​"Saying you can heal your cancer without the use of spices, is like saying, you will go to the moon without the spaceship!! It's insane, immature, and it doesn't work!" - Somyata

​Spices serve many purposes in the recipes - from adding taste, color and aroma, they help us to savor our food and enjoy it! In fact, without spices, I doubt, we will be able to eat even the healthiest foods, because they would all just taste so horrible! Think about eating raw eggplant or okra?  Though one of the healthiest foods, it makes no sense to eat them without cooking in some spices! 

Besides flavor, spices offer plethora of health benefits. Here are top 7 benefits to add spices to your diet - 

1. Spices help boost our immunity

2. Spices help our metabolism

3. Spices are anti-inflammatory.

3. Spices are good for digestion and help create digestive juices so our food can be better absorbed. 

4. Spices are antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-parasitic.

5. Spices help keep blood sugar stable.

6. Spices are rich in phytochemicals - the same compounds that help fight cancer cells.
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7. Spices are heart healthy, boost cognitive health and enhance the overall functioning of the body. 

So, what spices you need to start cooking my recipes and following my protocol? Let's get you started. 

Spices I Use (English names, followed by their Hindi names)
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1. Asafoetida (Hing) - I talked a lot about asafoetida (hing) in my article Asafoetida:  A Pinch of A Cure. Asafoetida is revered in Ayurveda for its aid in helping digestion and even more so, for help in preventing gas or bloating from beans, legumes, and lentils. Asafoetida or hing is used in our tempering (tadka) to give the aroma and flavor of garlic and onions. Asafoetida is a great spice for those who are avoiding garlic and onion but want the flavor and the aroma in the recipe. 

Hing in Ayurveda - Warming

Doshas - Pacifies Vata & Kappa

Qualities - Excellent Digestive, Pungent, Great for IBS/IBD, Detoxifying, Anti-Parasitic

2. Bay Leaves Powder (Tej Patta Powder) - You MUST incorporate bay leaves powder in your cooking if you are to balance your blood sugar. Unfortunately, most health sites and recipe bloggers do not know about the bay leaves powder and its powerful blood sugar benefit - hence, the public is still very unaware of it. But since you are lucky and you read it here and know about it, its time to invest in some good bay leaves powder and start using it right away! And no; grinding bay leaves at home is not going to cut it - you will end up with the small sharp edges of the bay leaves and it's not going to be pleasant when they get stuck between your teeth or your throat! Buy the powder and let the companies do the work. 

Bay Leaves Powder in Ayurveda - Warming

Doshas - Pacifies Vata & Kappa; may aggravate Pitta

Qualities - Pungent, Bitter, Astringent, Digestive, Great for Blood Sugar, Diuretic.

3. Black Pepper - Perhaps the most popular spice in this world, and also, it helps enhance the absorption of turmeric in the body by a whopping 2000%. Get a big jar and you are set! 

​Black Pepper in Ayurveda - Warming

Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta when in access; helps Kappa and Vata.

Qualities - Pungent, Helps Digestion, Improves Circulation - Excellent for Heart Conditions

4. Cayenne - Very heart healthy spice and adds a spicy, yet tangy flavor to the recipes. Easy to find. Same properties as red chili pepper powder.

5. Coriander Powder (Dhaniya Powder) - This goes hand-in-hand with the cumin powder. They both are used together pretty much all the time in my recipes. Coriander is also called cilantro, so this is basically the grounded cilantro seeds powder. 

​Coriander Powder in Ayurveda - Warming

Doshas - Pacifies Pitta & Kappa

Qualities - Digestive, Detoxifying, Diuretic, Expectorant, Carminative

6. Cumin Powder (Jeera Powder) - The wonderful thing about cumin powder is that it is great for many types of cuisine - from  Mexican to African to Indian and to European, cumin powder has survived the test of the taste buds and is used all over the world since time immemorial. 

Cumin powder is great for blood sugar, is rich in iron, is antibacterial and helps flush out the toxins from the body. But most of all, it is a powerful aid in digestion - it prevents gas and bloating and helps with indigestion issues. Add it to your lentils, beans, curries, vegetables - it is great and goes with every recipe!

Cumin Powder in Ayurveda - Warming

Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta when in access; pacifies Kappa and Vata.

Qualities - Excellent Digestive, Bitter - Purifies Blood, Stimulating, Enhances Metabolism & Circulation 

7. Dry Mango Powder (Amchur) - Dry mango powder is used to add sourness to the recipes like chutneys, snacks, vegetables, etc. It adds that tart, lemony flavor that is great for adding some tang to the dishes. It is great with eggplant, okra, lentils, chutneys and even curries. In turn, it also adds the nutritional benefits of dry, unripe, green mangoes when they are out of season. 

Dry Mango Powder in Ayurveda - Cooling

Doshas - Pacifies Vata & Kappa

Qualities - Sour, Astringent, Digestive - Helps Constipation

8. Red Chili Pepper (Lal Mirch) or Paprika - Chili peppers are one of the most powerful anti-cancer spices. Use them in all your recipes - from soups, stews, lentils, beans, rice pilafs, etc. and very easy to find in any store. 

Red Chili Peppers in Ayurveda - Warming

Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta when in access; helps Kappa and Vata.

Qualities - Digestive, Circulation & Absorption of Nutrients, Increases Metabolism, Helps Blood Clots 

​9. Red Kashmiri Chili Powder (Deggi Mirch) - This powder is from the state of Kashmir, as the name implies. However, due to a low number of farmers in the area, Kashmiri red chilies are grown outside of Kashmir as well.

It is used a lot in Indian as well as Pakistani cooking and it is what gives that lovely reddish hue to Indian recipes. Indian curries, lentils, tadka/tempering usually have yellow and light red hue at the top - well, the yellow is due to turmeric and curry powder whereas the red is specifically due to this chili powder. 

It is very mild in heat index and is mainly used for its color imparting property in the recipes. You can use this in curries, lentils, beans, rice pilafs, biryanis, soups, stews, and even some home-made flat-breads like tortillas, naan, roti, savory pancakes, etc. You can also use this powder for Thai recipes like Red Curry and soups where you like mild heat - such as my Gazpacho. Kashmiri chili powder is a key ingredient in tomato gravy as well as Tandoori spice mix.  It's properties are same as red chili powder in Ayurveda.

10. Turmeric (Haldi) - We all know the zillion benefits of turmeric - buy it! 

Turmeric in Ayurveda - Neutral

Doshas - Tridoshic; helps all doshas but in excess, it may aggravate Pitta and Vata.

​Qualities - Digestive, Anti-Cancer, Detoxifying, Anti-Inflammatory, Heart Healthy, & Many more!

​Leaves/Herbs, Paste, Sweet & Ayurvedic Salt

1. Bay Leaves (Tej Patta) - Bay leaves are added while boiling the lentils, beans, legumes, chickpeas, and rice or rice recipes. They are also added in the beginning to the curry recipes to give flavor and then, taken out just before serving the food.

The most medicinally beneficial of all culinary bay leaves is Laures nobilis - this is the one you want to get! However, make note that the Indian bay leaves are called Tej Patta. Ayurvedic properties of bay leaves is same as bay leaves powder (look above).

2. Curry Leaves (Curry Patta) - As must be obvious, they are added for their curry flavor and the aroma. They are considered very heart healthy, good for hair and skin, are anti-bacterial, and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals like iron, phosphorus and calcium. They can be easily found in your local Indian or Pakistani store, or you can even get dried curry leaves packet. They are also very easy to grow at home so that's another option.

Curry Leaves in Ayurveda - Warming

Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta; pacifies Vata & Kappa.

Qualities - Aromatic, Digestive, Detoxifying, Great for Blood Sugar & Liver Health

3. Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi) - This item is the difference between restaurant style lentils vs. your regular home-cooked lentils! Dried fenugreek leaves are used to enhance the aroma and the depth of flavor in Indian recipes like creamy curries, lentils, chickpeas, and even some vegetables that are rich in gravy.

Dried Fenugreek Leaves in Ayurveda - Warming

Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta when in access; pacifies Kappa and Vata.

Qualities - Excellent Digestive, Very Bitter, Excellent for Diabetics, Galactagogue, Detoxifying, Emmenagogue 

4. Indian Black Salt (Kala Namak) - Indian Black Salt (kala namak), is rich in sulfur - one of the most powerful anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory minerals on the planet! It is what gives this salt its pungent, rotten-egg like smell that lot of vegans love when they make recipes like tofu scramble. This salt is used in drinks, chat (Indian street-side snacks), fresh juices, lentils and well, anything you want to enhance with its unique flavor!

Indian Black Salt in Ayurveda - Cooling

Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta & Kappa if in excess; pacifies Vata.

Qualities - Pungent, Helps Digestion, Detoxifying, Great for Blood Sugar & for low-sodium diets, Antacid

5. Jaggery (Gud or Gur) - Jaggery is THE sweet love of India! Jaggery is a mix of cane juice and date or palm sap. It is rich in molasses and this is one of the reasons why it is considered healthy and a great digestive. Jaggery is sometimes called as "non-centrifugal sugar" due to the fact that molasses are kept in jaggery and not spun to be removed. 

Jaggery is mostly consumed in winter months in India. Markets are full of jaggery and shoppers love buying it in bulk to enjoy after every meal. It is a great digestive, provides warmth to the body, boosts immunity, cleans the liver and purifies the blood. That's a lot for a sweet treat!

Jaggery in Ayurveda - Warming

Doshas - Can aggravate Pitta & Kappa when in access; pacifies Vata.

Qualities - Sweet, Helps Joints & Digestion, Blood Purifier, Rich in Iron, Beautifies Skin, Heart Tonic

6. Saffron (Kesar) - Saffron is usually added at the end or sometimes in warm milk when making sweet recipes like rice pudding, or yellow saffron rice or in recipes like Paella, Persian rice or soup or Persian tea. Saffron is a respected spice in  Ayurveda, Chinese Traditional Medicine, and Unani medicine.

Saffron in Ayurveda - Cooling

Doshas - Tridoshic - pacifies all doshas, Pitta, Kappa and Vata.

Qualities - Nervine, Catalyst for Other Herbs, Cardiotonic, Diaphoretic, Detoxifying, Emmenagogue. Galactagogue, Diuretic.

NOTE: Saffron should NOT be taken by pregnant women as it is an abortifacient. 

7. Tamarind Paste (Imli Paste) - Tamarind paste is both sweet and sour with a hint of tart. It is used in chutneys, Thai recipes like Pad Thai, in tofu recipes, and anywhere you need sweet and sour flavor. 

Tamarind in Ayurveda - Warming

Doshas - Pacifies Vata, may aggravate Pitta & Kappa.

Qualities - Digestive/Laxative, Astringent, Diaphoretic

8. Thyme (Banajwein) - I love thyme! I use it in my beans, rice pilafs, and soups. Thyme powder is what I recommend. It stores well for longer shelf time, as opposed to fresh herb, and is equally tasty in recipes. 

Thyme in Ayurveda - Warming

Doshas - Pacifies Vata & Kappa; may aggravate Pitta.

Qualities - Digestive, Aromatic, Pungent, Expectorant, Vasodilator, Detoxifying

9. Oregano - Go for dried oregano so you can store it for long and also, it is far more versatile than fresh oregano. Also, dried oregano is much milder than fresh oregano. Oregano is very soothing to the tummy - even so that it should be a part of your daily regimen if you have IBS or IBD. 

Oregano in Ayurveda - Warming

Doshas - Pacifies Vata & Kappa; may aggravate Pitta.

Qualities - Excellent Digestive, Carminative, Vasodilator, Pungent, Detoxifying

10. Grains of Paradise - This is a special bonus point for those who are allergic to peppers - as in, paprika from the capsicum family. Your best bet is to invest in high quality grains of paradise spice jar and use it in everything where you would use peppers. You will be absolutely glad you did!

Spice Blends For Magic Touch (Masala Mixes)

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1. Biryani Masala - This is for biryani, which is a traditional rice recipe made with spices, herbs, cilantro, mint and yogurt. This spice blend is great to use in any of your rice or quinoa or couscous recipes. 

2. Chat Masala - Oh my favorite! LOVE chat masala - it is for enhancing the snack or street side food recipes. Chat means snacks so like we get fried potato patties sprinkled with chat masala! Yum!

Or, you can add some to fresh fruits, and be wow-ed! I also use this in lentils, beans, rice, potatoes, chickpeas recipes - I use this a lot! It really takes the recipe to a whole new level. 

3. Chole Masala (or Chana Masala) - This is specifically for chickpeas (chole). 

4. Curry Powder (Curry powder or curry masala) - Curry powder is used in curries as the name suggests but can be used to enhance rice recipes as well as vegetables. It adds aroma as well as wholesomeness to a recipe. It helps bring all the flavors together, in short. ​

5. Dal Masala - 'Dal' in Hindi means lentils - so when you go to your local Indian store, you will see many 'dal' masalas. This is because different types of lentils are made with different spices, savory seeds, and dried herbs. So, this is a great buy for those who feel their lentils always lack flavor and are just starting out on a healthy plant-based, vegan diet. Simply buy some 'dal' masalas and add to your lentils and voila! You will absolutely love the spice mix and it will help you eat better. For reference, look at the last pic - 'arhar dal' masala, which is great for yellow lentils (pigeon pea). 

6. Garam Masala - This one you already know - it is in every Indian dish and it goes with everything! It is a spice blend that also has lots of health benefits due to the spices like cloves, etc.

7. Kitchen King Spice Mix - Especially for vegetables. It will take your vegetable recipe from an-OK to WOW! Try it and you will know! Made with a plethora of spices like cumin, fenugreek, coriander, black pepper, etc.

8. Rajma Masala - Hands down the best spice mix for kidney beans! Used in India for red kidney beans recipe.

9. Sabji Masala - This is specifically for vegetables (sabji). Add a heaping spoon and you will surely be in love with vegetables like never before!

10. Tikka Masala - Yup. You guessed it. This is used for that very famous tikka flavored recipes. Sauté tofu and some cauliflower in tikka masala and you have got yourself some restaurant style meal for dinner! 

This is it! These spices cost pennies and yet, they will last forever and will help you eat a much healthier diet. Adding flavor to your recipes just got easier - much easier!

Now, onto the next part - Adding Dried Whole Spices & Seeds in Your Recipes.