SPICES, CONDIMENTS AND SALT

By now you have studied the various kinds of foods and their use in our daily diet. You have also learnt how these foods can be made into many different preparations. But, do you think you would enjoy cereal, pulse, vegetable, meat and egg preparations if salt and spices were not added to them? Surely, you would not. If the food is not tasty, it is not liked and not accepted even though it may be very nutritious and well cooked.

Spices and condiments are substances which give taste, flavour and colour to the food, thus making it attractive and acceptable. Spices are also important to promote appetite as they stimulate the secretion of digestive juices in our body. Some of them are rich in minerals, especially iron, and some are a good source of B-complex vitamins. But their nutritional contribution in the diet is not of importance because they are consumed in small quantities. We should not consume spices in excessive amounts as this can cause irritation and lead to problems like acidity and ulcers. A large variety of spices and condiments are used in Indian cooking. Some are more common in some parts of India and some in others. In this unit, you will learn about the many different kinds of spices used in our country.

India is known as the land of spices since ancient times. An endless variety of spices are used in our country. They make the food rich, tasty and attractive. Although some spices have some important minerals and vitamins, it is not of value to us as we consume them in small quantities. Excessive use of the more irritating spices like chillies, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and mustard should be avoided. As spices are easily adulterated, their selection should be done carefully. As spices make food tasty & enhance appetite we should be cautions not to our feat foods.

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