Is curry leaf powder the new superfood?
Imagine, a magical plant potted in your balcony. All you need to do is pluck a few leaves, add them to your food, and you gain superpowers against a host of diseases. Sounds like a fantasy? Well, it’s not. Its the centuries-old Curry leaf plant we are talking about, which nature has loaded with a great number of nutrients. Another way to easily store and use the plant is to use the dried leaf powder, which can be prepared at home or bought from the store.
Innumerable benefits of curry leaf plant
First things first, why is the curry leaf or dried powder a magical superfood? Looking at the nutritional content helps us understand the high value it possesses. The plant contains fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, calcium, iron, vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids, flavonoids, and beneficial chemical compounds. This rich concoction of nutrients imparts an array of beneficial properties to the curry leaves, such as:
- Anti-inflammatory
- Anti-microbial
- Antioxidant
- Anti-diabetic
- Anti-fungal
- Anti-carcinogenic
- Hepato-protective
Why is it good for the ladies?
These properties help treat several conditions such as diabetes, greying of hairs, motion sickness, obesity, dandruff, mouth ulcers, acne, control cholesterol, and more. The powder can be taken in different ways as per the conditions. It also tends to many lady-specific issues in several ways.
Pregnancy: Curry leaves contain iron and help in maintaining reproductive health in women when taken on alternate days. It also comes handy for pregnant women and can help them relieve the ordeals of morning sickness. It stimulates the secretions for digestion and improves nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
Menopause: During menopause, curry leaf powder has been observed to help reduce hyperlipidemia. Moreover, women who suffer from issues such as calcium deficiency, osteoporosis, and others can find curry leaves as an excellent calcium supplement. Scientists have also tested curry leaf powder on breast cancer cells, which is the most common type of cancer in women. Study results came out as promising, as the growth of cancerous cells was successfully inhibited.
General health: Moreover, women are at higher risk for diabetes and related complication, which the anti-diabetic properties of curry leave control and alleviate. Another health issue Gr extracts can help prevent UTIs.
Besides boosting health, curry leaves can help you have beautiful skin and hair as well. You can have healthy hair with reduced hair loss, thanks to the amino acids in curry leaves. It also removes the dead hair follicles from your scalp and provides respite from dandruff. For healthy skin, the alkaloids present in the curry leaves help healing wounds, boils, inflamed skin, mild burn, or itching. It even helps delay premature aging of the skin and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
Including curry leaves/powder in your diet:
So how can you include curry leaves/powder in your diet? There are two ways you can consume it, one in a remedy and second in a recipe. Different conditions call for different remedial preparations. For example, boiling fresh curry leaves with coconut oil makes an excellent tonic for hairs, while a paste made with boiling in milk can help cure skin eruptions. Oil fried fresh curry leaves also make for a tasty chutney, combined with spice mix (1:1) for best results.
For preparing food, decorated with fragmented and acidic curry leaves, several yummy recipes can be found online. One such delicious delicacy, called Karivepaku podi, or curry leaves rice can be prepared in a jiffy. The best thing about the recipe is that it also serves you right in gaining additional nutrition from two types of pulses. You can also add the powder to upma, idlis, dosas, sambar, and wherever the flavor profile suits your taste buds. In the end, what could be better than a plant, sitting humbly in the corner of your house, while enriching your life with loads of nutrition? Grab a pot and start your magical garden.