INDIAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION

TRADITIONAL SPICES AS IMMUNO BOOSTERS

MAKE FOOD YOUR PRIORITY, TO STRENGTHEN YOUR IMMUNITY

-ADI-ACCEPTABLE DAILY IN TAKE“

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Ginger tea, ginger chutney, ginger garlic paste in gravies, finely chopped ginger in dhals & regular preparation (pongal), ginger juice extract with honey & tulsi leaves (1 tea spoon).

GINGER (FRESH/POUND) (ONE TO TWO INCHES)

Cocoa & nuts, handfull nuts & seeds (seasame, ground nuts, cashew nuts, almonds roasted bengal gram), chikki

ZINC RDA : 12 MG/DAY

Garlic chutney, ginger garlic paste in gravies garlic cloves (3nos) boil till soft in 50ml milk+200ml water at bed time, poondu kuzhambu.

GARLIC (FRESH/POUND ADI : 26/DAY

TULSI (FRESH LEAVES)ADI : 26/DAY (UP TO 5 LEAVES) IN MEN

Fresh tulsi leaves, tulsi leaves tea, ginger, tulsi leaves, lemon juice & honey*(avoid honey in dm patients)

4 pinches in chappathi dough, gravies

KALONJI SEEDS(KARUN JEERAGAM)

ADI : < 26/DAY (4 PINCHES)

Vitamin c

AMLA (UNCODKED), GUAVA,CAPSICUM RAW (SALAD),

TOMATO JUISE, TOMATO SALAD.

*(To be avoided in cardiac & people with diabetes & dyslipidemia)

COCONUT OILADI : < 10ML

Home cooked fish curry, fenugreek seeds, whole grams, walnuts, flax seeds (< 1tsp/day)

OMEGA 3 FATTY ACID FOOD SOURCES

TURMERIC (FRESH POWDER)ADI : RESRICT TO < 20/DAY (4 PINCHES)

Turmeric+powder 1pinch milk with cardamom, ginger & tulsi leaves with palm sugar or jaggery

TOMATO (LYCOPENE)(FRESH COUNRY TOMATO)

Tomato soup with pepper, ginger & garlic, tomato rasam with pepper

STAR ANISE (FRESH POWDER)ADI : 1PINCH (0.56/DAY)

& SWEET POTATO

Tea/gravyBoiled & serve with juice

MURUNGA KEERAI(DRUMSTICK LEAVES)

Murunga keerai soup with ginger & garlic murunga keerai, tulsi, gooseberry, guava, ginger as fresh green smoothie

ANTIOXIDANT COMPOUND OF COMMON SPICES

DOSAGE OF VARIOUS SPICES FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION

Turmeric

Saffron

Fenugreek

Cinnamon

Anise

Nutmeg

Raw Grlic

Ginger

400-600 mg powder, one to three times a day

1.5 g/day

5 g/day

1 to 1.5 g/day

0.5 to 3 g of seed, or 0.1 to 0.3 ml of the essential oil

1 to 2 mg/kg body weight

2 to 5 g of fresh per day

0.25 to 1 g, 3 to 4 times daily

SPICES

Black Pepper

Ginger

Tumeric

Red Pepper

Chilli Pepper

Clove

Rosemary

Sage

Oregano

Thyme

ANTIOXIDANTS

Phenolic amides, flavonoids

Gingerol

Curcumin

Capsaicin

Capsaicin, capsaicinol

Eugenol

Carnosic acid, carnosol, rosemarinic acid rosmanol

Carnosol, carnosic acid, rosmanol, rosmarinic acid

Derivatives of phenolic acid, flavonoids, tocopherols

Carvacrol thymol, p-cymene, caryophyllence, carvone borneol

Marjoram

Allspice

Flavanoides

Pimetol

DEMERITS OF VARIOUS SPICES FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION

CONCLUSION

Consuming spices in excess amounts is not safe for health and is risky.

• Some spices may increase acid secretion and may cause damage to the inner layer of the stomach.

• In injured stomach, spices may cause undesirable effects: cumin and coriander increase gastric secretion, whereas, red pepper inhibits gastric secretion.

• Consuming high doses of turmeric for longer periods has shown to cause decrease in body weight gain and changes in liver weight, both of which are not healthy.

• Processing of garlic may lead to loss of health beneficial active compounds and also reduces the functioning capacity of enzymes present in it. Therefore, it is advisable to consume raw garlic. [note: in some people with gastritis and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), raw garlic may worsen the condition. It is also known to trigger migraine headache in a few].

• Spices are widely used in food, pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, nutraceutical and health care sectors, in view of the multiple health benefits of the bioactive compounds present in them.

• Therefore, as a part of balanced diet, consumption of appropriate dosage of spices is recommended, for the quality of life to be extended!!

• Spices are an essential part of human diet, not only for flavor and taste but also for the medicinal properties that they contain.

INDIAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATIONIssued in Public Interest by: