The season of winter has fully set in now with the arrival of December and some common illnesses such as cough and cold often keeps us away from enjoying nature in its full glory.
While medicines can keep away the illnesses that winter generally brings, there are always our traditional spices which are not only healthy or great immune boosters but also make a tasteless tongue get a dose of good taste with its magic literally.
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These spices can enhance the flavour of our regular meals like curries and lentils and also make a dessert taste extremely heavenly.
Also Read: 10 best reasons of drinking warm water in winter
To stay in good health in these winter months of December, January and February, you should incorporate these five spices in your diet-
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Ginger
A traditional herbal medicine as well as a common kitchen ingredient in households is ginger. Research has shown that ginger contains bioactive compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties and can control or reduce the risk of cold, cough and sore throats. Besides using in your meals regularly, you can also have a glass of ginger water daily. To prepare ginger water, grate 1.5 teaspoons of ginger and keep aside. Boil four cups of water in a pan, add the ginger in it and remove it from the stove. After allowing the ginger to seep in the warm water for 5 to 10 minutes, strain it and finally remove the ginger pieces. You can consume the ginger water after it has cool down. To sweeten this bitter drink, you can add some honey in it and then consume it.
Turmeric
A treasure ingredient in the Indian kitchens, turmeric is the spice without which we cannot even think of consuming our meals. Turmeric, which is responsible for making our cuisines vibrant and unique from the rest of the world, is also good to keep cough and colds at bay due to the presence of its main active ingredient curcumin that is a powerful antioxidant. To get the good benefits of turmeric, you can always have a glass of turmeric milk daily. It is easy to make and healthy to eat too. Boil some milk in a pan and when it is slightly hot, add some turmeric powder in it. Stir it thoroughly until the turmeric blends well with the milk. Have it warm just before going to bed as it will allow you to sleep peacefully and wake up with a refreshed mind the next morning
Also Read: Winter skincare hacks for rejuvenating dry skin quickly
Cinnamon
A tasty as well as an aromatic spice that is obtained the inner bark of several tree species from the genus Cinnamomum is cinnamon. It is widely used as a traditional digestive aid and mouth freshener in India but its antiviral properties plays a good role in keeping cold and cough at bay. A honey flavoured cinnamon drink can be an excellent winter drink that you can have just at bedtime. To prepare this drink, boil two cups of water in a pan and add a teaspoon of cinnamon powder in it. Cover the pan with a lid and let it boil for a few minutes. Once the water is cool enough to drink, add some honey in it and then drink.
Holy Basil
Holy basil, or as popularly known Tulsi, is a sacred plant that occupies a pride of place in every Indian home. According to Ayurveda, Tulsi is known as “Mother Medicine of Nature” and “The Queen of Herbs”. To get relief from cold, cough and sore throats, you can have a cup of tulsi tea daily in the morning. To make this tea, add some fresh tulsi leaves to two cups of water and boil it for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the mixture, add lemon juice or honey and then drink it warm.