Asant is the name for a rubbery resin from the roots of the umbelliferous plant of the same name. It is particularly common as a spice in vegetarian cuisine in India. In this article, you will learn everything about the effects of Asant and how to season dishes with it.
The asante plant originally comes from the desert regions of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, where it can grow up to three meters high even on dry soil. The actual spice is a gummy resin that is extracted from the thick tap root of the herbaceous plant and dried. Asant owes its nickname “Teufelsdreck” or “Stinkasant” to its intense, fresh atmosphere garlic reminiscent smell. The resin, ground into powder, is used in small quantities as a spice, but also in medicine.
Asant is relatively rare here, which is why you usually cannot buy it in local grocery stores. With a little luck, however, you can find the spice in Indian delicatessen stores. Alternatively, several online retailers also offer Asant for sale. We advise you, best of all Organic spices to buy because they contain less pesticides.
Effect and application of Asant
Asant contains a number of active ingredients that also make it interesting for medicine – including various essential oils as well as the natural flavorings Vanillin and Coumarin.
A study from 2012 demonstrated the following effects of Asant:
- antispasmodic
- expectorant
- carminative (against Flatulence effective)
- laxative
- reassuring
- Lowering blood pressure
Thanks to its various modes of action, Asant can be used in many ways in medicine. The ground resin is most commonly used in the following areas:
- Digestive Problems: Asant stimulates digestion and prevents too much gas from building up in the digestive system. This will relieve gas and help relieve stomach cramps.
- Colds and respiratory diseases: The expectorant effect of Asanth frees the bronchi. The spice works at the same time antiviralwhich can help relieve symptoms of the flu.
- Homeopathy: Homeopathy uses the calming effect of Asant among other things to sleep disordersTo treat diarrhea and irritable stomach.
- Dementia: Researchers from Magdeburg and Halle were able to participate in one study prove in fruit flies that the ferulic acid found in asante can increase learning performance and even help against dementia.
Asant in the kitchen: ideal for Indian dishes
In its ground form, you can store Asant in air-closed containers for up to a year. Since that indian spice has a very intense taste, you should always use it very sparingly. Asant is sometimes also sold in the form of lumps of resin, which you have to grind up before you can use them in the kitchen. The aroma of asante unfolds particularly well in Indian chutneys, sauces, lentil dishes and vegetable stews such as korma.
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