Ravi pratap chaudhary,B.sc(Ag),Banaras Hindu Univarsity

1. Topic- Role of spices in human health
2019-20
Institute of Agricultural science
RGSC,BHU
Horticulture
Hor-411 (0-4)
Submitted to:
Mr. Pawan Kr. Anand
Submitted by:
Ravi Pratap Chaudhary
B.sc(ag) 4th year
I.D No:-16341
Exam roll no :-
16230AGCO46

2. Spices:-

3. Content
Definition and some expansive spices
Top 10 spice producing country
Spices
1. Black pepper
2. Cardamom
3. Turmari
4. Cumin
5. Saffron
6. Coriander
7. Kaloji
8. Fenugreek
9. Vanilla
10. Cloves
11. Star anise

4. Introduction:
 A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other substance primarily used
for , coloring or preserving food. Spices are distinguished from herbs,
which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as
a garnish.
Expensive Spices
 Saffron – $1600 t0 $5000 per pound
 Vanilla – $50 t0 $200 per pound
 Cardamom – $30 per pound
 Clove – $7 to $10 per pound
 Cinnamon – $6 per pound

5. Top Spice Producing Countries(in metric tonnes )
Rank Country 2016 2017
1 India 1,474,900 1,525,000
2 Bangladesh 128,517 139,775
3 Turkey 107,000 113,783
4 China 90,000 95,890
5 Pakistan 53,647 53,620
6 Iran 18,028 21,307
7 Nepal 20,360 20,905
8 Colombia 16,998 19,378
9 Ethiopia 27,122 17,905
10 Sri Lanka 8,293 8,438
— World 1,995,523 2,063,472
Source: UN Food & Agriculture Organization

6. 1.BLACK PEPPER (Piper nigrum)
family:- Piperaceae (2n= 52)
 Incredibly popular black pepper ,often referred as ’King of spices” is a
well known spice since ancient time . The pepper corn plant is native to
tropical evergreen rain forest of south India state, Kerala from where it
spread to rest of the world.
 Peppercorns contain an impressive list of plant derived chemical
compounds that are known to have disease preventing and health
promoting properties.
 Peppercorn are composed of health benefiting essential oils such as ,
an amine alkaloid , which gives strong spicy pungent character to the
pepper.
 It also contains numerous monoterpees hydrocarbons such as pinene,
terpenene , limonene

7. CONT…..
 Which altogether gives aromatic
property to the pepper .
 It has also been found that piperine
can increase absorption of selenium
,B-complex vitamins , beta-carotene
, as well as other nutrient from the
food.
 Black peppercorns contain a good
amount of minerals like potassium,
calcium, zinc, manganese ,iron
,and magnesium.
 Iron is essential for cellular
respiration and blood cell
productio.

8. CONT…
 Peppercorns are a good source
of many anti- oxidant vitamins
such as vitamin-C and vitamin-
A.
 Peppers have been in use since
centuries for its anti-
inflammatory, carminative, anti-
flatulent properties .

9. 2) Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum)
Family : Zingiberaceae ( 2n = 48, 50, 52)
 Cancer Prevention
 Cardamom contains IC3 (indole-3-carbinol)and DIM(di-indolyl methane).
 These phyto chemicals are well-known cancer fighters, helping to specifically
ward off hormone responding cancers like breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and
prostate cancer.
 Urinary problems
 Cardamom, helps kidney, bladder, and urinary problems like nephritis, burning or
painful urination, and frequent urges to urinate.
 Acts as an antimicrobial
 Fights dental diseases
 Detoxification Agent
 Prevents nausea and vomiting
 Fights hypertension

10. 3) Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
family: Zingiberaceae (2n=63,84,86)
 Anti-inflammatory and pain relief properties
 Turmeric helps the body to fight foreign agents and also plays a critical
role in repairing damages. As per some studies, curcumin compound
help inflammation.
 As per the Arthritis Foundation, the anti-inflammatory ability of
turmeric might reduce the pain that people suffering from arthritis feel
in their joints.
 . Improves liver function
 Turmeric has gained popularity because of its anti-oxidant properties.
Anti-oxidants are beneficial as they protect our body from free radicals.
 Turmeric is believed to be so powerful that studies claim it can protect
a person's liver from getting damaged by toxins.

11. Cont…
 Boosts immunity
 Lipopolysaccharide is another
compound present in turmeric
with anti-bacterial, antiviral and
anti-fungal properties which
stimulates the human system.
 Possibly reducing the
risk of cancer
 Curcumin shows promise as
a cancer treatment. Studies
suggest Trusted Source it has
protective effects
against pancreatic
cancer, prostate cancer,
and multiple myeloma.

12. 4) Cumin (Cuminum cyminum)
Family: Umbelliferae ( 2n = 14)
 Cumin improve digestion
 Cumin seeds contain a number of active compounds including one called
thymol that is known to, enzyme stimulate our salivary glands and anti-
flatulent properties of which are involved in the help to relieve gas in the
stomach and intestines and therefore could be of benefit to our digestive
system as part of a healthy diet.
 The active principles in the cumin may improve gut motility and help in
digestion by augmenting gastrointestinal juice (enzyme) secretions.
 Cumin seeds contain many phytochemicals that are known to have anti-
oxidant(carotenes, zea-xanthin, and lutein0). The seeds are excellent
source of dietary fiber .

13. Cont…
 Nutritional Value of Cumin
 The spice is an excellent source of minerals like iron, copper, calcium,
potassium, manganese, zinc and magnesium.
 Zinc is a co-factor in many enzymes that regulate growth and
development, digestion and nucleic acid synthesis.
 Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that
helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.
 Iron is essential for red blood cell formation and helps fight an aemia
and beneficial for mainly young girls due to loss of blood in
menstruation
 It also contains very good amounts of B-complex vitamins such as
thiamin, vitamin B-6, niacin, riboflavin, and other vital anti-oxidant
vitamins like vitamin E, vitamin A, and vitamin C

14. Cont…
 Good for health Bone
 Its seeds contain certain health benefiting
essential oils such as cuminaldehyde (4-
isopropyl benzal dehyde ). Cumin oil is also
used to de-stress and relieve anxiety to
overcome insomnia It is beneficial in bone
health since it is a good source of calcium.
 Cumin affect Asthma
 It fights asthma and bronchitis, it helps in
loosing of phlegm or mucus from the
respiratory tracts and help in eliminating
from the system.

15. 5) Saffron (Crocus sativus)
Family: Iridaceae(2n=32)
 Saffron contains several plant-derived chemical compounds that are known
to have been antioxidant, disease preventing, and health promoting
properties.
 Nutritional Value of
 This novel spice is an excellent source of minerals like copper, potassium,
calcium, manganese, iron, selenium, zinc and magnesium.
 The human body uses manganese and copper as co-factors for the anti-
oxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Iron is essential for red blood cell
production and as a co-factor for cytochrome oxidases enzymes.
 Additionally, it is also rich in many vital vitamins, including vitamin-A,
folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin-C that is essential for optimum
health.

16. Cont
 This colorful spice has many non-volatile active components; the most
important of them is α-crocin, a carotenoid compound.
 It also contains other carotenoids, including zea-xanthin, lycopene, α- and
ß-carotenes. These are important antioxidants that help protect the human
body from oxidant induced stress, cancers, infections and acts as immune
modulators.
 Improves Nerve Function
 The vitamin B family is one that is often overlooked in human health, but
it plays a major role in nerve function throughout the body. More
specifically, the high content of vitamin B6 found in this spice can help our
nervous system is running smoothly and prevent some of the deadly and
dangerous disorders that arise from poor nervous system function.
 Is an Anti-oxidant
 Similarly, saffron supplementation protects against the toxic effects of
certain chemical drugs like chemotherapy, antibiotics, and painkillers.

17. Cont…
 Improve Immune
Function
 Saffron also increased white blood
cell count without affecting the
levels of other blood cells.
 This means that it can selectively
enhance immunity without
increasing the risk of other blood-
related complications.
 Saffron supplementation can also
inhibit viral replication and entry
into cells, which improves the
immune system’s ability to fight
off viral infections .

18. 6) Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
Family: Apiaceae(2n = 22)
 Reduce cholesterol
 The Coriander possesses oleic acid, linoleic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid and
ascorbic acid which help to lower the level of cholesterol effectively.

 It also lowers the bad cholesterol level in the inner walls of veins and arteries that
are the cause of heart attacks, atherosclerosis and strokes. It prevents from various
health ailments.
 Reduce blood pressure
 The daily intake of Coriander by the hypertension patients helps to reduce the
blood pressure effectively.
 The interaction of Cholinergic and Calcium ions helps to ease the tension of blood
vessels and also lowers the risk of cardiovascular conditions such as strokes and
heart attacks

19. Cont…
 Healthy bones
 Coriander is rich in Calcium which helps to enhance the bone health.
Minerals such as calcium and others help in the durability, regrowth of
bones.
 It also prevents the degradation of bones related with diseases such as
osteoporosis. Coriander should be added to the diet in order to have
healthy and strong bones. The Coriander leaves possess the calcium.
 Prevents small pox
 Coriander is rich in antimicrobial, anti-infectious, antioxidant and
detoxifying components.
 It also contains the iron and Vitamin C which helps to enhance the
immune system. These properties in Coriander prevent and treat
smallpox. It reduces the pain along with providing the calming effect
on the smallpox patients. The studies show that the high amount of
Vitamin C cures the smallpox effectively in various cases.

20. 7) Kalonji: Nigella sativa
family: Ranunculaceae ( 2n=24)
 Nutritional Value of Kalonji
 Kalonji is small black seeds that possess high nutritional value. Kalonji
Seed or Black Seed is rich in nutrients and contain Protein,
carbohydrates, fats, and oils.
 Kalonji oil is much better than other oil, and it contains essential fatty
acids. Kalonji is also rich in vitamins that include - Vitamin A, B, B2,
Niacin and Vitamin C. It also contains different minerals like - Calcium,
Potassium, Iron, Zinc, Magnesium, and Selenium. The active ingredients
of black seed are - Linoleic acid, Oleic acid,andThymoquinone.
 Prevent Diabetes
Kalonji is a very effective medicine for diabetes patients to cure diabetes
naturally. It helps in regulating your blood sugar levels. Diabetes patients
can consume it by adding Kalonji oil in black tea. This decoction can be
consumed on an empty stomach to get effective results.

21. Cont…
 Good for heart health
 Kalonji is very good for your heart, and it prevents you against various
kinds of heart diseases. It helps in boosting heart health by controlling
bad cholesterol levels in your body. To get best results, you can add
kalonji oil in milk and consume regularly.
 Strengthens teeth
 Teeth are vulnerable to several diseases like plaque, cavity, swelling of gums,
gingivitis, bleeding gums. As you age, your teeth loose strength and you
might suffer from a toothache. Kalonji is an excellent natural remedy to treat
your dental diseases. It also helps you relieve from a toothache.

22. Cont…
 Cure constipation
 Constipation makes you feel tired and uneasy the whole day. It can also
affect your appetite. It is the most prominent gastrointestinal disease that
impairs our digestive system. Kalonji, when consumed with black tea, can
help you cure your constipation problem easily and more efficiently.
 Remedy for skin problem
 Kalonji helps in maintaining a glowing and clear skin. It fights against several
skin problems like acne, scars, blemishes, pimples, etc. You can use it by
adding its oil to your face pack or by mixing with lime juice. Your face will
feel fresh and relaxed after trying this remedy.

23. 8) fenugreek:(Trigonella Linnaeus)
Family: Fabaceae (2n=14,16)
 Non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) constitute a significant portion of this fiber
content in the fenugreek seeds. Some of major NSP's include saponins,
hemicellulose, mucilage, tannin, and pectin.
 These compounds help lower blood cholesterol levels by inhibiting bile salts
re-absorption in the colon. They also bind to toxins in the food and contribute
to protcting the colon mucosa from cancers.
 Prevent Diabetes
 It has been established that amino acid 4-hydroxy isoleucine in the fenugreek
seeds has facilitator action on insulin secretion.
 Besides, fiber in them slow down the rate of glucose absorption in the
intestines and thus help better regulate blood sugar levels.
 Fenugreek seeds are therefore one of the recommended food ingredients in the
diabetic diet.

24. CONT…
 Nutritional Value Fenugreek
 This prized spice is an excellent source of
minerals like copper, potassium, calcium, iron,
selenium, zinc, manganese, and magnesium.
 It is also rich in many vital vitamins that are
essential nutrients for optimum health,
including thiamin, pyridoxine (vitamin B6),
folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin-A, and
vitamin-C.
 Diseasis privent and medicinal properties
 Its seeds have been in use in many traditional
medicines as a laxative, digestive, and as a
remedy for a cough and bronchitis.
 The seeds contain many phytochemical
compounds.

25. 9) Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia)
Family :Orchidaceae (2n=28)
 This condiment spice also contains small traces of minerals such as calcium,
magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron and zinc. Potassium is an
important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate
and blood pressure.
 The chief chemical component in the beans is vanillin. The pods also comprise of
numerous traces of other constituents such as phenol ether, alcohols, carbonyl
compounds, acids, ester, lactones, aliphatic and aromatic carbohydrates .

26. Cont…
 The vanilla extract is chiefly
composed of simple and complex
sugars, essential oils, vitamins, and
minerals
 Vanilla beans are one of the
expensive non-pungent spices used
especially as a flavoring agent in a
wide array of sweet drinks and
confectionaries

27. 10) Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)
Family:Myrtaceae(2n=54)
 The active principles in the clove are known to have anti-oxidant,
antiseptic, local anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, rubefacient (warming
and soothing), carminative and anti-flatulent properties.
 The spice contains health benefiting essential oils such as eugenol. It
is a phenylpropanoids class of chemical compound which gives
pleasant, sweet aromatic fragrances to the clove-bud. Eugenol has local
anesthetic and antiseptic properties, hence; useful in dental care
essentials as well as in treatment procedures.
 Further, the spice buds contain very good amounts of vitamin A and
beta-carotene levels. These compounds are known to have antioxidant
properties.
 The body also requires vitamin-A for maintaining healthy mucosa, skin
and for healthy vision. Consumption of natural foods rich in flavonoids
helps to protect the body from lung and oral cavity cancers.

28. Cont…
 The active principles in the cloves increase the gut motility and digestion
power through improved gastrointestinal enzyme secretions. Thus, it helps
relieve indigestion and constipation problems.
 The spice also contains a good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese,
iron, selenium and magnesium. Potassium is an essential electrolyte of cell
and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. The human
body uses manganese as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide
dismutase.

29. 11) Star anise(Illicium verum)
Family :Illiciaceae(2n=48)
 Star anise oil obtained from the spice has been found application in many
Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) as carmintive, stomachic,
antiseptic, anti-spasmodic, digestive, expectorant, stimulant and
tonic.
 The spice is an excellent source of many essential B-complex vitamins such
as niacin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid and riboflavin.
 The star spice is an excellent source of minerals like calcium, iron,
phosphorus, potassium, manganese, zinc and magnesium.
 Further, the spice also holds some of other valuable antioxidant vitamins
such as vitamin-C and vitamin-A.

30. Medicinal product of spices:

31. THANK YOU