How curry powder boosts your health
Curry powder is a bright golden-coloured powder that gives curries their distinct colour, heady aroma and complex flavour. It's a staple in Indian kitchens where there are many varieties of the spice mix. While you could always buy curry powder, it's much more economical and healthier to make it at home.
What is curry powder made of?
Curry powder is made of turmeric, coriander, cumin, fenugreek and chilli pepper. Sometimes, ingredients like dried ginger, mustard seeds and fennel seeds are also used.
Health Benefits of Curry Powder
Thanks to the medley of spices that go into it, curry powder is considered very healthy. With a base of healthful spices like turmeric, cumin and ginger, it packs a powerful nutritional punch.
Some health benefits of curry powder:
- Good for heart health
- May prevent cancer
- May improve feelings of fullness
- Has antibacterial properties
Other key health benefits of curry powder include
1. Reduces inflammation: Curry powder is made of spices like chilli powder, turmeric and coriander, ingredients that have strong anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric contains a pigment called curcumin that is very effective in fighting inflammation.
2. Has cancer-fighting properties: All the spices that curry powder is made of have excellent cancer-fighting properties. Curcumin present in curry powder is a powerful anti-cancer agent. It may also help prevent prostate, breast and colon cancer.
3. Good source of antioxidants: Curry powder contains ingredients rich in antioxidants that prevent cell damage caused by free radicals in the body. A high amount of free radicals can cause oxidative stress. Including antioxidant-rich foods can decrease the number of free radicals and prevent oxidative stress.
4. Aids digestion: Curry powder contains ingredients like dried ginger and cumin that aid digestion and keep gastric issues at bay.
Nutritional composition of curry powder
The nutritional chart for 1 tbsp or 2 grams curry powder
NUTRITIONAL CHART
| MEASURE
|
Calories
| 6.5
|
Total fat
| 0.3 g
|
Cholesterol
| 0 mg
|
Sodium
| 1 mg
|
Potassium
| 23 g
|
Total carbohydrates
| 1.1 g
|
Dietary fiber
| 1.1 g
|
Sugars
| 0.1 g
|
Protein
| 0.3 g
|
Vitamin A
| 0%
|
Vitamin C
| 0%
|
Calcium
| 0.8%
|
How to use curry powder
Curry powder can be used widely to flavour everything from soups to roasts apart from its conventional use in curries. Use it as part of a marinade for meat and fish. You could also add it to scrambled eggs, devilled eggs or salad dressings for a spicy kick.
To make curry powder from scratch, use high-quality ingredients which can be roasted, powdered and stored in air tight jars. You could even adjust the amount of individual ingredients as per your taste.
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