Spices

Spices are parts of aromatic plants or plants that can be used for many things in human life. In the food industry, the herb is used as a food preservative and perisa (hallmark enhancer like the taste) in cooking.

In colonial times, the herb is the most valuable products in addition to trade for the above functions, the herb also has a function as a valuable ingredient in medicine / treatment.

One reason why the Portuguese explorers like Vasco Da Gama reached India and the Moluccas which was then followed by the Netherlands. Similarly, Columbus who had previously been to first find the way to the Continent east to get the spices, which eventually found the fact that he had come to the wrong continent of the Americas.

Here are some types of herbs and their usefulness:

1. Cinnamon. Cinnamon is one of the oldest food spices used by humans. This spice is used in Ancient Egypt around 5000 years ago, and mentioned several times in the books of the Old Testament.Cinnamon is also traditionally used as a supplement to various diseases, with mixed honey, such as treatment for arthritis, skin, heart, and abdominal bloating.
2. Ginger (Zingiber officinale), is a very popular plant rhizome as a spice and medicinal materials. Rhizome fingers shaped bulge in the middle sections. Due to peppery flavor dominant ketone compound called zingeron. Ginger including spare Zingiberaceae (Intersection-finding). The scientific name for ginger is given by William Roxburgh from the Greek word zingiberi, from Sanskrit, singaberi. Ginger is thought to have originated from India. But there is also trust the ginger comes from South China. From India, ginger was taken as the spice trade to Southeast Asia, China, Japan, to the Middle East. Then in the days of colonialism, ginger which can provide a warm and spicy flavor to foods soon became a popular commodity in Europe. Because ginger can only survive in the tropics, planting only bsia performed in equatorial regions are like Southeast Asia, Brazil, and Africa. Currently Equador and Brazil became the world's largest supplier of ginger.
3. Kencur (Kaempferia galanga L.) is one of the types of medicinal plants belonging to the tribe-finding meeting (Zingiberaceae). Rhizomes or rhizomes of this plant contain essential oils and alkaloids are used as stimulants. Other names are cekur (Malaysia) and pro hom (Thailand). In the international literature (English) often occurred as chaos by calling kencur Lesser galangal (Alpinia officinarum) and zedoary (Intersection white), which is actually a distinct species and not a substitute spices. There is also a close relative kencur commonly planted in the garden as a medicinal plant, Intersection Rapet (K. rotunda Jacq.), But easily distinguished from the leaves. Kencur name borrowed from Sanskrit, kachora, कचोर, which means white Intersection (Curcuma zedoaria).
   
4. Kunir or turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn. Syn. Curcuma domestica Val.) Including one of the spices and medicinal plants native to Southeast Asia. These plants then the distribution to the Indo-Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and even Africa. Almost everyone Indonesia and India and the Asian nations generally never eat this spice plants, either as a complement to a cooking spice, herb or to maintain health and beauty. Turmeric is classified in group gingers, Zingiberaceae. Turmeric is known in various regions with few local names, such as turmeric (UK), turmeric (Netherlands), Turmeric (Indonesia and Malaysia), Kunir (Java), Koneng (Sunda), Konyet (Madura). Turmeric is a spice commonly used in cooking in Asian countries. Turmeric is often used as a spice in cooking a kind of curry, and is also used to give a yellow color to dishes, or as a preservative. [2] Pharmaceutical products made ​​from turmeric, is able to compete with a variety of patent medicines, such as for inflammation of the joints (rheumatoid arthritis) or osteo-arthritis deklofenak contain active sodium, piroxicam, and phenyl butason with a relatively expensive or food supplements (Vitamin-plus) in capsule form. Finished material products from extracts of turmeric dietary supplements in capsule form (Vitamin-plus) market and the industry has developed. Food supplements are made from raw materials turmeric extract with additional material Vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12, Vitamin E, Lecithin, Amprotab, Mg-stearate, and Kolidon Nepagin 90. Tuber roots older than one year are used as medicine (root tuber is cool, clean, particularly affecting the abdomen in the stomach, stimulate, release the overage gas in the intestines, stop bleeding and prevent blood clotting) aside from that is also used as an ingredient in cooking . Turmeric is also used as an anti-itch and anti-spasm and reduce swelling of the mucous membranes of the mouth. Turmeric juice consumed in the form called the filtrate, also taken as extracts or used as an ointment for treating swelling and sprains. Turmeric is also believed to cure a stuffy nose, how to burn the turmeric and breathe it. [2] Turmeric can be used to cure some of the issues related to irregularities in the kidneys work, especially in the miraculous cases are characterized by an unpleasant body odor and the eyes are not resistant to light, the use of turmeric is very effective, that drinking a glass of juice with turmeric ( disposed of the waste), for 2 consecutive weeks. A simple way is: 1. Take a handful of turmeric, then peeled 2. Grate or juice in a blender (regular water added to taste) 3. Boil 2-3 times (usually marked by expansion) 4. Add a little salt (tip of a spoon) 5. Strain / Squeeze 6. Pour lime juice (1-3 seeds, to taste) 7. Add sugar or honey 8. Drinking (better in warm conditions) Should not drink after 5pm. It is also very effective to cure the flu / fever in mothers who are pregnant (do notneed to be done every day, usually 1-2 days was able to recover), so avoid the use of chemical drugs that can harm the fetus. When consumed by pregnant mothers, babies born is believed to be clean of fats that are often attached / covered the baby's body. The use of turmeric instant, should not be done for the treatment (especially for pregnant women), because there are other content-content that may be harmful to the content. The main content of turmeric is curcumin and essential oil that functions for the treatment of hepatitis, antioxidants, digestive disorders, anti-microbial, anti cholesterol, anti-HIV, anti-tumor (induces apostosis), inhibits growth of breast tumor cells, inhibits ploriferasi on colon tumor cells, anti- invasion, anti-rheumatoid arthritis (rheumatism). Diabetes mellitus, Typhus, Appendicitis, dysentery, leucorrhoea Hospital; Menstruation is not smooth, stomach pains during menstruation, breastfeeding Streamlining; tonsils, mucous stools, Morbili, Cangkrang (Waterproken). Turmeric has a bright prospect in the downstream industries sector in various forms such as extracts, oils, starch, food / beverage, cosmetics, pharmaceutical products and IKOT / IOT.
5. PALA /Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) is a plant form of trees originating from the Banda Islands, Maluku. Due to the high value as a spice, fruit and nutmeg has become an important trade commodity since Roman times. Pala was mentioned in Pliny's encyclopedia "Old". Since the era of European exploration of nutmeg is widespread in tropical areas such as Mauritius and the Caribbean (island of Grenada). The term is also used for nutmeg nutmeg traded. The plant was married two (dioecious) tree that is known male and female trees. The leaves are elliptical trim. The fruit is oval shaped like a lemon, yellow, fleshy and aromatic distinctive because it contains essential oils on the fruit. When ripe, the skin and flesh of the fruit open and the seeds will be seen wrapped in the red mace. The fruit produces a brown seeds. Nutmeg harvested seeds, coated seeds (arillus), and the flesh. In trade, coated seed is called mace nutmeg, or in English is called mace, in pharmaceutical terms is called myristicae arillus or macis). Meat nutmeg myristicae called Fructus cortex. The first harvest performed 7 to 9 years after the tree is planted and reach a maximum production capacity after 25 years. The growth can reach 20m and can reach hundreds of years old. Before marketed, dried beans to dry after the split from fulinya. Drying takes six to eight weeks. The interior of the grain will shrink in this process and will be heard when the seeds shaken. Seed shell will be broken and sold as part of the nutmeg seed.
6. LADA / Pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is a tangible spice seeds produced by plants of the same name. Pepper is very important in the components of world cuisine and is widely known as an important trading commodity in the Old World. In the past the price is so high that it became one of the triggers exploration of Eastern Europe to Asia to master the trade and, thus, began the history of the colonization of Africa, Asia, and America. In Indonesia, pepper is mainly generated on the island of Bangka. Pepper called sahang in Malay language locales such as Banjar, Malay Islands, Sambas Malays, and others.
7. BAWANG MERAH /Onion (Allium cepa L. Aggregatum Group) is a kind of spice plants into various cuisines of Southeast Asia and the world. Javanese people know him as scallions. The most widely used are tubers, although some of the culinary traditions also use the leaves and flower stalks as cooking seasonings. This plant is thought to have originated from Central Asia and Southeast Asia. Onions contain vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and folic acid. In addition, red onions also contain calcium and iron. Shallots also contain natural plant growth regulators in the form of the hormone auxin and gibberellins. Other uses onion as traditional medicine, the onion is known as a drug because it contains antiseptic effect and compound alliin. The compound alliin by alliinase enzyme subsequently converted into pyruvic acid, ammonia, and alliisin as an anti-microbial that is bactericidal.
8. BAWANG PUTIH Garlic is the name of the genus Allium plants as well as the name of the tubers produced. Bulbs of garlic crop is the main ingredient for seasoning base Indonesian cuisine. Raw garlic is full of sulfur compounds, including chemical called alliin which makes raw garlic was bitter or angur. Garlic is used as a spice that is used almost in every food and cuisine of Indonesia. Before being used as a seasoning, crushed garlic with a knife pressed to the side (dikeprek) before finely chopped and sauteed in a frying pan with a little cooking oil. Garlic can also be mashed with various types of materials that lain.Dan spices can also be used as a remedy wart disease, how: keprek garlic (not to fine) then put on the wart and a strong tie with a cloth or plaster wait up to 30 minutes, do not too many moves, then the skin will be hot and your warts will menghitam.Besoknya rid of warts. Garlic has natural antibiotic properties as in the human body.