Have a headache? Take a strong curry!

August 22nd, 2006

I like indian food, particularly the mild or medium strength ones such as masala based sauces, but I never realised that curries can have health benefits too.

In fact I’ve always associated strong curries with anything but good health as I suffered the after effects the next day, however the news that curries can help relieve headaches is great news for curry lovers across the world.

It is well known that many plants can exert a pharmaceutical effect, and this is of course the basis for homeopathic medicine, however it appears that the active drug in aspirin - salicylic acid - is found in indian spices such as turmeric, cumin and paprika.

So much so that in fact a portion of vindaloo contains more salicylic acid than one aspirin tablet.
Not only is aspirin effective for relieving headaches, it is also taken by those with heart problems, as it can help prevent clot formation, and can help prevent bowel cancer, so it turns out that curries are indeed good for your health.

Luckily for those who do not like indian food, salicylic acid, the research has found, is also present in a variety of other foods such as tomatoes, fruit and salads which further supports the five fruit and veg a day theory for health eating.

Entry Filed under: Healthy Foods