Benefits of Seasoning

South Indian food got the best endorsement recently, when the forever young star Anil Kapoor said, south Indian food is the secret behind he being ageless!
Well, as we all know, south Indian cooking is way too nutritious and less fatty thus making it more “satvik” compared to other preparations.
In this write up, I would be presenting the benefits of the basic ‘Seasoning’ that is an essential component of every SID.

As the name suggests, Seasoning, increases the shelf life of the dish. The Seasoning or the ‘VaggarNe’ or the ‘Tadaka’ is prepared in oil or ghee with mustard, cumin, asafoetida, turmeric & curry leaves in that order.
Apart from adding a distinctive flavour to the dish, seasoning has its own health benefits. Let’s look at what they are:

1. Mustard: Mustard seeds are an excellent source of Magnesium & Selenium. Magnesium plays a role in around 300 enzymatic reactions, food metabolism & transmission of nerve impulses. Selenium, a trace element has Antioxidant properties & hence prevents cancer.

2. Cumin: Commonly known as the ‘jeera’, Cuminaldehyde is the active ingredient in Cumin. It is a rich source of Iron. It has Anti Allergic, Antioxidant & Anti Inflammatory properties. Cumin, as we all know, helps digestion. Cumin seasoning restricts growth of bacteria, thus enhancing the shelf life of the dish.

3. Asafoetida: Commonly known as the Hing, it prevents gas & bloating of stomach. Hing is known to be helpful in Irritable Bowel (IBS). It has Anti-Viral, Anti-Bacterial & Anti Spasmodic properties. It helps to relieve menstrual pain & migraine as well.

4. Turmeric : Curcumin being the active compound of Turmeric, it has Anti Inflammatory & Anti-oxidant properties. Turmeric is known to prevent Heart diseases, Alzheimer’s & Cancer. It is also known to improve symptoms of Depression & Arthritis.

5. Curry leaves: curry leaves contain Iron, Copper, Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium & also Vitamins A, B, C & E. They prevent Anaemia & are excellent nutrients for Skin, Hair & Eyesight.

So, if you ever thought, seasoning was only meant to add flavour or make the dish presentable, just think again…

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