List Of Herbs And Spices And Their Uses In Cooking

It has been found that throughout history the use of herbs and spice have given flavor to a variety of dishes in a number of different cultures. Besides flavoring, it has been used as folk medicine in different cultures and regions.

The uses of herbs and spices and its combinations to use have been transmitted from generation to generation as a way to prepare specific foods or folk medicine. It is to no surprise that even today herbs and spices are used in the same way, the special combinations that instantly bring us back to the childhood in mother’s kitchen.

The combination of herbs and spices are a memory bank of our experiences and you can be sure that it will also not change and will remain in our kitchens for future generations.

Uses Of Different Herbs And Spices

It is believed that the uses of herbs and spices date back to prehistoric times, means that they have much earlier recognized its benefits. Every culture has a long history of use of herbs, spices, and various plants in the day to day life and in folk medicine. The traditional system of Egypt, India, and China are considered the oldest system of medicine, below are some of the spices and herbs list and its uses.

1.Ajwain

Ajwain is the spice that is used in culinary and also used as main ingredients in different types of therapy as well as various ayurvedic medicine. It is believed that it has properties that can diminish or terminated nearly about 60 types of common disease. It is one of the most commonly used spices in various home remedies.

Its seeds are small but are hot with bitter in taste and appetizer in nature. It is an effective remedy used for various ailments such as abdominal pain, vomiting, heart disease, etc. Due to its carminative and diuretic properties, it is an effective remedy for the disease such as hiccups, paralysis, chest pain, kidney, liver disease, spleen problem, limb weakness, etc.

It is often used for kidney stone problems, it is very simple to use simply consume ajwain seeds with honey or vinegar, it will help to remove the stone with the urine flow.  It is also helpful in the healing of acute dyspepsia and indigestion, soaked Ajwain seeds in water overnight and the next morning should be taken in fasting.

2.Black pepper

It is a dried berry that is obtained from a vine with woody stems. It is a spherical red berry which appears on the tiny white flowers that grow in bushes. It is hot in taste with appetizing aroma properties and extensively used in culinary applications.

The consumption of black pepper powder mixed with ginger juice can provide relief in cases of indigestion and cold. It is the best home remedy for poor appetite or appetite loss, it’s a very simple recipe for use simply take a paste of pepper powder mix with a teaspoon of honey and consume it.

Black pepper oil can also be used for massage by mixing with other vegetable oil. It is beneficial for blood circulation, bruises, rheumatoid arthritis, and muscle aches. It is also used as a remedy for pimples, using it for pimples is very easy to make powder by pounding black pepper on the clean surface then apply it on pimples, it will dry the pimples without any scars. It also works well on eczema, simply apply pepper powder mixed with ghee.

3.Asafoetida

It is a perennial tree with big narrow roots. It is a dry resin that exudates of the root that we commonly used in our kitchens we called it as “Heeng”.

It is a spice that is rich in calcium, iron, and minerals, it is used as a flavoring agent in varieties of food and even pinch of it is enough to flavor the whole food. Asafoetida is a wonderful spice with various properties such as expectorant, anthelmintic, digestive, antispasmodic, diuretic and carminative.

Asafoetida is used as a home remedy for stomach pain; it is simple to use mix Asafetida with water and apply it on and around the marina, it will relieve you from pain in a few minutes.

It is is an amazing spice that can treat various diseases such as indigestion, whooping cough, urinary retention, flatulence, and respiratory problems.

4.Cumin seeds

Cumin plant is an annual herb that has aromatic seeds that looks like a fruit which is commonly known as “Jeera” in Hindi. It is the worm in nature, with bitter in taste. It is an aromatic spice that is widely used in mixed spices to flavor soups, meats, slices of bread, curries, pastries, etc.

Besides its culinary uses, this aromatic spice is widely used as home remedies for atonic dyspepsia, in indigestion, flatulence digestive disorders, nausea, and diarrhea. It is an effective remedy for relieving sleeping sickness and for common cold and fever.

It is a famous spice that was used by ancient Greek physician to treat headaches and toothaches. It is a spice that has a complex chemical structure; it has more than a hundred different chemical components, with abundant sources of essential fatty acids. It is also useful in skin itchiness, using it is simply put some cumin seeds in boil water and bath with it when it is a little warmer.

5.Cardamom

Cardamom is a perennial herb native to the Indian subcontinent; it is an exotic spice that is known by different names in India such as elaichi, Choti elaichi, and ilaichi in Hindi. It is the worm in nature, with its mysterious unique and pleasant aroma; it plays a pivotal role in the Indian cuisine for both savory and Indian sweets.

It is used as traditional medicine to enrich an aphrodisiac that can be helpful to resolve problems such as erectile dysfunction and impotence. Beside this, in India, it is used for many conditions such as kidney stones, anorexia, general weakness, asthma, bronchitis as well as in disorders of the urinary tract.

Cardamoms are known to have detox properties with a rich source of minerals and vitamins like Vitamin A, B, C, riboflavin, niacin, etc. It is also used for digestive disorders, spastic colon calm and for relieving flatulence and constipation.

It is also effective in countering bad breath when taken with garlic. It is seen that most of the alternative medicine user today are turning back towards herbal medicine not because they feel unsatisfied with conventional medicine, but they feel largely safe, more effective with low cost.

Although modern allopathic medicine has developed many sophisticated and costly diagnostic that is helpful to cure many diseases, but to cure common diseases using traditional medicine can be the best idea as it can be safe without side effect and at low cost.