Surprising Health Benefits of Rasam – Why adding rasam is beneficial to health?

If you’ve ever been to South Indian States of India and ever tasted South Indian cuisine, you must have tasted rasam once in your life. Personally, I am the biggest fan of rasam. It so light, soupy and super savoring that whatever you eat and how heavy you feel, rasam helps digest it all. Rasam is compulsory in south Indian cuisine and is savored in every meal. Even people who suffer from cold, cough, flu or poor digestion, can have rasam without any worries. It is prepared with a base of tamarind juice, chopped tomatoes and a paste of cumin, pepper, garlic cloves and coriander leaves. The soup is perfect blend of spices, herbs and tomatoes that is rich in antioxidants. The ingredients of rasam highlight potential medicinal benefits to reduce and alleviate numerous ailments such as indigestion, cold, flu, constipation, weight gain and many more. Let’s have a look on the surprising health benefits of Rasam, the gem of a South Indian dish:

1. Rich in minerals and vitamins

Rasam is highly packed with antioxidants such as thiamin, folic acid, niacin, vitamin A, vitamin C and many minerals such as calcium, potassium, zinc, iron, selenium, copper and magnesium. So, the healthy and appetizing soup doesn’t only satisfy your taste buds but also provide you’re the goodness of all nutrients for your regular balanced diet.

2. Eases indigestion and improves digestion

People who suffer from indigestion due to overheating in stomach, heavy meals, excessive oily and spicy food can easily get relieved from upset stomach by having a bowl of rasam. It’s super light, and all the nutritional ingredients such as coriander, curry leaves, pepper, cumin seeds and asafetida improve digestion. So next time, if you’re not in mood for eating anything, go for rasam instead.

3. Aids cold and flu

The tangy flavor of tamarind juice in rasam helps to clear the passage of the respiratory tract and the curry leaves in it fight flu-like symptoms effectively. Curry leaves, turmeric, tamarind extract and black pepper have several health benefits specially to fight cold, flu and cough. Turmeric, black pepper helps in reducing bacterial and viral infection and improves immunity. In the south, the natives call rasam an excellent recovery food. Patients who have been sick or bogged down with flu can have a bowl of authentic rasam to get instant relief and from congestion and runny nose which is one of the best health benefits of rasam.

4. Eases constipation

The prime health benefit that rasam is famous for is assisting your stomach to improve digestion and finally prevent constipation. The super tangy tamarind base of the savior soup is a versatile ingredient to aid constipation. Tomatoes, curry leaves and coriander leaves boost dietary fiber in the soup that promotes digestive system easing the stomach lining.

5. Helps in weight loss

Rasam is the king of all soups and there is a reason for it. Black pepper in rasam significantly remove toxins from the body and also ensures strong metabolism. Improved metabolism helps in weight loss remarkably. However, health-conscious people who prefer to keep their food light in dinner to maintain healthy weight and perfect shape, can have a full bowl of rasam which is enough to keep you full for a long time and has only 63 calories.

6. Great for skin health

Another amazing health benefit of rasam is, it’s rich in anxtioxidants such as niacin, thiamin, folic acid and vitamin C help in fighting free radicals that cause oxidative stress in the body. Fighting free radicals, benefits in slowing down ageing process of skin and organs. Vitamin C in the soup remarkably improves skin tone and complexion.

7. Healthy for pregnant women

Rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, rasam makes a perfect meal for pregnant women. It provides ample calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc to a pregnant woman according to the daily mineral intake. It is not only super healthy but also due to its tangy taste, it boosts the taste buds of pregnant woman to eat right without having nausea effect.

8. May help in fighting cancer

Regular consumption of rasam may help fighting cancer. Black pepper in rasam has a compound called piperine, which has been found in researches, to have an inhibitory effect on growth of cancerous cells. 

Rasam (No Lentil) Recipe

Ingredient –

• Cumin seeds 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds 1 tbsp
• Asafetida 2 pinch
• Black pepper 1 tbsp
• Red chillies 3
• Curry leaves 7-8
• Coriander leaves 9-10 strands
• Coriander powder 1 tsp
• Garlic cloves 3 cloves
• Chopped tomatoes 1 medium size
• Tamarind extract 1 big cup
• Green Chillies 2
• Turmeric ½ tbsp
• Salt according to taste
• Oil 3 tbsp
• Water 700 ml

Preparation time 10-15 minutes

Method-

• Take 1 tbsp of cumin seeds, black pepper corns, 3 garlic cloves and 4 strands of coriander leaves to make a thick paste.
• Take a pan, heat 3 tbsp of oil (coconut oil recommended), splutter mustard seeds 1 tbsp, add 2 red chillies, 4-6 curry leaves and 2 pinch od asafetida. Saute well.
• Add the paste into the spluttered spices and mix it well to separate it from oil.
• Add I medium size chopped tomatoes and let it get cooked  well till it gets mushy in texture.
• Add turmeric ½ tbsp and 1 tsp of coriander powder, mix well.
• Add 1 big cup of tamarind extract juice to the mixture and stir well and add salt according to taste.
• Pour 700 ml of water and let it boil for 8 minutes. After the soup is well cooked, add final chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Bon appetite!