Curry Powder – Ingredients, Health Benefits & Side Effects

Curry powder is a blend of spices including black cardamom, black pepper, coriander, cinnamon, cumin, long pepper, turmeric etc. used in Indian cooking. It provides marvelous flavors to Indian Cuisine. It is used depending on the taste of individuals in different regions.

Ingredients of Curry Powder

Some of the general ingredients of curry do include:

Main Ingredients

1. Cinnamon
2. Coriander
3. Cumin
4. Fenugreek – Methi
5. Turmeric (Haldi)
6. Chili peppers or Black pepper

Other Ingredients

Some other ingredients, which are included in the curry powder, are as under:

1. Asafoetida (Hingu or Heeng)
2. Caraway
3. Cardamom – green cardamom and black cardamom
4. Cayenne powder
5. Clove
6. Fennel seed
7. Garlic
8. Ginger
9. Long pepper
10. Mustard seed
11. Nutmeg

Ingredients of Curry Powder used in Punjab

1. Black cardamom
2. Black pepper
3. Cinnamon
4. Coriander
5. Cumin
6. Long pepper
7. Turmeric

It is believed that there are many benefits, which are sought from all the ingredients mentioned above. They do come from South Asia and have been proven through various research studies that they are having health benefits.

Curry Powder Benefits

Indigestion

All spices used in curry powder have an influence on the digestive system. If you are deficient in production of bile and gastric juices, then it is effective to stimulate the secretion of gastric juices and bile from the liver. Therefore, sometimes, it may also cause burning sensation and other symptoms of gastritis. People suffering with gastritis, GERD, and ulcers should not use curry powder.

However, patients with these gastric problems can use following safer ingredients in their diet instead of curry powder:

1. Green cardamom
2. Coriander
3. Cumin
4. Turmeric
5. Fennel seed

Curry powder containing these five ingredients is safer for people with symptoms of heartburn, gas, acidity, chronic gastritis, GERD, ulcer and ulcerative colitis. All other ingredients should be avoided by people with these problems.

Cancer

When curry powder is used in the diet on a regular basis, it caters natural antioxidants in your foods that help in breaking off cancer. However, studies are conducted on individual culinary herbs, but almost all spices used in curry powder are full of bio-enhancers, antioxidant and phytochemicals. Turmeric used in curry powder has the ability of stopping cancer, especially when it is in the initial stage that is called as the DNA damage response. It is because it is not having the feature of getting soluble in water quite easily. Whatever you take in the curry powder is not at all absorbed. Researchers are seeking an appropriate solution that would be allowed in treating cancer as from this. They could get a solution, which would be beneficial for anti-cancer drugs.

Inflammation

The ingredients present in curry powder are natural antioxidants having a crucial role in the management of inflammatory diseases. Generally, these spices are effective remedies for reducing swelling, pain and stiffness in the joints. In ayurvedic medicine, ingredient of curry powder has been used since centuries. However, in normal cases, you should use curry powder in a smaller quantity to avoid heartburn or burning sensation and acidity due to these culinary herbs. You should check with your doctor and keep in mind that it could also slow down the blood clotting. In case if you are taking any medicines, which disrupts the clotting, then it is for sure that you should not take curry powder.

High Cholesterol

Curry powder could also help in reducing the cholesterol and in preventing the gallstones via the virtue of any of its components such as fenugreek, spices and so on. Fenugreek also reduces oxidation of the lipids in the liver up to 22 percent.

Immunity booster

Some spices used in curry powder such as coriander and ginger have properties of reducing bacterial infection. If the coriander oil is used effectively, then it could help in killing several strains of bacteria’s including E-coil. Some other ingredients in curry powder help in boosting the immunity and healing capacity of the body. Almost all ingredients present in the curry powder have properties of fighting off the infections. Therefore, the health benefits of curry powder are remarkable due to its ingredients. Every ingredient does provide a different and unique feature, which helps people in improving their health.

Arthritis

It could help in providing relief for the patients who are suffering with arthritis, swollen or inflamed joints or sore joints. Turmeric could reduce swelling and ease the pains that are associated with inflammation of the joints. It also alleviates stiffness and provides more flexibility to the joints.

Nutritional benefits of curry powder

However, curry powder is used in lesser amounts, so nutritional value may not have a significant role in fulfilling the nutritional requirement of the body, but spices used in curry powder helps in better absorptions of nutrients from the other foods by enhancing bioavailability of various nutrients from the foods. Mainly, vitamin A, C and B6 are present in spices used in the curry powder.

Gout

Curry powder ingredients are used in ayurveda and herbal medicines for reducing pain, inflammation, stiffness of joints, gouty nodules (tophi), stiffness and pain of feet in the morning. Therefore, curry powder use may also help patients with gout.

Contraindications

1. Severe form of gastritis
2. GERD
3. Headache due to gastritis or heartburn
4. Tenderness of upper abdomen

Side effects

Generally, side effects appear if curry powder is used excessively and list of curry powder side effects are as follows:

1. Vertigo
2. Heartburn
3. Burning sensation in the feet
4. Excessive perspiration (sweating)
5. Anal burning, especially after defecation