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Spices to eat during cold

By Vinutha S

Spices add life to food. They make the food tastier. One of the most beautiful aspects of spices is their limitations in different kinds of food. Each food recipe has different ingredients and the spices must be added in limited amounts in order to make the food delicious. Though the taste may change if added in excess.

So to be a great cook you must know how to go about the spices. Spices not only makes the food tasty but also healthy. Each spice has a different and unique health benefits.

When compared to other fruits and vegetables, spices have more disease fighting anti oxidants. It is always advisable to know about the spices before using them. As each of them has different health benefits it is better to choose the one which goes well with your body. Spices are considered to be natural medication, especially used in ayurvedic and homeopathy treatments. Researchers have found out that spices are helpful in preventing and treating more than 150 health related issues. Spices are high in antioxidants; they also have anti-inflammatory properties and also help in promoting weight loss.

A cold weather accounts to the need of warmth and proper immunity levels in order to stay healthy. The body metabolism slows down to a considerable extent, the need for sleep increases and one can also find the energy levels dropping down. This is the time of the year when your body is craving to be warm and healthy.

Cardamom

Cardamom

Cardamom acts as a magical healing spice during winters. It is an expectorant that keeps the body warm and helps to treat the effects of asthma, cold and cough - bronchitis, chest congestion, sore throat and infections.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is considered to be an intuitive go-to herb during cold weathers. Slather some cinnamon and avail multiple benefits like warming up and improving the immune system of the body. It has effective anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and helps to fight flu.

Nutmeg

Nutmeg

Nutmeg has multiple properties that can be of great help to the body, especially in winters. It is an excellent spice that helps to relieve from pain and reduces inflammation.

Ginger

Ginger

Ginger is known predominantly for its medicinal properties and widely recommended as a daily intake during the cold weathers. It is used as a natural remedy for cold and flu, to reduce inflammation and pain, migraine and heartburn relief.

 Garlic

Garlic

Garlic is a potent vasodilator that helps to develop the resistance power in the body. Consumption of garlic during winters helps to combat several infections like flu and throat and ear infections. It reduces mucous, improves blood circulation, treats bronchitis and cough.

 Cloves

Cloves

Cloves are flower buds that are rich in nutrients with high Vitamin C and A, manganese, iron, potassium, calcium, fibre and proteins. It has antiseptic, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties and also analgesic.

Cumin seeds

Cumin seeds

Cumin seeds is a rich source of iron intake for the body. It is highly benefiting during the winters and helps the digestive system remain on track. It has high antiseptic properties to treat cold, controls the formation of cough and dries up the mucous.

Fennel

Fennel

Fennel is best used in Mediterranean form of cooking. However, it is a great spice to be savoured during cold due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. It lowers cholesterol and helps to keep the body warm.

Turmeric

Turmeric

Turmeric has antiseptic properties and helps the body to stay away from any sort of infections. It improves the blood circulation and is highly regarded as the cornucopia of benefiting factors to good health.

 Sesame seeds

Sesame seeds

Sesame seeds are generally hot in nature and thus used to keep the body warm during winters. It also builds the DNA and improvised the body immunity levels to a great extent in order to combat the effects of chilly winters.

Fenugreek seeds

Fenugreek seeds

Fenugreek seeds are best known to be a natural treatment for joint pains. They are also predominantly used in winters due to their exceptional high nutritional benefits to one's body.

Chile peppers

Chile peppers

Chile peppers help to keep your body warm during the winter season. It protects the stomach lining from any infections and has great properties to natural treat gastro-intestinal problems.

Mint

Mint

Mint is a pungent herb that acts as a furnace to your body for winter. It is rich in antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties and very effective natural remedy to treat sore throat and other infections.

Chamomile

Chamomile

Chamomile is again a great resource to calm the nerves, stomach and digestive system. It helps to get relief from sore throat and other winter concerns like cold, flu, cough etc.

Sage

Sage

Sage is rich in Vitamin K which the body to a major extent in chills. It has excellent anti-inflammatory properties and is also an amazing antioxidant due to which it has the ability of slowing down the oxidation process.

Story first published: Thursday, October 10, 2013, 19:23 [IST]
Read more about: cold health cure