Spices

SPICE/HERB	ABOUT	GREAT WITH	MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Coriander seeds	It is the dried seed of the coriander plant and has a sweet spicy fragrance. The whole seeds are easily crushed or ground and retain their flavour much longer than the ground form.	It is great for flavouring meat and vegetable dishes, stews, and sausages	Across many cultures, coriander was historically used for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders such as stomachache, indigestion and nausea. Coriander has also been used as part of a dietary intervention program to control vitamin A deficiency in children. When we had the cold and flu first thing my mum would give us was coriander tea and it worked most of the time. It has diuretic properties. Maybe it flushes the bugs out?? METHOD: Toast ¼ cup of coriander seeds in a small saucepan, stirring continually so it doesn’t burn until you can smell the aromas. Leave it to cool. Then add two cups of water and a 1cm piece of crushed ginger and boil it in a moderate heat. Strain out the seeds and mix a teaspoon of honey into each cup and enjoy. If your sinuses are blocked, as soon as the heat is turned off, inhale the steam with a towel over your head to trap the steam. Take caution as it is very hot.
Cumin	The dried seeds of the Cuminum cyminum plant. It is one of the world’s favourite spices. As with all seeds used as spices, cumin benefits from heating; the flavor is enhanced by dry roasting before grinding, or by frying in hot oil if being used whole.	It is vital for curry powder or garam masala. It is great in number of Moroccan, middle Eastern and Mexican dishes as well.	Cumin seeds contain numerous phyto-chemicals that are known to have antioxidant, carminative and anti-flatulent properties. The seeds are an excellent source of dietary fiber. Cumin may augment the motility of the gastro-intestinal tract as well as aids in the digestion by increasing gut enzyme secretions. This spice is an excellent source of minerals like iron, copper, calcium, potassium, manganese, selenium, zinc and magnesium.The spice also contains very good amounts of B-complex vitamins such as thiamin, vitamin B-6, niacin, riboflavin, and other vital anti-oxidant vitamins like vitamin E, vitamin A and vitamin C.The seeds are a rich source of many flavonoid phenolic anti-oxidants such as carotenes, zea-xanthin, and lutein.
Fennel seeds	The dried seeds of Foeniculum vulgare plant.	It is used to season pickles, breads, sauerkraut, and cured as well as fresh sausages. With its anise-like flavor, it is one of the components of Chinese five-spice powder and Indian garam masala	Fennel seeds contain numerous flavonoid anti-oxidants. These compounds function as powerful anti-oxidants by removing harmful free radicals from the body thus protect from cancers, infection, aging and degenerative neurological diseases. It is rich source of dietary fiber also helping to ease constipation conditions. It helps to lower serum LDL cholesterol levels. Fennel seeds are concentrated source of minerals like copper, iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, selenium, zinc, and magnesium. Vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C as well as many B-complex vitamins like thiamin, pyridoxine, riboflavin and niacin particularly are concentrated in these seeds.
Cardamom	The seeds and seed pods of Elettaria cardamomum are sometimes called green cardamom in order to distinguish it from the closely related black cardamom. Buy the whole green pods when possible; the white pods are merely bleached versions of the green pods, and loose seeds lose their flavor quickly. It is also available in ground form which usually includes the hulls, so for best results, buy the whole pods and grind the seeds yourself.	Although in the western world it is primarily used in baked dishes, in Indian and Sri Lankan cooking; it is essential in savoury dishes. Indians flavour ice-cream with cardamom as well as teas.	It has anti-oxidant, disease preventing and health promoting properties. It is used for antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, digestive, diuretic, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic and tonics. Cardamom is a good source of minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium. It is also an excellent source of iron and manganese. these aromatic pods are rich in many vital vitamins, including riboflavin, niacin, vitamin-C that is essential for optimum health.
Cinnamon	The dried bark of the Cinnamomum zelanicum tree native to Sri Lanka, true cinnamon is more subtle in flavor than cassia, but it also has a hint of cloves from the oil eugenol which cassia lacks. It is available as sticks (quills) and in ground form. When ground it loses its potency quickly, so buy it in small quantities. In stick form it will retain its flavor for several years.	The primary use in the West is in sweets and baked goods, but it is an important ingredient in savory meat and vegetable dishes in Indian and Sri Lankan cuisine.	§  This spice is known to have anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-septic, local anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, rubefacient (warming and soothing), carminative and anti-flatulent properties. §  Cinnamon has the highest anti-oxidant strength of all the food sources in nature. §  Cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon-sticks has been found to have anti-clotting action, prevents platelet clogging inside the blood vessels, and thereby helps prevent stroke, peripheral arterial and coronary artery diseases. §  This spicy bark is an excellent source of minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, zinc, and magnesium.
Cloves

To be continued ...