Gas and bloating can undoubtedly give you a hard time. A hearty meal is often accompanied with the constant uneasy feeling, which can further give rise to various indigestion problems. If you have been suffering from the same and are looking for some respite, then we're here to help. There are a lot of kitchen ingredients that can come to great help in keeping indigestion at bay. One such common ingredient is asafoetida (or hing).
Hing is a staple of Indian cuisine. Not only does it enhances the taste and flavour of the dish, but is also replete with many health benefiting properties. As per the book, 'Healing Spice' by Bharat B. Aggarwal, Ph. D with Debora Yost, "In a study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, scientists in the Middle East reported that the spice relaxes the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract. Two other studies found that regular indigestion of the spice can help relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, including intestinal cramping, bloating and gas."
The asafoetida powder comes in two colours; light brown and yellow. The yellow is slightly milder because it's coloured with turmeric, a golden-yellow spice. Yellow asafoetida blends more easily with other ingredients. To make the most of this spice, you can add it in your curries or even consume it in the form of hing water. Hing works wonderfully in aiding digestion, which can further up the metabolic rate to a great extent. Just add a half teaspoon of hing in warm water and consume it on an empty stomach to keep bloating and gas at bay.
So, the next time your digestive system sends you uneasy signals, bring hing to your rescue and ward off the indigestion blues.
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