Healthy Matter Raw Materials epsd (week 6)

Cloves

What is cloves?
Cloves are the unopened pink flower buds of the evergreen clove tree. The buds are picked by hand when they are pink and dried until they turn brown in color. Cloves are about 1/2-inch long and 1/4-inch in diameter and with their tapered stem, they resemble tiny nails. In fact, their English name is actually derived from the Latin word clavus, which means nail.

Although cloves have a very hard exterior, their flesh features an oily compound that is essential to their nutritional and flavor profile. Cloves have a warm, sweet and aromatic taste that evokes the sultry tropical climates where they are grown.

The Latin name for cloves is Eugenia caryophyllus.

History of clove:

Cloves are native to the Moluccas, formerly known as the Spice Islands of Indonesia. They have been consumed in Asia for more than 2,000 years. Owing to their sweet and fragrant taste, Chinese courtiers dating back to 200 BC would keep them in their mouths in order to freshen their breath when addressing the emperor so as to not offend him. Arab traders brought cloves to Europe around the 4th century, although they did not come into widespread use until the Middle Ages when they became prized for their pungent flavor that served to mask the taste of poorly preserved foods. 

While for a long time, they were cultivated almost exclusively in Indonesia, today the leading clove-producing region is Zanzibar in Eastern Africa. In addition to these two regions, cloves are also grown commercially in the West Indies, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, India, Pemba and Brazil.

Benefits of clove:

Health benefits of cloves includes:

Better Digestion

Cloves improve digestion by stimulating the secretion of digestive enzymes. Cloves are also good for reducing flatulence, gastric irritability, dyspepsia and nausea. They can be roasted, powdered, and taken with honey for relief in digestive disorders.

Antibacterial Properties 

Cloves have been tested for their antibacterial properties against a number of human pathogens. The extracts of cloves were potent enough to kill those pathogens. Clove extracts are also effective against the specific bacteria that spreads cholera.

Chemo-preventive Properties

Cloves are of interest to the medical community due to their chemo-preventive or anti-carcinogenic properties. Tests have showed that they are helpful in controlling lung cancer in its early stages.

Liver Protection

Cloves contain high amounts of antioxidants, which are ideal for protecting the organs from the effects of free radicals, especially the liver. Metabolism, in the long run, increases free radical production and lipid profile, while decreasing the antioxidants in the liver. Clove extracts are helpful in counteracting those effects with its hepatoprotective properties.

Diabetes Control

Cloves have been used in many traditional remedies for a number of diseases. One such disease is diabetes. In patients suffering from diabetes, the amount of insulin produced by the body is not sufficient or insulin is not produced at all. Studies have revealed that extracts from cloves imitate insulin in certain ways and help in controlling blood sugar levels.

Bone Preservation

The hydro-alcoholic extracts of cloves include phenolic compounds such as eugenol and its derivatives, such as flavones, isoflavones and flavonoids. These extracts have been particularly helpful in preserving bone density and the mineral content of bone, as well as increasing tensile strength of bones in cases of osteoporosis.

Anti-mutagenic Properties

Mutagens are those chemicals that change the genetic makeup of the DNA by causing mutations. Biochemical compounds found in cloves, like phenylpropanoids, possess anti-mutagenic properties. These were administered on cells treated with mutagens and they were able to control the mutagenic effects to a significant rate.

Boosts the Immune System

Ayurveda describes certain plants to be effective in developing and protecting the immune system. One such plant is clove. The dried flower bud of clove contains compounds that help in improving the immune system by increasing the white blood cell count, thereby improving delayed type hypersensitivity.

Source: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=69 https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-cloves.html

 

Nutmeg

What is nutmeg?

The hard brown seed from the nutmeg tree (a tropical evergreen) has a warm, spicy sweet flavor. Mace is the dried lacy membrane from around the nutmeg seed. The nutmeg tree is indigenous to the Banda Islands of Indonesia but is also grown in the Caribbean, especially in Grenada. The first harvest of nutmeg trees takes place 7-9 years after planting, and the trees reach their full potential after 20 years. At one time, nutmeg was one of the most valuable spices. It has been said that in England, several hundred years ago, a few nutmeg nuts could be sold for enough money to enable financial independence for life.

History of nutmeg:

Botanically known as Myristica fragrans, the nutmeg tree originates in Banda, the largest of the Molucca spice islands of Indonesia. The English word nutmeg comes from the latin nux, meaning nut, and muscat, meaning musky.

In the first century A.D., Roman author Pliny speaks of a tree bearing nuts with two flavors. Emperor Henry VI had the streets of Rome fumigated with nutmegs before his coronation. In the sixth century, nutmegs were brought by Arab merchants to Constantinople. In the fourteenth century, half a kilogram of nutmeg cost as much as three sheep or a cow.

The Dutch waged a bloody war, including the massacre and enslavement of the inhabitants of the island of Banda, just to control nutmeg production in the East Indies. In 1760, the price of nutmeg in London was 85 to 90 shillings per pound, a price kept artificially high by the Dutch voluntarily burning full warehouses of nutmegs in Amsterdam. The Dutch held control of the spice islands until World War II.

Frenchman Pierre Poivre transported nutmeg seedlings to Mauritius where they flourished, aiding in ending the Dutch monopoly of the spice. The British East India Company brought the nutmeg tree to Penang, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and most notably Grenada, where it is the national symbol and emblazoned on the country's red, yellow, and green flag.

Benefits of nutmeg:

Helps Induce Sleep
When I was a child, my grandmother would give me a glass of milk with a pinch of powdered nutmeg in it before bed. It can also be mixed with ghee and rubbed around the temples at bedtime to enhance deep sleep and calm the mind.

Rich in Minerals
A dusting of nutmeg adds aroma and enhances the taste of your food. It also gives you trace minerals that keep the immune system strong. Potassium, calcium, iron and manganese are among key minerals found in nutmeg.

Brightens Skin
Just a little nutmeg, ground and mixed with water or honey into a paste, can make skin look clearer and brighter within a few days, reducing scars and alleviating acne. You can also add nutmeg to your face scrub for the same benefits.

Helps Digestion
For centuries, nutmeg has been used as a medicinal spice that brings relief from digestive problems. So grate a little nutmeg into your soups and stews for a boost of flavor and a healthy gut!

Natural Toothpaste
The star spice in dental care has traditionally been clove. But few might know that nutmeg too has proven antibacterial properties that protect the teeth and gums. Nutmeg oil has eugenol, which brings relief from toothache. That’s why you often find it listed among the ingredients of toothpaste. Combined with cinnamon, it makes a powerful antiseptic, antimicrobial paste.

Protects Your Brain
Nutmeg keeps the brain sharp! It contains natural organic compounds called myristicin and macelignan, which is known to shield your brain against degenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s.

Eases Swelling and Pain
The essential oil of nutmeg brings relief from muscular and joint pain. Apply it to a localized area of swelling and discomfort, and feel the pain melt away.

Boosts Circulation
In holistic medicine, nutmeg is often prescribed to rev up blood circulation because of the high potassium content. Traditional healers believe it also strengthens the liver.

Source : http://www.seedguides.info/nutmeg/ http://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-amazing-health-benefits-of-nutmeg.html

Cinnamon

What is cinnamon?

Cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum verum, C. zeylanicum, C. cassica ) is harvested from a variety of evergreen tree that is native to Sri Lanka and India. The tree has thick, reddish brown bark, small yellow flowers, and its leathery leaves have a spicy smell. It grows to a height of approximately 20-60 ft (8-18 m) and is found primarily in tropical forests. Cinnamon bark belongs to the Lauraceae family. Related species are Cinnamomum cassia and Cinnamomum saigonicum (Saigon Cinnamon).

Cinnamon bark is cultivated in such tropical regions as the Philippines and the West Indies. It is not grown in the United States. Every two years the trees are cut to just above ground level. The bark is harvested from the new shoots, then dried. The outer bark is stripped away, leaving the inner bark, which is the main medicinal part of the herb.

History of cinnamon:

Native to Ceylon (Sri Lanka), true cinnamon, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, dates back in Chinese writings to 2800 B.C., and is still known as kwai in the Cantonese language today.

Its botanical name derives from the Hebraic and Arabic term amomon, meaning fragrant spice plant. Ancient Egyptians used cinnamon in their embalming process. From their word for cannon, Italians called it canella, meaning "little tube," which aptly describes cinnamon sticks.

In the first century A.D., Pliny the Elder wrote off 350 grams of cinnamon as being equal in value to over five kilograms of silver, about fifteen times the value of silver per weight.

Medieval physicians used cinnamon in medicines to treat coughing, hoarseness, and sore throats. As a sign of remorse, Roman Emperor Nero ordered a year's supply of cinnamon be burnt after he murdered his wife.

The spice was also valued for its preservative qualities for meat due to the phenols which inhibit the bacteria responsible for spoilage, with the added bonus being the strong cinnamon aroma masked the stench of aged meats.

In the 17th century, the Dutch seized the world's largest cinnamon supplier, the island of Ceylon, from the Portuguese, demanding outrageous quotas from the poor laboring Chalia caste.

When the Dutch learned of a source of cinnamon along the coast of India, they bribed and threatened the local king to destroy it all, thus preserving their monopoly on the prized spice.

In 1795, England seized Ceylon from the French, who had acquired it from their victory over Holland during the Revolutionary Wars.

(In the Victorian language of flowers, cinnamon means "my fortune is yours.")

However, by 1833, the downfall of the cinnamon monopoly had begun when other countries found it could be easily grown in such areas as Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Mauritius, Réunion and Guyana. Cinnamon is now also grown in South America, the West Indies, and other tropical climates.

Types of cinnamon:

INDONESIAN CINNAMON

Around 70% of North America uses Cassia Cinnamon. Indonesia is the chief supplier of Cassia Cinnamon. This is because it is much cheaper than Ceylon Cinnamon which tends to be expensive because of the hand crafted process needed to harvest it and roll it in multiple thin layers. Cassia Cinnamon is a hard bark that is spicy, smells pretty strong and sometimes bitter.
SAIGON CINNAMON

This is another Cinnamon which has gained in popularity recently. Originating in Vietnam this cinnamon admittedly makes a good first impression in terms of sheer aroma and taste. It tends to be even more spicy and strong and sweet at the same time. It's a little more expensive than Cassia Cinnamon but has the highest levels of Coumarin.

CHINESE CINNAMON

The quality of Chinese cinnamon is not great. While part of the Cassia Cinnamon family. It tends to be more pungent, less sweet and delicate, and slightly bitter. Possibly because of the soil conditions. Cinnamon quality can vary depending on soil conditions. Most Chinese Cinnamon probably stays in China, used in many of the Chinese medications for coughs, phlegm and other illnesses.

CEYLON CINNAMON

Ceylon Cinnamon grows best in sandy soil. The tree grows to about 49 feet in its natural state but is cut earlier for commercial purposes. It has a thin bark. The leaves are shiny and leathery on top and dull on the underside. The flowers are white with an oval sized fruit which becomes bluish with white spots when ripe. The leaves when crushed are spicy and hot to taste while peeling away the outer bark of the tree yields a very strong cinnamon smell.

The biggest advantage of Ceylon Cinnamon is ultra-low Coumarin levels. Coumarin in high doses causes liver failure, so for people who take Cinnamon on a daily basis, Ceylon Cinnamon is the preferred choice.

Source : https://www.thespruce.com/history-of-cinnamon-1807584 https://www.cinnamonvogue.com/Types_of_Cinnamon_1.html