Culture / These Desi Spices Will Put You In The Mood For Valentine’s Day

These Desi Spices Will Put You In The Mood For Valentine’s Day

Culture Feb 14, 2024

by Devika Goberdhan | Features Editor - Fashion

It’s no secret that South Asian spices are packed with flavour and fantastic health benefits. But what do some popular South Asian spices and Valentine’s Day have in common?

Aside from being good for you in terms of being anti-inflammatory, boosting the immune system, and more, spices also have some more pleasurable purposes that can spice up your upcoming Valentine’s Day!

Check out our list below of South Asian spices that contain aphrodisiac properties, so you may want to incorporate them into your menu for Valentine’s Day.

Saffron

These Desi Spices Will Put You In The Mood For Valentine's Day — **These Desi Spices Will Put You In The Mood For Valentine’s Day: Saffron has some sizzle.** Photo Credit: www.dutchgrown.com

Saffron can typically be used in day-to-day cooking, but if you’re interested in using it more often or in more concentrated amounts, it’s always best to consult with a health professional. That said, while saffrons adds richness, colour, and aromatics to a dish, it also has incredible health benefits. For example, Health reports that “saffron has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and may improve heart health, reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, improve sleep, and protect eye health.” In addition to that, saffron can boost your mood, “…may have a positive impact on blood flow, leading to increased sensitivity and improved sexual response,” and increase your desire for sex, according to Winged Wellness.

Cardamom

Cardamom is an aromatic and versatile spice that can be paired with both sweet and savoury dishes. However, cardamom not only tastes great and amplifies recipes with it’s spicy and sweet flavour profiles, but it “…may help with conditions such as metabolic syndrome and diabetes, as well as boosting oral, heart, and liver health. Cardamom may also offer antimicrobial properties, help prevent ulcers, and help fight against cancer,” according to Medical News Today. In addition, Lybrate notes that cardamom is known to have aphrodisiac qualities that helps to improve the libido and and promotes blood circulation in men and women.

Ginger

Ginger comes with so many benefits and has been around since 500 BC, according to Spice World. In addition, ginger can help with digestion, help your immune system, improves your brain health, can “calm an upset stomach, [and] is a natural pain reliever,” to name a few as noted by Spice World. It’s also said that ginger helps to increase blood flow, arousal, and your libido, reports Healthline.

Cinnamon

There’s nothing like the smell of cinnamon to warm up a room and leave you feeling cozy. This spicy ingredient adds depth to dishes and it has incredible health benefits, “…including [having] antibacterial, antifungal and anti-diabetic properties,” along with helping with inflammation, improving heart and brain health, and much more according to Dr. Axe. Cinnamon is also an aphrodisiac, that helps to stimulate sexual desire notes Lybrate.

Cloves

Like an apple, having a clove each day “…enhances production of saliva which helps in digestion. Cloves also help in reducing nausea and acidity. Cloves may protect against aging. [In addition,] cloves not only have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties but they also help to boost your liver health,” and the list goes on, according to Hindustan Times. Outside of the kitchen, cloves are help to promote blood flow and provides a number of benefits for a man’s sexual health, highlights Man Matters.

Turmeric

Turmeric is absolutely beautiful and adds a vibrant yellow colour to dishes, but you can also sneak it into other dishes where the flavour profiles may hide it’s earthy taste. The reason I try to add this spice to as many of my meals as I can is because it helps with inflammation, cholesterol, anxiety, muscle recovery, “kidney health,” and more as explained by John Hopkins Medicine. In addition to being fantastic for your health, Evn shares that “curcumin, turmeric’s primary ingredient, has been scientifically shown to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hormone-regulating effects, which all play a role in sexual health.”

Wishing you all a great Valentine’s Day, which will now be full of dashes of health and maybe more!

Main Image Photo Credit: www.asianinspirations.com.au

Devika Goberdhan | Features Editor - Fashion

Author

Devika (@goberdhan.devika) is an MA graduate who specialized in Political Science at York University. Her passion and research throughout her graduate studies pushed her to learn about and unpack hot button issues. Thus, since starting at ANOKHI in 2016, she has written extensively about many challe...

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