Knew of kitchen ingredients to make your food tastier, here is a list of few spices and condiments from your kitchen which can also be used as medicines for common health issues. Use of natural ingredients to treat medical conditions, has always been of benefit as it offers to be safe from risk of side effects, easily available even at night when the doctors are sleeping and considerably inexpensive when compared to English medicines.

In the following blog we will take you through some not common but prominent medical uses of your common kitchen ingredients. Read on to know more of what you store in your kitchen cabinets.

• Turmeric – From treating cold, cough and influenza to being used as anti-septic for minor cuts, burns and other superficial lesions turmeric has helped man kind in more than one ways. This dried powder of a plant root has potent anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial as well as anti-oxidant uses for human body. Its medically helpful portfolio of properties makes it a ‘not to be avoided’ kitchen ingredient which is also gaining popularity in skin care world as a component in face masks and creams. Its use in treating some kinds of cancer, Alzheimer’s and liver damage associated with alcohol abuse are vigorously been developed because of proven positive results in past.

• Cinnamon- Cinnamon is dried bark of a tree which is used in food for its exceptional flavour and sweet kick it adds to dishes. This condiment has good amounts of certain minerals (Potassium, zinc, magnesium, iron, and calcium, copper) and vitamins (niacin, pyridoxine, vitamin A) and thus a healthy edible item. On medicinal front, cinnamon has proved effective in treating cold, allergic sneezing, indigestion, heartburn and flatulence with its carminative and anti-inflammatory properties. Regular consumption of this sweet smelling condiment has proved effective in controlling blood sugar levels (type 2 diabetes) as well as blood cholesterol levels. High usage is anyhow not advised because of possibilities of toxicity.
• Cloves: Common, essential and most potent ingredient of much used taste maker ‘Garam Masala’ in Indian kitchens, cloves have much more to offer apart from its strong aroma, taste and slight heat. This condiment in form of oil (cold compressed clove oil) is used as topical ointment to sooth ulcers in oral cavity, pain in gums or even swelling in gums, any kind of toothache even that due to bacterial infection. This oil also can be made a part of massage oils for joints pain and body pain. Its above effects are related to its anti-inflammatory action. Its carminative properties make it useful for people troubles with bad digestion, flatulence, gastric issues and even in treatment of cholera. Inhaling clove oil as a roll on, with steam or just few drops on a handkerchief can provide relief from bronchitis, asthma, sinusitis and cough. It is even suggested by naturopaths for tuberculosis cure.

• Cardamom- This queen of spices with exceptionally good smell has antispasmodic (muscle relaxant) properties. Its use helps give you good sleep because it relaxes nervous system with release of biologically active neuro relaxant molecules in the blood. Most commonly cardamoms are used as mouth fresheners but its use after meals and especially the chewing action help fight oral infection and keeps bad breath at bay. Apart from the above cardamom is also loaded with anti-flatulent, carminative and anti-inflammatory properties and uses as mentioned in case of clove, and cinnamon.

• Cumin Seeds- Adding cumin seeds to dishes add dietary fibre to your food which aids digestion. Well-being of your digestive tract is also taken care of by anti-inflammatory and carminative properties of cumin. Apart from indigestion, cumin water is used for curing diarrhoea, stomach pain, morning sickness and acidity. These tiny seeds are helpful and commonly used in herbal ‘churans’ for treating sore throat and cough. Most prominent use of cumin is seen for pregnant women to boost better prenatal development and milking glands. Fighting insomnia and development of cancerous growth in colon or breast tissue are other not so studies but positive medical effects of regular use of cumin in food.

Intake of spices and condiments like above is restricted to small amounts because of their strong taste and smell. But regular usage is what matters and what actually benefits. In some medical conditions, extra use of these condiments as oil, infusion or solution can result in relief because of their biological activity inside the body.