Kitchen Pharmacy -1.3

Kitchen Pharmacy –Commonly used vegetables

 Ginger -Adrak

Including this wonderful item in your diet while cooking has ample amount of health benefits from boosting immunity to overall health of an individual. Tea lovers know the importance of a kadak ginger tea on a winter morning. *wink*

• Ginger has gained a lot of popularity as it improves heart health.
• It helps in preventing the formation of clots, lowers bad cholesterol and improves blood circulation. In fact, ginger works much effectively than aspirin in preventing blood clotting.
• Ginger boiled in water and taken with lemon and honey is excellent to lose weight. Ginger juice extract with honey is an amazing energy booster.
• Ginger tea has many medicinal uses and honey and lemon makes it tasty. In winters, ginger tea increases the immunity and protects from cold and cough.
• Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties, which reduces inflammation of the respiratory tract; it is also a good cough suppressant.
• Ginger tea provides warmth in the stomach and reduces the menstrual cramps.

 Garlic -Lahsun

A very important culinary ingredient used in almost every cuisine of the world. Its intense and unique aroma makes it the favorite flavoring agent for chefs across the world. Garlic is used in salads, soups, sauces, marinades, dressings, vegetables, meats, stews, kebabs, curries, breads and pulao to list a few. 

Furthermore, it is used as a medicine throughout the ancient and modern times.

• It mainly helps in treating heart & blood related ailments like high blood pressure, high cholesterol.  It can help reduce LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. It also maintains the blood pressure levels.
• One clove of raw garlic or extract of garlic mixed with little honey and consumed daily in the morning on empty stomach can fix heart, blood, cholesterol conditions and reap overall benefits.
• It has strong antibiotic properties which have the potential to decrease harmful bacteria present in the atmosphere and protect from sickness.

Mint -Pudina

Mint is one of the most popular and probably the oldest culinary herb known to mankind. Its medicinal usages have made it the most used ingredient in variety of treatments. Fresh mint is used to impart flavor in soups, sauces, stews, roast lamb, salads, kebabs, chutney, raita, desserts, cocktails, liqueurs and soft beverages. One must include this wonderful herb in cooking!!!

• Mint’s anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antibacterial properties can help manage blood sugar, treat skin problems, cure upset stomach, indigestion, nose congestion, and soothes respiratory tract infections.
• Fresh Mint is a delicate herb that should be added raw at the end of cooking to help retain color, flavor and taste.

    Tamarind – Imli

Tamarind contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids & beneficial plant compounds. It also has a lot of sugar. Tamarind is a widely used ingredient in most of the Asian Countries. Tamarind works as a tenderizer also. It is a main ingredient in Worcestershire sauce & many other table sauces. In Thai cuisine, tamarind plays an important role & imparts awesome aroma & taste to soups, sauces, Thai curries & Stir fries. In India, it is used in chutneys, curries, sambhar & rasam.

• In beverage form, it can treat diarrhea, constipation, fever & peptic ulcers.
• The bark & leaves are also used to promote wound healing. Tamarind leaf extract which can be prepared by soaking the leaves in water can be used as an antiseptic for healing wounds & skin infections.
• Tamarind has antioxidant & anti-inflammatory properties. 
• The pulp extract may help lose body weight & reverse fatty liver disease.
• Tamarind leaves are very effective in easing joint pain & swelling because of their anti-inflammatory nature. 
• Improves immunity. 

      Garcinia Indica –Kokum

Added whole to the dish it may be used as a substitute to tamarind, gives unique aroma & a lovely red color to the curries & vegetables particularly compliments coconut based curries & sauces.

• Garcinia Indica is anti-oxidant. Stimulates the digestive fire, relieves colic pain, flatulence, constipation & is very good for heart.
• Its juice taken with ginger & honey cures voice hoarseness & throat infection.
• Protects from medication induced liver damage.
• Apply directly over skin rashes, sun burns & skin ailments to get relief.
• Garcinia Indica infused in sugar syrup gives relief in sun stroke.

A unique fat is obtained from it which doesn’t melt at room temperature due to this property it is used in making of ointments, suppositories, lip stick & chocolates.

                                                       

                                                        Stay tuned for more!!!

 Healthy eating Happy living