5 Indian Spices and Herbs with Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Are you obsessed with Indian style cooking yet health-conscious at the same time? Then this post will be a good read for you as it discusses the key organic spices of India that can make an ordinary dish extraordinary and also protects your body from inflammation from any kind of external injury or infections. You can order these spices online on the website of Indian Grocery, which stocks the finest quality organic Indian spices and herbs especially for their USA customers.

Let’s check the names of those premium spices that apart from bringing magic to a food shield your body from all kinds of irritants and inflammation.

Boswellia Serrata

The herbal extracts from the tree Boswellia Serrata is called Indian frankincense and is used for making ayurvedic (herbal) medicines in various countries across the world. Popularly addressed as Shallaki by native Indians, the resinous portion of the tree is extracted and used in cooking as it contains all the vitamins, minerals and chemicals with anti-inflammatory properties. Since years, this herb has been used in traditional cooking by Indians to ensure that families are protected from diseases and infections.

Turmeric

Turmeric is extremely useful in preventing health risks associated with the heart. The rejuvenating power of turmeric assures that there is a reduction in terms of inflammatory loss. The curcumin present in turmeric is extremely effective in controlling the blood sugar level, healing of wounds and preventing Alzheimer’s condition.

Cloves

When it comes to medicinal properties, cloves come immediately after Boswellia Serrata. Since primeval times, cloves have been used by medical practitioners to cure toothache, gum bleeding and other teeth-related problems. In present days, cloves are highly used in manufacturing mouth fresheners as it has a cooling property which eliminates bad breath. Also for throat infection or incessant dry cough, cloves can be used as an expectorant.

Garlic

Garlic is that one exceptional condiment that is must in almost every Indian gravy dishes to bring a spicy twist. Besides making food tastier and spicier, garlic has a lot of nutritional advantages. It boosts your immune system by limiting the growth of inflammatory cytokines.

Pepper

Last but not the least, the king of spices, black pepper, is rich in anti-oxidants and anti-bacterial agents that contribute to inflammation reduction.

Taking proper care of one’s health is imperative to live a healthy and active life. And, what’s better than to do this in the most natural manner. Use fresh and high quality organic Indian Spices and herbs while preparing scrumptious dishes and extract their great health benefits. Order online today from Indian Grocery and make your cooking sessions the most exciting!

3 Oatmeal Recipe Mistakes to Avoid To Stay in Shape

If you are under a strict weight-loss regime, then your dietician must have advised you to go on a low-carb diet throughout the day. Isn’t it? And, you might be thinking that what’s better than relying on oatmeal when you really want to shed those extra pounds. Besides, you can always trust the safe and healthy options like Saffola Masala Oats which are available online easily on Indian Grocery.

However, it can be possible that you are not getting any desirable results even after a month. That’s maybe because of some blunders you might be doing while picking your oatmeal recipes. Well, this post will be a resort to all your problems as it will point out those blunders that are stopping you from having the perfect “oatmeal” that you need to lose weight.

So, here’s what not to do while you make up a bowlful of oats for your next breakfast.

Mistake #1 – You oatmeal shouldn’t be plain

The basic oatmeal being a whole grain meal is pretty heavy on carbohydrates and hence shouldn’t be eaten that way. To balance it, you need to put some extra protein and fat into it. Adding 1tbspn of nut butter and topping the dish with some almonds and chia seeds is a good trick to attain satiety. Also, the presence of protein and fat in the meal will counter-effect the blood sugar spikes.

Mistake #2 – Avoid Instant pack flavored oatmeal

When a lot of healthy and tasty varieties are available in the stores then why waste time preparing the meal from scratch by buying plain oats? No matter how much convenient that sounds, you shouldn’t go for those instant prepackaged oatmeals. The reasons to convince you on this are many. Firstly, most of the packets contain a high proportion of sugar as one of their key ingredients. Secondly, artificial colors and inflammatory cooking oil are the other two questionable ingredients present in these packaged meals. So buying unflavored oats and converting it into a tasty oat-bowl with your favorite toppings is a healthy as well as a cost-effective choice.

Mistake #3 – Are you adding too much sugar?

Sometimes to add an extra punch of sweetness into the dish you are tempted to put either brown sugar or maple syrup. This is not at all advisable, especially when you are on a serious weight-losing spree. Due to this, the carb count will rise which will eventually shoot up the blood sugar level. So, avoid any kind of sugar in your oatmeal and to satisfy your sweet craving, fresh fruits like apple or blueberries will do the magic.

If you are doing any or all of these mistakes, then it’s time to correct them in order to get a body that you have been dreaming for long. Buy a pack of healthy and premium quality Saffola Masala Oats from the online store of Indian Grocery and start following a stricter oatmeal diet to get quicker results.

2 Side Dishes That Accompany Most Indian Meals

Unlike the food cultures that prevail in western countries, Indian meals mostly comprise more than 3 to 4 dishes - two staple items and one or two dishes as accompaniment. There is hardly any dish in India that is eaten without any complement. The staple food of this South-Asian country is either rice or flatbreads (popularly known as Roti or Chapati) which is consumed with a bowl of cooked pulses (dal) and a non-veg curry – mostly made with meat or fish. So, these three items basically comprise a main Indian meal. But to complement this kind of meal, the Indians have two special add-on items that are hard to find anywhere else in the world. 

The interesting fact is what dessert does to a western-style meal; a similar role is performed by papad and pickles in case of Indian meals. Yes, Papad and Pickles are the two important accompaniments that conclude every lunch and dinner in most Indian households.  

These two things have the capability to turn any dull or boring meal into a spicy one. For example, if you hate the vegetable curry your mom has made for you in lunch since it is stuffed with veggies, you can call for vegetable pickle. The advantage here is you do not have to compromise with the nutrition you could get from the vegetable curry, as veg pickles are equally nutritious. Also, at the same time, it enhances your taste buds with its tangy and spicy flavor. 

Khichdi is another dish where the need for both pickles and papads are felt. This dish, which otherwise is considered unpalatable, becomes a savory meal when complemented with Masala papads like those from brand Ambika Appalam. Alongside papads, one or two tablespoons of spicy, flavorful and hot mango pickle would do wonders. You would end up craving for some more for sure. 

Just like there are several flavors of pickles available in the market as well as online, papads too are sold in multiples varieties like plain papad, urad dal papad, masala papad, jeera papad, garlic papad, red chilli papad etc. So, if you are thinking to spice up your lunch menu and make your dinners most interesting, buy good quality papads and premium pickle jars online from Indian Grocery. It is the most popular and reliable e-commerce hub for grocery items that have their roots or origin in India. Be it healthy foods like oats and dairy products, sweets, authentic spices, or staple items like Rice, Atta (flour) and dals, all are available with just a single click. Order now to relish Indian dishes while staying abroad.