Keep Warm This Winter With Powdered Spices

What are “Hot” Foods in Ayurveda?

Food can be hot or cold based on its physical temperature but in Ayurveda, the food is categorised “Hot” or “Cold” based on the intrinsic nature of the food product. To put it simply, Ayurveda tries to gauge whether a specific food item has a cooling or warming effect inside our body, which in turn has impact on our digestion and metabolism.

Many spices assist in enhancing digestion and that is one of the reasons spices are revered in Ayurvedic culinary. Packed with healing powers, Indian spices powder also add a note of flavours in food. The above category of hot and cold also applies on spices. Spices such as black pepper, ginger and turmeric belong to hot food category that help in providing relief from ailments such as flu and common cold during winter season. Nature is full of surprises and she offers human beings many ways to keep toasty through the cold winters with the help of heat producing, thermogenic spices.

Thermogenesis

According to Ayurveda, our metabolism needs to work harder in winters to strengthen digestion and assimilate food, which can be done with the help of warming foods and spices to stay healthy and maintain energy levels.

According to the process of Thermogenesis, heat and fuel is produced when body burns calories to utilize food that you have just eaten and thus dissipating energy. Thus, when you consume thermogenic food, the core temperature of our body rises and metabolism speeds up. Spices are some of the best foods to promote the process.

Following is the list of some of the best Indian spices powder offered by Cee Pee that can help you insulate from the cold this season.

• Turmeric: Turmeric is one of the most common spices found in almost every Indian kitchen. The yellow coloured chemical called curcumin in turmeric helps in raising the body temperature with plenty of other health benefits.
• Black pepper: Black pepper contains a chemical called piperine that can assist in treating the stuffy nose, sinus infection and can combat cold and cough.
• Ginger Powder: Ginger gets its unique flavour and fragrance from its natural oils called gingerol which helps to aid digestion, reduce nausea, fight flu and common cold to name a few.
• Cardamom: An ancient spice native to Indian subcontinent, Cardamom is an aromatic spice that contains chemical that helps heat up the body and boost immunity system. You can add the spice to your food as well as to your tea.
• Ground Chilli: The capsaicin compound present in the chilli offers heating effect and helps in warming up the body. It also aids in digestion problems.
• Cinnamon: Extracted from the bark of a tree, Cinnamon apart from offering strong flavour and aroma, its active compound cinnamaldehyde is responsible for boosting the metabolism and raising the body temperature.
• Coriander: Coriander with its citrusy aroma and flavour is a commonly used India spice. It helps in balancing the heat produced in the body and thus, aiding digestion.

Try These Warming Recipes This Winter

Beat the chilly winds this winter with the following recipes and the “Hot” spices for a warming effect.

• Turmeric milk: Add a pinch or two of turmeric powder in warm milk along with a dash of black pepper powder to keep away the cold. Turmeric also forms an integral part of curry powder spice inducing its warming property in the food.
• Ginger cinnamon tea: This flavourful decoction offers a perfect way to fight cold and boost your metabolism in cold season. Easy to prepare, all you have to do is add ginger powder and cinnamon powder to water, boil for few minutes and sieve for delicious and healthy ginger cinnamon tea. Add honey to enhance flavour.
• Gajar ka Halwa: Gajar ka halwa is an all time favourite in winters especially when prepared in pure desi ghee with lots of nuts sprinkled all over. Add a dash of cardamom powder to the dessert to bring out the divine flavours and to keep your immunity levels high in winters.
  Since ancient times, spices were used for various purposes, from healing to flavouring food and preserving the food and in some cultures even bodies. Considering how much spice is used in cooking as compared to quantity of food depicts the essence and healing power of spices. Ayurveda suggests that the best way to combat external temperature is by consuming food that can regulate internal body temperature. To beat outside cold, Cee Pee offers best quality pure powdered spices to keep you all warm and healthy in winter season.