Health Natural, Information for Natural and healthy living

In summer, fresh, not dried, herbs are favored. It seems natural therefore in the winter to use more spices, most of which cannot be grown in a temperate climate anyway.

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum):
Cumin is one of the oldest cultivated spices. It was a popular spice and medicinal herb in ancient Egypt, being used for illnesses of the digestive tract and to treat coughs and chest colds. It has also been used as a painkiller, particularly to relieve toothache. Three pain-relieving compounds have been found in cumin, along with seven that are anti-inflammatory and four that combat swelling. Some herbalists recommend cumin to relieve carpal tunnel syndrome.

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum)

Cumin is very popular in Indian cooking and Indian herbal medicine. In Ayurvedic medicine a popular cure for hangovers is one teaspoon of limejuice and a pinch of cumin in a glass of orange juice. Ayurvedic practitioners also recommend drinking a cumin, coriander and fennel tea to help clear up acne. Combine the herbs equally for a total of one teaspoon and steep them for 10 minutes in hot water. Strain the tea and drink three cups a day after meals. Even if it doesn't clear up your acne it will certainly help your digestion. Like its close relatives caraway and anise, cumin alleviates flatulence and bloating and invigorates the entire digestive system.

Asafoetida (Ferula foetida) or Devil's Dung:
Devil's dung sounds like a less than appetizing ingredient to add to your recipe, but when a pinch is used judiciously, it is sinfully good.

Asafoetida is native to Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. A perennial plant growing to about two meters high, it is one of several species of ferula, or giant fennel. Asafoetida has finely toothed leaves, clusters of many white or yellow flowers in umbels and a hollow stem growing from a fleshy taproot. It is the root that produces the spice. In summer, the stems are cut from four-year-old plants and the root is sliced. A gum is excreted which dries into a resin. This is then crushed into a powder to produce the spice.

The name originates with the Persian word Aza, which means resin, and the Latin word Fetida, which means smelly. Stinking gum - another name for the spice - earns its name. When bought, you will usually find it tripled wrapped for the smell can be quite offensive. However, sauté it lightly in oil and it develops a pleasant onion or garlic-like aroma. A mere pinch is all you need in any recipe.

Medicinally, asafoetida is used in Middle Eastern and Indian herbal medicine for simple digestive problems such as gas, bloating, indigestion and constipation. It has been used for respiratory problems such as bronchitis, asthma and whooping cough. Like garlic, asafoetida's volatile oil contains components such as disulphides that leave the body via the respiratory system and aid in the coughing up of congested mucus. Asafoetida has also been used as a sedative. It also thins the blood and lowers blood pressure. Although safe for adults, asafoetida may be harmful to young babies.

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum)

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum)

Cinnamon, native to India and Sri Lanka, is the inner bark of several species of tree known as Cinnamomun, a member of the laurel family. The compound responsible for cinnamon's distinctive spicy taste is cinnamaldehyde, and this is also found in non-related species such as cinnamon basil. Research indicates that cinnamaldehyde is both a sedative and analgesic and reduces blood pressure.

Cinnamon stimulates the circulation especially to the extremities and has traditionally been taken as a "warming" herb, sometimes in combination with ginger. As such, the spice is used to relieve the symptoms of the common cold, including aching muscles. Cinnamon's volatile oils possess both antiviral and stimulating properties. It is also a classical remedy for digestive problems. Cinnamon accelerates the digestion of fats and enhances the activity of trypsin, an enzyme that breaks down proteins in the small intestine.

Cloves (Eugenia carophyllata)
Cloves, which symbolize dignity, are the unopened flower buds of a tropical tree in the same family as allspice and guavas. The tree is native to the Molucca Islands (also known as the Spice Islands) in the Indian Ocean, but are now cultivated throughout Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Tanzania and Brazil.
The word "clove" derives from the Latin word clavus, meaning nail, and refers to the tack-like shape of the dried bud.

Cloves (Eugenia carophyllata)

Cloves first arrived in Europe around the 4th century, but the spice remained a rare luxury until about 1500 when increased sea trade with the orient brought cloves in quantity into European kitchens.

In Moluccan folklore, villagers treated blossoming clove trees like a pregnant woman. No man could approach them wearing a hat, no noise could be made near them and no light or fire could be carried past them at night for fear they would not bear fruit. Some Moluccans still plant a clove tree at the birth of a child, with the belief that if the tree flourishes, so will the child.

Chinese medicine has used cloves to treat indigestion, diarrhea, hernia, ringworm and athlete's foot and other fungal infections.In traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine, the spice is used to treat respiratory and digestive problems. The brilliant medieval German abbess, composer and herbalist, Hildegard of Bingen recommended cloves in the treatment of gout.

Toothache is still effectively treated with cloves as the eugenol in the spice has both analgesic and antiseptic qualities. A bruised clove or some clove oil on cotton wool is held in the mouth near the tooth. Some dentists still use cloves to disinfect ailing root canals and mix clove oil with zinc oxide for temporary fillings.

In the kitchen cloves make a powerful contribution to both sweet and savory dishes. Generally whole cloves are removed from the dish before serving. To avoid discoloration of the dish, clear clove oil may be substituted for powdered cloves. As a testimony to the power of the scent of cloves, the clove-studded pomander is a perennial favorite as a room or closet freshener and moth repellent.

Cloves have an affinity for green beans, pea soup, root vegetables, fruit compotes and salads, spiced teas, mulled beverages and pickles of all types. People on a bland diet should avoid cloves as the spice can be irritating to the intestinal tract. However, ground cloves, made without the clove head, are milder than the whole spice.

Turmeric (Curcuma domestica):
Returning from China in 1280, Marco Polo wrote in his notes, "There is also a vegetable that has all the properties of true saffron, as well as the smell and the color, and yet it is not really saffron." He was writing about turmeric, which is still used as an inexpensive substitute for saffron and sometimes called "Indian saffron," although more likely because of its use in curry than because of Marco Polo.

Turmeric (Curcuma domestica)

The name turmeric is believed to originate with the Latin, terra merita, meaning "merit of the earth." The spice is highly regarded in India where it is identified with fertility. During wedding ceremonies, the bridegroom ties a sacred thread dipped in turmeric paste around the bride's neck. In Malaysia, turmeric paste is spread on the abdomen of a new mother and the umbilical cord of the baby, both as an antiseptic and to ward off evil spirits.

The use of turmeric as a coloring agent for food and fabric dates back to before 600 BC. Turmeric is still used in pickles and relishes and to flavor and color prepared mustard.

The rhizome, or root, is carefully unearthed, broken into sections and then boiled or steamed before being dried. The result is a bright yellow powder with a mild, slightly bitter, peppery flavour and aroma. Oil of turmeric contains mint-flavored borneol, spicy eucalyptol - with a camphor-like smell - and zingerone, the spicy sweet flavoring in ginger. Turmeric is part of the ginger family.

Turmeric is a tender perennial, native to India and China so I doubt if it can be grown successfully is our climate even as an annual. However, it makes a handsome potted plant for a sunny window.

In Hawaii, where turmeric is known as Olena, the spice is mixed with salt water and, in a magical cleansing ceremony, it is sprinkled in the area to be purified, sometimes with a ti leaf.

Medicinally, turmeric has received considerable and favorable publicity lately. In traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine, the herb is considered a natural antibiotic while strengthening digestion and improving intestinal flora. In the May/June, 1996 issue of VRP's (Vitamin Research Products, Inc.) Nutrition News, turmeric was listed as having anti-inflammatory action equal to and sometimes better than cortisone and phenylbutazone treatment. Nutrition News also reports studies indicating that turmeric's antioxidant value makes it five times more effective as a free radical scavenger than vitamin E and that it has powerful anti-cancer and anti-cholesterol properties. Some herbalists recommend using turmeric's antibacterial constituent (curmunin) topically to fight certain skin conditions such as psoriasis and athlete's foot.

Turmeric has also been shown to inhibit blood clotting. This could pose a problem for people with clotting disorders and they, along with anybody using anticoagulant medication, should avoid the spice. Turmeric's long-standing benefit as a treatment for digestive and liver problems has largely been confirmed by scientific study, but if a little is good, a lot is not necessarily better. Large amounts of turmeric can cause stomach upset.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Ginger, native to S.E. Asia, but now cultivated in China, India, the Caribbean and West Africa, is one of the oldest oriental spices known in the west. It was particularly popular in medieval and Tudor England where it was valued as a medicinal and a culinary spice.

Indeed, ginger developed the reputation of being a panacea for everything including the plague. It was used in pomanders and potpourris to counteract unpleasant odors and was even used as an aphrodisiac. The medieval treat of Gingerbread is still popular in England. It is often stamped with a design and a gold leaf.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Although a tropical spice, Ginger is quite easy to grow in a pot. It makes an attractive houseplant with long grass-like leaves. Unfortunately, it rarely flowers in cultivation, but if you're lucky, you'll get a bloom of dense, cone-shaped spikes, yellow and green with a purple lip, about three inches long at the end of a 6-12 inch-long stalk. Plant a rhizome or root from a grocery store or nursery in a roomy pot with a good mix of peat moss, sand and potting soil. The plant likes high temperatures, high humidity and moist soil, but also needs shade, so at the height of summer move the pot outside to a warm, but semi-shaded position.

To harvest, pull the roots from the pot eight to 12 months after planting, slice off the leafstalks and fibrous root sections, cut off some root for culinary use and replant the rest. Whether homegrown or store-bought, ginger root can quickly become unpleasantly fibrous and difficult to slice or mince. One tip is to peel and slice the root while fresh, then freeze it in plastic bags. This way you'll always have some fresh ginger on hand. Although it turns mushy when thawed, it retains its flavor and nutritional qualities.

Ginger is a warming herb. It is used as a digestive aid to relieve nausea and to stimulate circulation. It is effective in the early stages of colds and flu to induce sweating and help the body eliminate waste. Ginger tea has long been popular with women for dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation).

Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans):
Nutmeg and mace are both the fruit of the nutmeg tree, a large evergreen native to the Moluccas, or Spice Islands, in Indonesia. Mace is the red aril or casing of the fruit and nutmeg is the interior seed. Both can be hallucinogenic and toxic if used in high amounts.

In Chinese herbal medicine the nutmeg is used for intestinal problems, especially for diarrhea. In India, nutmeg is believed to increase sexual stamina and has an enduring reputation as an aphrodisiac.

Nutmeg has a long history as a magical spice. It is included in many herbal mixtures to promote prosperity. One such ceremony involves the sprinkling of the ground spice on to burning green candles.

Nutmegs are carried as a simple good luck charm and to ward off rheumatism, cold sores, neuralgia, boils and sties. A nutmeg hung from a string around a baby's neck is supposed to assist in the baby's teething.

To guarantee faithfulness on the part of your lover, cut a nutmeg into four pieces. Bury one quarter in the earth, throw another off a cliff, burn the third and boil the last in water. Sip some of the water and take this last piece of nutmeg with you everywhere, even to bed. This will ensure that no one will tempt your beloved.

Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)

In the kitchen, nutmeg is not only appetizing in sweet foods, but enhances the flavor of meats, vegetables and the contents of stuffed pasta, especially a cheese and/or spinach stuffing. It is excellent sprinkled over hot or cold milk drinks, eggnog and mulled wine. Use it in making cakes, cookies, pies, pastries, muffins, waffles and coffee cake. Whether added to the filling or poured over as a sauce, nutmeg glorifies apple or mincemeat pie, apple dumplings, steamed puddings and gingerbread.

In Watership Down, Richard Adams wrote "Many human beings say that they enjoy the winter, but what they really enjoy is feeling proof against it." Cheering ourselves with warming winter spices is a great way to do that.

Your Information Source for
Living Naturally and Healthily

WINTER WARMING SPICES
by
Bruce Burnett, CH

Your Information Source for Living Naturally and Healthily

WINTER WARMING SPICES by Bruce Burnett, CH

Your Information Source for
Living Naturally and Healthily

WINTER WARMING SPICES
by
Bruce Burnett, CH