Article 3 -Spices Of India

Historically, culinary spices and herbs have been used as food preservatives and for their health value. Early documentation suggests that hunters and gatherers wrapped meat and flesh in leaves of bushes, accidentally discovering that this process enhanced the taste of meat ,as did certain nuts, seeds, berries and bark.

Over the years spices were used for medicinal purposes. Spices were also valuable as items of exchange and trade. The bible mentions that in 1000BC Queen Sheba visited King Solomon in Jerusalem and offered him 120 measures of gold, many spices and precious stones.

When we talk about spices of India like black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, etc have been used by  Indians thousands of years for both culinary and health purposes. Spices indigenous to India like turmeric and cardamom were cultivated as early 8^th century B.C in the gardens of Babylon.

Sushruta, an ancient surgeon around 4^th century B.C used white mustard and other aromatic plants in bedsheets to ward off malignant spirits. He also applied poultice from sesame to post operative wounds which may have acted as an antiseptic. In Ayurvedic medicine, spices such as clove and cardamom were wrapped in beetlenut leaves and chewed after meals to increase the flow of saliva and digestion.

Andhra Pradesh is the largest spice producing state in India. Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan ,Maharashtra ,Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are the major spices producing states in India. Among the spices the black pepper the king of spices is most important dollar earning crop which has a decisive role in our national and state economics.

AISHA PANNALI 6^Th B

Love Dale Central School