Online Remedies - Natural Solutions for Health problems

CINNAMON (Dalchini) Description The cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) is an evergreen perennial tree, which grows upto a height of about six to eight m. The leaves of the plant are large, 10 to 20 cm. in length and 6to 10 cm. in width. They are egg-shaped, thick, leathery, pointed at tip and shining green and lighter coloured beneath. The flowers are minute, in large hairy clusters. Fruits are oblong or eggshaped, about 1.5 to 2 cm. long and dark purple, with one seed. The bark of the tree is thick, smooth and brownish dark in colour. The inner bark is obtained from carefully selected shoots. It is then cured and dried. During drying, the brak shrinks and curls into a cylinder or “quill”. They have a pleasing fragrant odour and a warm, sweet and aromatic taste. The shoots of the two year old cinnamon tree are cut and the bark is peeled after the branches are exposed to air for about twenty for hours. Then the bark is packed inside one another and dried. Cinnamon

CHILLIES OR CAPSICUMS (Mirch / Shimla Mirch) Description: Chillies (Capsicum annum) are the dried ripe fruits of the species of genus capsicum. They are also called red peppers or capsicums. They are vietually an indispensable item for cooking. Dry chilli contributes a major share among the spices consumed per head in India. Capsicum is a veriable annual sub-shrub it has single a flower and usually pendent fruits. The fruits are long or oval having bright dark green colours and befin to change into beautiful crimson red on ripening. The fruits are broader at the base and conical at the tip. They grow from 2.5 to 15 cm. The pericarp of the fruits consists of parenchymatous cells which contain droplets of red oil and have thin cellulose walls. The small fruited kinds are hot pungent and the fruited ones are generally mild. Origin and Distribution: Chilli plants are the native of America. Columbus in 1492 A.D. brought chilli on his first voyage back from Americ

CELERY SEEDS (Ajwain Beej) Description: The celery (Apium graveolens) is an important salad plant which grows upto a height of 60 to 180 cm. It consist of the bulbous roots, conspicuously joint stems and well developed green leaves, which emanate directly from the fleshy roots. The leaves are compound, with long stalk, which are big and succulent. The fruits are small in size, dark brown in colour and emanate a peculiar flavor when cut open. The seeds are brown in colour. In India the leaves are not so popular, but the root and the seeds are commonly used in Unani and Ayurvedic medicine. The seeds are exported to European countries as condiments. It is mostly grown in kitchen or home gardens as a salad crop. Origin and Distribution: Celery is a native of Europe and Asia. It was known to Chinese in the fifth century. The Chinese plants are, however, of Asiatic origin, while those cultivated in Europe and America are derived from European plants. In early da

CARDAMOM (Green / Choti Elaichi) Description: Cardamoms (Elettaria cardamomum) are broadly grouped into two categories, namely, small cardamom (Chhota elaichi) or true cardamom and large cardamom (Bara elaichi). The former is commercially far more important and also far more popular than the latter. In fact, it constitutes one of the most important and valued spices of the world. It is also the second most important ‘national spice’ of India, known as the ‘Queen of Spices’, being next to black pepper, called the ‘King of Spices’. It is an indispensable part of everyday cooking. Cardamom is a perennial plant with thick, fleshy branched rhizomes and several erect stems which sometimes grow upto a height of 3 m. It has very large, 30-90 cm. long, narrow with one strong median nerve and numerous faint side nerves. The flowers are about bunches. The fruits are about 1.5 cm. long, pale green to yellow in colour, somewhat oval in shape, 3-celled and many-seeded. The se

CARAWAY SEEDS (Shahjeera) Description:                     The caraway (Carum carni) is a biennial, aromatic plant. It has usually a fleshy root, which tastes somewhat like carrots, and is yellowish on the outside and whitish on the inside. It has slender, branched stem that attains a height of 0.5 to 0.6 meters. The plant has finely cut, ferny leaves like the foliage of carrots. They are divided into very narrow segments. The flowers are small and white and they are used in many flower arrangements. The fruit, when ripe, splits into narrow, elongated carpels 4 to 6.5 mm long, cured, pointed at the ends and have four longitudinal ridges on the surface. The seeds, which are actually one-half a piece of the fruits of the plant, are brown in colour and hard and sharp to touch. They are widely used as a spice for culinary purpose. They are available whole or ground. They have pleasant odour, aromatic flavor, somewhat sharp taste and leave a somewhat warm feeling in the

BISHOP’S WEED (Carom Seeds/Ajwain) Description Bishop’s weed (Trachyspermum ammi) plant belongs to coriander family, and resembles dill plant. It is a small, erect, annual shrub which grows upto about 1 meter. It has soft fine hair. The stems of the plant are much branched and leafy. It has feather like leaves 2.5 cm long; and 4 to 12 ray flowerheads, each bearing 6 to 16 flowers. The fruits are minute, egg-shaped and greyish. The dry seeds are harvested in the form Ajowan seeds. The seeds are egg-shaped about 2 mm. long 1 mm. broad. The are five ridges over each seeds with a depression in the middle. Inside the seed there are nine oil tubes that run vertically them. The seeds are aromatic, sharp, tingling and slightly bitter. The colour of the seeds is greenish-brown. Origin and distribution: The trade name ajwain is bases on the Indian name, which is derived from adarjawan. Bishop’s weed has been cultivated in India from ancient times. Now besides India it