Hello and welcome to this exciting 15-Part Introductory series on Spices, uncovering their wisdom, magical allure, and remarkable healing properties that extend across thousands of years and every continent on this beautiful planet Earth. Discover the invaluable treasures that these ancient gems hold, enriching not only your meals, but also your overall well-being - physically, cognitively, emotionally and spiritually.
Did You Know . . . ?
There are approximately 50 different spices that are used daily in food preparation around the world
Spice refers to a dried seed, nut, root, pod, bark, bud, leaf, fruit, flower or resin . . . specifically containing active ingredients with medicinal and/or other metaphysical properties
Before we were eating spices for culinary flavour, they were being used as medicine
We have records dating back as far as 3000 to 5000 years ago, documenting the therapeutic use of spices
Spices have been used medicinally and therapeutically, and even revered by not only Indians, but also the ancient Chinese, Egyptians, Romans and Greeks for a start. Certain spices were found in the tombs of Pharaohs, as accompaniment into the afterlife.
Spices were exported from from south and southeast Asia to Egypt, the Mediterranean, and the Roman Empire.
Christopher Columbus was sailing in search of the King of Spices – Black Pepper – which originates in Kerala on the south west coast of India - to bring back to the Spanish and Portuguese Monarchs, to make them one of the wealthiest empires on Earth . . . and then he got lost by approximately 4800km, when he ‘discovered’ North America. Which is why, to this day, we all still erroneously refer to Native Americans as ‘Indians’. They’re really not Indian at all.
In the Middle Ages, the value of spices was so high, that if one did not have any silver or gold to pay their taxes, then Black Pepper was acceptable as currency.
Much of Colonization happened because of Western Monarchies and Empires seeking power, by trying to gain control of the Spice Trade. Such was – and still is – the value of spices.
So what’s the big deal?
"Spices are the alchemy of Ayurveda, transforming meals into medicine and nourishing not just the body but the spirit." - Deepak Chopra
If you're interested in going deeper, I highly recommend the book Healing Spices by Bharat Aggarwal. For our introductory purposes though, here’s a bit of useful info to get started:
Ginger, garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, fennel, thyme, ajwan, all spice, almond, amchur, aniseed, asafoetida, basil, bay leaf, black cumin, black pepper, caraway, cardamom, celery seed, chilli, clove, cacao, coconut, curry leaf, galangal, horseradish, juniper berry, kokum, lemongrass, marjoram, mint, mustard, nutmeg, onion, oregano, parsley, pomegranite, pumpkin seed, rosemary, saffron, sage, sesame, star anise, sun dried tomato, tamarind, vanilla, and wasabi are all spices.
And each of these has been used for thousands of years, as medicine.
Science today is beginning to uncover and confirm much of what our ancestors have known through millennia of observation. But science is still far away . . . very far away from full knowledge. The active ingredients in spices are being used today for the treatment of cancer, alzheimers disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, chronic to low-grade inflammation, gut health, cognitive function, muscle and joint health, heart disease, immune system health, weight management, ulcers, wound healing, respiratory illness and disease, skin disorders, multiple sclerosis, cholesterol management, cold and flu . . . and pretty much most health conditions you can think of. Millions and millions are being invested into scientific research to unlock the mysteries contained within spices. And we have access to all of it, simply through food preparation in our own home kitchen. Can you fathom this? Can you fathom how, when used correctly and daily, one is able to create the most delicious, aromatic, flavourful, bright and colourful, vibrant, therapeutic, uplifting and heart warming meals . . . while simultaneously nurturing the body’s self healing processes, enhancing overall wellness, while also acting as agents to prevent disease and illness, imbalance and disharmony within the body-brain system?
Prevention is Better than Cure
We can be living at a naturally higher vibration where wellness and internal peace is a daily reality and the status quo.
And that's what this blog series is all about, you are welcome here.
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