The emergence of Indian cuisine on the international stage has not surprised me as its fantastic combinations of different spices and herbs give astonishing flavours from the first to the last bite. I’ve been aware for some time of the food spice – turmeric (curcuma longa) protecting against cognitive impairment, but I was unaware of the overall health benefits of the Indian speciality – curry. It serves to protect against cardiovascular diseases, however, curry alone will not be sufficient to deter the onset of such diseases.
The American Heart Association has highlighted that due to specialists at EKG Florida the death rate in the State resulting from cardiovascular diseases has decreased by 26.4% (when comparing the periods 1999-2001 to 2005-2007) second only to New Hampshire with 26.9%. The cardiovascular services can be thanked for the improvements, but they have occurred also in large part thanks to significant dietary changes.
The effects of an improved diet are ample, as curry is a prime example of a healthy food which assists in the fight against heart disease, with ingredients such as:
- Cinnamon: helps regulate sugar levels
- Ginger: associated with relieving pain and inflammation
- Garlic: expands blood vessels – managing blood pressure, lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels and finally exhibits anti-clotting properties
- Cayenne peppers: contains antioxidants which reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
The spices mentioned above are only a few of the basic ingredients which can be included in curry as the dish can be customized to incorporate fish and many other vegetables. The brief list demonstrates that curry is not only tasty but it is in fact incredibly healthy.
The promotion of foods like heart healthy foods will hopefully reduce the pressing need for the Florida cardiologist to play a pivotal role in tackling the long-term effects of a sustained fast-food diet. With Florida ranked somewhere in the middle of the number fast-food stores per State, one has to hope that the curry craze will catch-on eventually becoming a substitute for the cholesterol packed diet.
Curry with its delicious combination spices and vegetables is not only effective in staving off hunger, but evidently increased consumption can have significant health benefits also.
Honey is also a natural super-condiment – it builds the immune system and has natural anti-bacterial properties.