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HEALTH BENEFITS OF TEA:-
India is the world's largest tea producing country.The country produced 870 million kgs of tea in the year 1998.
Tea is cultivated in the north eastern region of India, that is Bengal's Darjeeling,Doars,Assam and Cachar.In the South of the country,
tea is grown in Tamil Nadu and Kerala's hilly western ghat region.Tea plantations in India are over 150 years old.
Indian Tea producers are among the first in the world in obtaining ISO 9000 for their tea factories and fields.
Tea produced in India meets IS 3720 specifications and also confirms to PFA (Prevention of Food Adulteration Act).
Quality combined with consistency of offering by a producer always commands premium.India has over 300 major tea companies and has over 12,000 large tea estates.
Tea Board records show the total number of large and small estates as over 37,000.However,quality is not limited to large companies ;
smaller producers with expertise also produce equally competitive teas. As per 1997 records,the area under tea in the country was 4,32,297 hectare.
The number of private holders in tea is growing.
TEA - NOW A 'HEALTH DRINK'
Kick start your day with Tea,today also a "Health Drink".The regular use of a widely available,tasty,inexpensive beverage tea has displayed valuable,preservative properties in
chronic human diseases.Tea contributes to our daily intake of certain nutrients,it provides a number of vitamins and minerals.Recent studies and researches identify tea's potential
health benefit.It is reasonable to conclude that drinking tea is compatible with dietary advice to prevent number of diseases,thereby helping to promote overall health and well being.
Following are the benefits of tea :-
1. Tea fights human lethal diseases such as Cancer and Metastasis
2. Supports bone mineralisation
3.Protects teeth against dental carries.
4.Tea consumption is linked to protection from heart diseases and strokes.
5. Tea has 'flavanoids' which have excellent antioxidants properties.
HEALTH BENEFITS
OF SPICES:-
1.CARDAMOM
The major use is for the preparation of ‘gahwa’ – a strong cardamom
coffee concoction which is a symbol for hospitality among Arabs. Apart
from this cardamom is widely used as a flavouring material in whole
and ground form. In Asia, it can add a lingering sparkle to every kind
of dishes both traditional and modern. In Scandinavian countries it is
used in baked goods and confectionaries. In Europe and North America
it is an ingredient in curry powder and in some sausages products.
Cardamom oil and oleoresin has applications in flavouring processed
foods, cordials, and liquors and in perfumery and in Ayurvedic
medicines.
It is used as a flavourant in dishes like Pulavu, Biriyani and meat
preparations. It is an ingredient in curry powder and spice masala
mixtures and is also used in Ayurvedic and Unani medicines. It has
applications in flavouring cola, biscuits, liquors.
2.CLOVE
The use of clove in whole or ground form is mainly for culinary
purposes and as a flavouring agent in food industry. Its flavour
blends well with both sweet and savory dishes. It is highly valued in
medicine as carminative, aromatic and stimulant. In Indonesia, the
lion share of production is consumed in production of ‘kretek’
cigarettes.
The antiseptic and antibiotic properties of clove oil are used in
medicine especially in dentistry, oral and pharyngeal treatments. It
has wider applications in preparations of toothpaste and mouthwashes,
soaps and perfumes. It is also reported to help diabetics in sugar
assimilations.
3.CUMIN
Cumin seed have an aromatic odour and bitter taste. It is used as a
condiment, and is an ingredient in curry powders, seasonings of
breads, cakes and cheese. It is employed in native dishes of Central
and South America. In medicine, it is used as a stimulant,
carminative, stomachic and astringent. Cumin seed oil is used in
perfumery and for flavouring liqueurs and cordials.
4.CINNAMON
The commercial products of cinnamon are quills, quillings,
featherings, chips, cinnamon bark oil and cinnamon leaf oil. ‘Quills’
are scraped peel of the inner bark of the mature cinnamon shoots,
joined together with overlapping tubes, the hollow of which has been
filled with smaller pieces of cinnamon peels which is dried first in
the sun and thereafter in the shade. ‘Quillings’ are broken pieces and
splits of all grades of cinnamon quills. ‘Featherings’ are feather
like pieces of inner bark consisting of shavings and small pieces of
bark left over. Cinnamon ‘chips’ are rough unpeelable barks scraped
off from the thicker stems. Cinnamon leaf and bark oil are obtained by
distilling the leaf and bark separately. Cinnamon bark is a popular
spice with a delicate fragrance and a warm agreeable taste. It is used
in the form of small pieces or powder. It is widely used in flavouring
confectionary, liquors, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. It is found to
help diabetics in digestion of sugar. It has astringent; stimulant and
carminative properties and can check nausea and vomiting. The cinnamon
bark oil has anti-fungal properties and cinnamon leaf oil is widely
used in perfumery and cosmetics.
5.NUTMEG AND MACE
Both nutmeg and mace are used as condiment particularly in sweet
foods. The spice in the ground form is mainly used in the food
processing industry especially as a standard seasoning in many Dutch
dishes. Nutmeg oleoresin is used in the preparation of meat products,
soups, sauces, baked foods, confectionaries, puddings, seasoning of
meat and vegetable etc. The fleshy outer cover of the fruit is
crystallized or pickled or made into jellies. Mace is used in savory
dishes.
It is used as a drug in Eastern countries because of its stimulant,
carminative, astringent and aphrodisiac properties. Excessive doses
have a narcotic effect. Nutmeg oil is used in cosmetics and
toiletries.
6.BLACK PEPPER
Pepper is largely used by meat packers and in canning, pickling,
baking, considering for its preservative value. It has the ability to
correct the seasoning of dishes, therefore used as a final dash at the
end of cooking to effectively adjust the flavour. It is an important
component of culinary seasoning of universal use and is an essential
ingredient of numerous commercial foodstuffs. It is also used as an
ingredient in spice mixes. White pepper is used in products like
mayonnaise where, black specks of black pepper is not liked.
Other products in use are pepper oil, oleoresin, micro encapsulated
pepper, green pepper in brine, dehydrated green pepper, frozen pepper
etc.
Black pepper is an essential ingredient in Indian system of medicine.
Piperine, the pungent principle in pepper oleoresin helps to enhance
bio-availability and therefore used in pharmaceuticals. The major
functional properties of pepper are analgesic, anti-pyretic,
anti-oxidant and anti-microbial.
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Kurtas
