10 Medicinal Spices in Indian Curry

No one in my family is from India, but we eat traditional Indian-style curries at least three days per week. The health benefits of these balanced meals are seemingly endless: traditional curries provide monounsaturated fats, full-spectrum vegetarian proteins and powerful antioxidants. From an ethical viewpoint, Indian curry offers the advantage of being meat-free, and it requires little energy to cook. Perhaps most importantly for my herbalism-crazy family, Indian curry's constituent spices are packed with subtle medicinal properties.

Fenugreek
This maple-scented herb is rich in compounds that stabilize reduce serum cholesterol and triglycerides; several studies have also demonstrated that it can help to stabilize blood sugar levels in people with diabetes and reactive hypoglycemia. Fenugreek leaves and seeds are also famously effective as galactogogues-- they can improve breastmilk production by tenfold. The drawback? Curries rich in fenugreek may make you smell like maple syrup. I'm actually fold of this aromatic side effect.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a bright-yellow seasoning that packs a potent medicinal punch. Touted by many health enthusiasts as the world's most important herb, turmeric has been demonstrated to fight inflammation, bacteria, viral infections, irritable bowel syndrome, Alzheimer's disease and even cancer. As an herbalist, I've seen dozens of people use turmeric as a core component of holistic treatment regimens. This miracle herb imparts a warm, earthy flavor and gives Indian curries their signature zest.

Ginger
Like its cousin turmeric, ginger seems to hit the headlines almost daily as new studies reveal its remarkable anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to combat heart disease and cancer. Ginger is extremely useful for treating nausea and vomiting caused by infection, pregnancy, prescription drugs and motion sickness. While conventional wisdom tells us that people with persistent nausea should avoid spicy foods, my own experience demonstrates otherwise. My family found that ginger-rich curries are sometimes the best medicine for a stomach bug.

Cumin
Another digestive-supporting seasoning, cumin gives curry a pleasantly bitter undertone.Cumin is traditionally used as a treatment for gas pain and other digestive distresses. Traditionally Indian curries tend to contain beans, lentils, fibrous vegetables and other notoriously gas-producing foods, but cumin seems to block this unpleasant side-effect associated with most balanced, vegetarian foods. Thanks in part to cumin, my daughter was able to digest spicy bean curries from just eight months of age with no complaints.

Garlic
Halitosis aside, garlic is a favorite among natural-health advocates because of its multifaceted ability to improve wellbeing. Found in abundance in most Indian curries, garlic possesses antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties; it was historically used as a preservative to keep pathogens from colonizing food. Garlic can also help to mitigate some forms of heart disease, including hypertension, atherosclerosis and high cholesterol. Like many other plant-based foods, garlic can also play a role in the prevention of cancer.

Red Pepper
Capsicum is a relatively recent addition to the world of Indian curry, but it is now immensely popular as a curry seasoning throughout the world. These intensely flavorful seasonings are rich in carotenoid antioxidants and they are traditionally used as anti-inflammatories and circulatory stimulants. Like many other spicy-hot plants, red peppers are rich in compounds that fight fungal, bacterial and viral infections. Despite its reputation as a stomach irritant, red pepper in curry may actually help to improve digestion and reduce post-meal stomach pain.

Coriander
This citrusy-sweet seed imparts a light, warm flavor in curry and has an almost-confectionary aftertaste. In several traditional medicine systems, coriander is believed to act as a subtle calming agent and adaptogen; I've heard many people report a mildly euphoric effect after consuming curries and teas made with coriander. Coriander also works in synergy with other medicinal spices in curry; it can help to relieve gas pain and irritation of the colon. When my daughter was an infant, I used it occasionally coriander tea as colic treatment.

Cardamom
A deliciously fragrant member of the ginger family, cardamom gives Indian curries an exotic flavor and an aroma similar to frankincense. Cardamom is useful for relieving inflammation and congestion of the throat, eyes, sinuses and lungs; curries with cardamom have replaced chicken soup in our family as a remedy for colds and flu. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, cardamom is used as a natural treatment for all forms of stomach distress. Cardamom likely contributes the Indian curry's surprising digestibility.

Mustard
Black and brown mustards are both useful components of curry; unlike most spices, they affect the sinuses as well as the tongue to create a whole-body taste experience. Mustard is moderately effective for relieving inflammation and it has a long-standing use as a folk remedy for painful conditions like arthritis and dental infections. Mustard helps to prevent and absorb gas in the digestive tract and is a useful seasoning for curries containing beans, broccoli and chickpeas.

Curry Leaves
As the plant's name might imply, curry leaf is a common component in traditional curries, especially those from Southern India. Clinical evidence has demonstrated that curry leaves help to lower blood glucose levels in people with diabetes; this zesty seasoning may help to reduce a meal's glycemic index. Curry leaves are also powerful antioxidants and tend to reduce inflammation throughout the body. Most remarkably, curry leaves have antimicrobial compounds that combat fungal, bacterial and viral infections.

Perhaps, as a culture, we should all forgo the tradition of serving Sprite and canned soup to people who are mildly ill. Rich, spicy Indian curries are much more effective in fighting minor ailments, and they may have the ability to combat more serious problems-- like heart disease, diabetes and cancer-- in the long run. Laying aside the fact that my whole family smells perpetually of garlic and fenugreek, curry is one addiction that I have no intention of surrendering.