5 Desi Food Products You Should Have In Your Medicine Cabinet/Kitchen

When you first start to sneeze or feel like you may be coming down with a cold, most people run for Vitamin C or cold medicine. Sometimes it can be frustrating when we want to get better quickly and the gobs of cough syrup we have taken are not working. But what if you could naturally prevent or reduce the likelihood of getting a cold?

When you first start to sneeze or feel like you may be coming down with a cold, most people run for Vitamin C or cold medicine. Sometimes it can be frustrating when we want to get better quickly and the gobs of cough syrup we have taken are not working. But what if you could naturally prevent or reduce the likelihood of getting a cold?

Below you will read about the five staples of Indian cooking that also have great medicinal value and have been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years.

1. Turmeric

Turmeric (pronounced tur-mur-ic) is a plant. When you first look at it in stores, its original form looks like a hunk of ginger. By the time you cook with it, you will find it in a yellow powder form. It is a staple of almost all Indian cooking—not only does it add rich color but also great taste.

Did you know that turmeric is also used to treat a plethora of ailments including: heartburn, inflammation, stomach pain, jaundice, liver problems, colds, cancer, and even bruises? The powder even stops bleeding after you get a cut. So remember to keep some handy, just in case you start to feel under the weather. It also is a great complement to a warm glass of milk and a little bit of jaggery!

2. Cloves

If you have ever had pulao, you have experienced its aromatic scent long before you have eaten it—this is thanks to cloves, which are also a staple part of garam masala.

Medically, cloves are most commonly used to treat toothaches and bad breath in India. Anytime I had a toothache as a kid, it was cloves before the more commonly used Orajel. They also aid in digestion and reduce nausea! To read about the numerous benefits of cloves, click here.

3. Ginger

When was the last time you had Indian food? Rajma? Chole? Almost every Indian dish is cooked with the same staple ingredients, ginger being one of them—and with good reason! Ginger aids with nausea, improves blood circulation, alleviates tummy aches, helps to prevent and rid the body of colds, reduces inflammation and so much more!

Many stores have started to sell ginger tablets you can swallow if you do not have the time to cook or eat it at an Indian restaurant.

4. Amla (Gooseberry)

Amla has a distinct flavor. It has been used in ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. You either like the taste or you don’t, but either way you will find it sold en masse at Indian grocery stores. There is no perfect way to describe the taste unless you try it yourself!

If you do, know that amla helps with high cholesterol, joint pain, obesity, reducing inflammation, cancer, and even an upset stomach. Instead of stocking up on antacids, try some amla the next time your stomach hurts!

5. Garlic

What a wonderful ingredient! Garlic is used instinctually in Indian cooking. In fact, when you are going to make a curry, beside mustard seeds and cumin, you are probably chopping up some garlic. While everyone knows garlic is pungent, would you be able to guess some of the health benefits?

First, it reduces the length of a cold, fights blemishes, helps with bug bites, and also increases your energy. The next time you pull out your cookbook, throw some garlic ine. And, if you do not like peeling and chopping your garlic, you can always blend a bunch up for your own homemade garlic paste!