Curry: Properties and Benefits

Curry

The curry is composed of a set of spices, especially from turmeric, from which it derives the therapeutic properties that make it a particularly healthy food. Here are its health benefits

The curry is not a spice. It is a mixture of several dried spices, crushed and mixed together, possessing many therapeutic properties.

The name curry is of European origin and indicates a mixture of spices which is commonly composed of turmeric, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, chili pepper and fenugreek.

These spices offer health benefits thanks to their antioxidant properties. For example, turmeric contains an antioxidant yellow pigment , curcumin, which is known to have many health  benefits such as vessel protective, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and neuroprotective effects. ( 1, 2 )

Index

• Chemical Composition
• Calories
• Properties and Benefits
• Inflammation
• Digestion
• Cardiovascular Health
• Glycemia
• Burn Fat
• Cancer
• Contraindications
• Curiosity

The clove contains aromatic oil antioxidant, eugenol, which is also known to have some beneficial health properties such as protective vessel. ( 3, 4 )

In India, the original country of this spice mixture, curry is called masala and is widespread in all Asian countries. There are many varieties of this spice and the ingredients vary according to the areas in which it is prepared and the traditions of the place.

Depending on the ingredients with which it is prepared, it takes on different colors that can vary from yellow to red. It has different degrees of spiciness which are identified with the terms mild and sweet: mild stands for medium spicy and sweet for very spicy.

Curry is also one of the most popular foods in Japan. It contains compounds that are rich in potentially antioxidant compounds, such as curcumin and eugenol. As previously mentioned, curry originated in the traditional Indian diet and then spread all over the world, especially in Asia. ( 5 )

The Japanese curry often has a milder flavor and a texture more dense compared to that of India, and is usually served with cooked rice.

Lifestyle diseases such as atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus have become serious health problems in the modern world. According to scientific research the the curry can be helpful in combating those diseases related to lifestyle. ( 6 )

Chemical Composition

Source: Nutritionvalue

Amino acids: aspartic acid and glutamic acid, alanine, arginine, cystine, glycine, phenylalanine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, proline, methionine, serine, tyrosine, tryptophan and valine.

Calories

Each 100 gr of spice has a caloric intake equal to 325 kcal.

Curry: Properties and Benefits

Being composed of many spices with beneficial properties, it in turn has beneficial effects on our health.

Anti-inflammatory

The yellow color of the spice is given by turmeric which, thanks to the presence of curcumin, gives the curry many beneficial properties.

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant  properties are an example. Other features of curcumin are those of slowing down the degeneration of nerve cells typical of Alzheimer and the alleviation of symptoms related to rheumatoid arthritis. ( 7 )

According to a study conducted in Texas, curcumin has an active role in the prevention and treatment of various chronic pro-inflammatory diseases. Studies suggest that curcumin’s many health benefits are attributable to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. ( 8 )

The oxidative stress has been implicated in many chronic diseases and its pathological processes are closely related to those of inflammation. Curcumin has been shown to suppress inflammation thereby supporting its mechanism of action as a potential anti-inflammatory agent. ( 9 )

Digestive

The intake of curry brings benefits to the digestive process and is useful in case of aerofagia problems.

These two properties are attributable to the presence in ginger and cumin. The cloves instead give it antibacterial properties.

A recent Chinese study suggests that curcumin in curry can be a promising method for treating functional gastrointestinal diseases. ( 10 )

Cardiovascular Health

The curry consumption improves postprandial endothelial dysfunction and can be helpful in preventing cardiovascular events. The diseases related to lifestyle such as atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus have become serious problems of health in the modern world. According to scientific research, curry can be useful in the fight against those lifestyle-related diseases. ( 11 )

Glycemia

A Korean study suggests that curry consumption can have beneficial health effects. In particular, its properties are useful in reducing blood glucose and triglyceride levels. ( 12 )

Burn Fat

Another virtue of the spice  is that which regulates the metabolism and helps the body burn fat. For this reason curry is often included in weight loss diets.

Anticancer

The main ingredient of the curry is turmeric which in turn contains curcumin, a compound with many beneficial properties. Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, with around 14 million new cases and 8,2 million deaths worldwide. ( 13 )

There are several studies that indicate that curcumin has beneficial effects on lung cancer by inducing, in some cases, death by apoptosis of cancer cells. ( 14, 15, 16 )

Numerous clinical studies have investigated the effects of curcumin on breast cancer. There has been numerous evidence showing that this compound can be used successfully in the treatment of this serious disease. ( 17 , 18 , 19 )

Other studies reveal that curcumin can be useful in the treatment of other cancers such as gastric, prostate, uterus, and colon cancers. ( 20, 21, 22, 23 ) 

Contraindications

Its intake is not recommended in case of gallbladder stones, this is because curcumin stimulates the production of bile acids and can cause the gallbladder to contract, thus increasing the intensity of the symptoms related to this pathology.

The pepper present in the spice instead could create problems in those subjects suffering from gastritis and ulcer, increasing the inflammatory states.

Spice is also an anti-coagulant so you shouldn’t take it if you are already taking blood thinners.

Curiosity

Given the existence of numerous variations, it is possible to prepare this precious spice mixture directly at home. Starting from the basic composition of the recipe, you can try to make slight changes.

You can remove and add other spices at will until you get a mixture that meets your personal tastes in terms of taste and spiciness.

Except for rare exceptions of allergy to certain spices, curry is well tolerated in pregnancy provided of course not to overdo the doses.

Recent studies conducted in the United States support the thesis that sees the spice  as a valid aid against cholesterol and diabetes.

In case of emergency and in the absence of other remedies, thanks to its antibacterial properties, it can be used to medicate small wounds and abrasions on the skin.

It is a very versatile spice and is well suited to many types of dishes, both meat and fish and vegetables.

Other studies also conducted in the USA have shown how curry is useful in the prevention of certain cancers, especially prostate cancer.

Curry: Properties and Benefits

Italian language version

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