INTRODUCTION TO SPICES AND THEIR HEALTH BENEFITS

[MrRigatoni]

Spices used in every day cooking. Have been used for medical purposes.

Many cultures cuisines use them for their own health benefits.

Chillies comes into many forms dried fresh powder other types puree in sauce and stews packs a punch.

Use carefully.

Medically good for reducing blood pressure and making you sweat means cooler body .

Boost immune systems and great to take when having a cold.

Cinnamon two types Cassia and Cinnamon useful in every day dishes recipes, beans pulses.

Useful in all recipes sweets especially.

High in anti-oxidants and benefits include low blood pressure, bad cholesterol, bacterial infections, anti inflammatory.

Reduces Blood sugar.

Comes from a bark of a tree.

Cumin every day uses earthy warm aromatic useful pulses beans chilli and curries tagines most used spices.

Middle East, North Africa, Central America, Asia.

Spice comes in a seed form to toast then crush or buy ground.

Good fine for digestion flatulence. Improves immunity and helps some suggestions asthma and insomnia.

Ginger a rhizome a root found in stores many forms ground, grated in jars whole or puree.

Peel use a back of teaspoon , store freezer zip bag then grate .

I buy powder but Ginger garlic paste a must have.

Worth using for a cold grated ginger in to hot water add lemon honey and sieve.

Been useful nausea, travel sickness and circulation problems.

Culinary uses puddings sweets.

Tagines Curries any bean or pulse dish

Turmeric A root plant used as powder form most common.

Always used in recipes as an antiseptic and used inflammatory properties, digestive problems diabetes type 2 controlling the condition.

Widely used in world wide cuisines.

Tagines, Curries and any spiced dishes.

Especially North Africa, Asia .

Please may I suggest buy small amounts, measure.

Consult GP any uses with medicines .

Store air tight jars.

Tip look on line cheaper.

Thank you all for reading any questions please ask.

[Agoodenough]

This is so helpful and interesting thank you! I use herbs and spices every day.

[Zest]

Hi MrRigatoni

I agree, it is very helpful to have that information. Thanks for putting it together.

I have a query about garlic - and noticed you mention that a garlic paste is good to have - I wonder how a homemade garlic paste would be made? Is that possible, or is it better to buy a store bought one? Just wondered, as I've not really looked at the ingredients of the store-bought garlic paste.

My own experience of garlic is that I tend to buy it fresh, and then slice it up, or sometimes I roast it whole in the oven and use it that way. Maybe the roasting makes it into a paste-like consistency? I don't know... Interested to hear what you think.

Zest

[MrRigatoni in reply to Zest]

Hello thank you for question.

There are many products on the market. I used to buy fresh but ended up garlic smelly hands, found it went off.

Used food processor or blender.

My sauces.

A lot of the products out there can get prepared garlic in jars, tubes or even whole cloves in olive oil.

It is a matter of choice.

I think a jar of Ginger Garlic Paste for Curries, Tagines any special spice dish.

Use sparingly.

Garlic Powder.

I use Garlic Powder after all if you see the jars we all love and buy.

Just bought some all have garlic powder in them Italian brands. I do buy some to help me through the week.

Instant quick meals pasta and veggies.

You could make a tub of sauce with Carrots and Onions, Celery add Garlic Tomato Passata stock cook and freeze .

Means have a sauce to use for every day use. Garlic used up and not going off.

Italian friends used to do this add splash of wine as well. Use new to me freezer bags for sauces on line. Then can stand up sealed or lie down piled up.

Saves freezer space.

Instant defrost bowl hot water kettle pour over leave to soak bag defrost minutes.

Any way useful guidance for making own Garlic Puree if your wish is my command happy to help.

1. Whole cloves on a kitchen unit smash with knife remember just press down with blade.

2. Remove skins, or use hot water kettle soak and then remove skins.

3. Add Salt to cover sprinkle. Smash smooth using knife to mince make smaller.

Use end of the blunt part of your knife to smooth .

4. Keep pressing smoothing with knife.

In to a pile should have puree.

I see from the Channel Islands I assume this hard to get items on the internet delivered food grocery .

I use AMAZON mainly for my Italian products and other items too expensive shops.

Many tomato based products, spices those little jars a brand company we all love.

I do buy spice mixes yes but the prices are too expensive.

Look at AMAZON.

Will help you be a better cook than you are already because you are using the products that are worth the money.

Just some advice I am on low income use AMAZON.

Got right now 12 bottles Passata delivered shop price over £3 a jar the costs.

Mine half of that per jar bottle and is organic .

Free delivery . You have to go out buy these and then additional costs fuel time and anything else.

The issues with supermarkets is space costs money.

As is any business retail premises. Plus costs overheads.

So why shop if you can get products delivered to you to instil be beneficial and if you use good ingredients.

Recipes become stars and become great to make.

I used to buy own brand sauces full of sugar salt and bad nasties.

Understand low price but rubbish awful.

Hope that helps, one other prices generally a small bag of 250g of any spice be worth a lot less than the other day.

Neighbour spent a fortune on those well known jars each having small mini amounts.

One thing start slowly buying have a few favourites.

Paprika, Fennel Seeds, Cumin, Coriander ground, Cinnamon fine to use those all over any recipes.

Turmeric as well great in stews Chicken so useful.

Thank you for supporting my post will have more to add some uses Spices Herbs be helpful.

Please take care

[Zest in reply to MrRigatoni]

Hi MrRigatoni

Thanks very much, this is very helpful.

I tend to try to purchase as many things locally as I can, to support the local economy, and thankfully we have several supermarkets as well as smaller shops and local hedge veg - and I look out for promotions and reduced prices.

Zest