The Spice King - Turmeric (Manjal / Haldi)

Turmeric, the essence of Indian cooking is the most powerful spice in our cuisine as well as in Siddha & Ayurveda medicines for several centuries. It not only offers countless benefits to the human body, but is has also proven to cure several ailments and diseases with its main constituent - Curcumin.

Benefits

1. It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent
2. Disinfects burns, cuts & wounds
3. Prevents breast cancer, prostrate cancer, skin cancer, blood cancer & metastases in many different forms of cancer
4. It is an excellent anti-inflammatory
5. It is a natural liver detoxifier, burns fat & controls cholestrol
6. It is an anti-depressant & a pain killer
7. It slows down multiple sclerosis (immune system detroying protective layer of nerves)
8. Prevents Alzheimer's disease
9. It is an excellent skin protector & cure (used by ancient indian women extensively on skin)
10. Used in treatment of arthritis & rheumatoid arthritis
11. Promotes gastro-intestinal functions
12. And the list goes on..

Usage
Although we throw a dash of turmeric in almost all our dishes, curries & veggies, you may try targeting its use through rasam/soup, milk & even add it to your skin. Remember adding turmeric to milk attacks streptococci in your throat & in rasam gets rid of your fever. Dont forget to add a pinch to steam out your sinus. Turmeric is basically used to balance all 3 doshas in ayurveda, but when used in excess could aggravate vata & pitta. Let us continue to use this blessed gift from mother nature and live well!

The Crunchy Groundnuts

Groundnuts or Peanuts are actually legumes (bean family) and packs a punch of anti-oxidants that can only be matched by some of the richest fruits such as pomegranates & berries. Each day millions & billions of cells in our body get repaired & rebuilt for which antioxidants are essential. Antioxidants also protect our body from free radicals thereby protecting against cell damage. Hence peanut is an ideal food for growing children and the elderly alike.

Benefits

1. It is rich in protein (25g per 100g, equivalent to meat sources), fiber, minerals and antioxidants
2. Rich in MonoUnsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), that helps lower bad cholesterol
3. It is a main source of vit-B complex groups for vegetarians
4. Contains Resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant (also found in red wine & grapes) that protects against cancers, heart disease, stroke, degenerative nerve disease, Alzheimer's disease, and viral/fungal infections.

Groundnut Oil (cold-pressed sekku oil)

• Excellent for your heart, lowers cholestrol, blood pressure and relieves gastro problems
• Offers diverse types of fatty acids, such as oleic, stearic, palmitic and linoleic acids
• One of the most commonly used oil in south india by our ancestors

Top minerals

Rich in copper, manganese, magnesium, vitamin-B complex groups, vitamin-E, Iron, zinc, selenium and folate.

1. Copper guards against arthritis
2. Manganese helps overcome weak bones, skin rashes and post-menopausal syndrome
3. Magnesium aids in nerve/muscle function and alleviates headaches due to unknown causes
4. Vit-B (neurological functions) & vit-E (against free radicals)

How to use peanuts?
When eaten roasted or boiled, its antioxidant potential is increased two to four times. Add it to your salads/subjis to get that crunch, dont forget the kadalai urundais/burfis (chikkis) and try the spicy kadalai chutney for your idlis & dosais. You could also add it to lemon rice, pudina rice, puliyodharai etc. And try frying your vadais, appalams & pooris in peanut oil - yumm. As for non-veg eaters, once you cook your eggs, meat & fish in peanut oil, there is no returning back to any other oil :)

Coconut - the tropical wonder!

Found only in the tropics of mother earth, everything associated with the coconut has only been beneficial to humans since ancient civilization. The fibres became ropes, the leaves roofing material, husk gave coir, the hard shell became cooking fuel, the timber to build houses/boats and even the outer shell is used as activated carbon to purify water. And the fruit called coconut, its water & milk all give good health & cures ailments!

Benefits

• Anti-bacterial, Anti-viral, Anti-fungal & Anti-parasitic
• Basis of Siddha medicine - its water, milk, oil are all curative
• Helps diabetics (low Glycemic Index), beats cholesterol (high fiber)
• Highly nutritious and rich in fibre, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 and minerals including manganese, iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous

Coconut

• Super Food, source of quick energy
• Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS
• Kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and other diseases
• Kills fungi and yeasts that cause ringworm, athlete’s foot, thrush, diaper rash
• Expels or kills tapeworms, lice, Giardia, and other parasites

Coconut Oil

• Possess Anti-Microbial properties, effective against indigestion
• Fights cholesterol as it contains Medium chain fatty acids, which gets burned immediately by the body
• Improves secretion of Insulin thus controlling blood sugar
• Contains Vit-E & aids in faster absorption of calcium - strengthens bones and teeth
• Cures wounds, burns and treats skin diseases

Top minerals found in Coconut

1. Manganese helps overcome weak bones, skin rashes and post-menopausal syndrome
2. Iron is the most common mineral in the body, much needed for oxygen transport & RBC production
3. Phosphorous fixes improper metabolism (quantum of hunger & food intake) & asthma
4. Zinc is needed for immune function, wound healing, blood clotting & thyroid function

How to include coconut in our diet?

1. Add coconut in chutneys, thovayals & upmas
2. Add coconut and its oil to all veg & non-veg preparations
3. 2 spoons each of Jaggery + Coconut each day fixes anemia in 30 days
4. Coconut kheer (ilaneer payasam), milk, burfi, kozhukattai (modhaks)
5. Add it to many other traditional sweets & savories (from appams to seedais)

Ref: www.coconutboard.nic.in/

Sesame for Eternity

Known in ancient India as the condiment for immortality, it is one of the super foods with immense health benefits. It is known to prevent, cure and attack several diseases and conditions that may occur in the young and the old. In this blog, let us understand its value and how best to use it!

Benefits

1. Attacks diabetes, blood pressure, cholestrol and is anti-cancerous.
2. Protects against anemia, arthritis & radiation damage against DNA.
3. Beneficial to hair, skin, eye, oral health (oil pulling) & liver

Nutrient       DRI/DV Dried cup (36gm)

 copper            163%
 manganese     45%
 calcium           35%
 magnesium     32%
 phosphorus     32%
 iron                 29%
 zinc                 25%
 molybdenum   24%
 selenium         23%
 vitamin B        123%
 fiber                17%

Top 5 minerals from Sesame & their functions

1. Copper is the much needed mineral for reducing arthritis.
2. Manganese helps overcome weak bones, skin rashes and post-menopausal syndrome.
3. Calcium helps make bones/teeth stronger and fix thyroid imbalance.
4. Magnesium aids in nerve/muscle function and alleviates headaches due to various causes.
5. Phosphorous fixes improper metabolism (quantum of hunger & food intake) & asthma.

How to use sesame?
Ellu urundai (Sesame balls)
Kozhukattai (Modhak / dim sum filling)
Ellu Idli podi (gun powder for idli)
Nallennai (Gingelly Oil)


Nutrition data source:http://www.whfoods.com/

Svasthyam - Wellness for Life!

Svasthya in sanskrit means wellness, a true treasure of health and well-being. Nature has bestowed us with oxygen, water and rich variety of food source(s) which all come together to give us health and wellness!

Modern day living, fast foods and the influence of global cuisine have not only caused much deviation but have also caused sufficient damage to the well-being of our generation (and that of the future generation to come).

Eating the wrong foods (or not eating the right types) could very well outdo all our hard work put into our daily exercise regime. This is the reason why despite working out in the gym or keeping the 30 minute walk, you continue to see no improvement in your waist line. In this blog, I intend sharing the long term health benefits of eating native foods over pre-cooked, pre-processed and imported non-native foods.

Tropics is heaven on earth and is abundant in all types of crops which provides us with food grains, pulses, millets, herbs, spices, medicinal plants & many more. Ayurveda is an ancient medicinal science in which our ancestors pioneered in diagnosing and treating several diseases and medical conditions which have no match in western medicine even today. Let us reminisce our rich heritage, learn, practice and achieve wellness - svasthya, by eating right!