Spices - the body’s lifeblood

Diversity is the spice of life. So says guru Sathya Sai Baba, and here at Spice Kitchen we couldn’t agree more. Mixing it up is the mantra of Indian cooking. Spices are the food’s lifeblood.

It’s lesser known, however, that Indian spices also promote a healthy heart, fight cancer, reduce inflammation, and much much more.

As a family-run spice kitchen we’re very proud to have received high praise from the Guardian newspaper and celebrity chefs including Anjali Pathak and Dhruv Baker. And we believe in spreading the love when it comes to spice knowledge.

We’ve taken some time out from rummaging around our wonderful spice grotto to bring you some of the most invigorating and health-boosting properties of the magic that is Indian spice.

Here is our spice oracle Mrs A’s top tips to spice up your life!

Turmeric is the king of tackling cancer - has also been used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine for millennia. Its polyphenol curcumin content has been proven to negate the growth of cancer cells of prostate cancer, melanoma,  breast cancer, brain tumours, pancreatic cancer and leukemia. 

Fennel contains Anethole which resists and restricts the adhesive and invasive activities of cancer cells. 

Saffron contains a natural carotenoid dicarboxylic acid called 'Crocetin' which inhibits cancer growth and reduces tumour size by up to a half. 

Cumin aids digestion but it also contains the compound Thymoquinone that stops the growth of cells responsible for prostate cancer. 

Cinnamon is a nutritional powerhouse, its antioxidants help fight such diseases as cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and Parkinson's. A natural food preservative, cinnamon is a source of iron and calcium. Useful in reducing tumour growth, it blocks the formation of new vessels in the human body.