparations for general well-being. It was also used in home remedies for minor ailments. Combinations of spices in certain dishes were said to counteract the negative effects of a food item. An entire system of medicine called Ayurveda flourished, which made use of these spices, herbs and other natural products in the treatment of various diseases.
Spices can broadly be put under four groups on the basis of the effect they have on the taste and appearance of food. Some spices may perform more than one function simultaneously, for example, the paste of coriander seeds is used to both thicken and season food. Every spice used to enhance the taste and aroma of food is also a preservative and has some antiseptic value.
Adultered spices and herbs – How to avoid ? How to detect ? How to test your self ?
The spice trade has been growing globally and with increasing consumer demand. Increase in the demand for high quality spices.has encouraged illegal or fraudulent practices -adulteration and continuous monitoring is required to identify incidences of such practices.So what we do —
Return to traditional methods. Buy whole spice and grind or grate or crush your own.
Buy organic spices – Purchase spices and herbs from reliable sources and traders
Home made A Perfect Blend of Pure Spices is available our on line stores
