Pav bhaji masala nutrition facts and health benefits - Nutrition: Health Benefits and Facts - Times Foodie (2024)

There is no Indian home that doesn’t have its own spice mix. From curries to subzis, each dish requires a specific mix of spices and herbs that is called "masalas". One such masala mix is the pav bhaji masala. Pav bhaji is a dish that originated in Mumbai made specially for mill workers. It is one of the most iconic foods of the city with many variations.

What is pav bhaji masala?

Pav bhaji is a dish made of mashed vegetables like tomato, potatoes, peas, onions and chilies. Sometimes, exotic vegetables like broccoli and bell peppers are also used. It’s served with pav, a bun-like accompaniment toasted in butter. Chopped onions and lemon are also served on the side.

The dish is spiced with a masala mix comprising coriander, chilly, cumin, black pepper, dry mango, cassia, clove, turmeric, dry ginger, star anise, fennel seeds and black cardamom. This mixture is sold as “pav bhaji masala.”

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Pav bhaji masala nutrition

A 100 gram of pav bhaji masala contains the following nutrients:

Health benefits of pav bhaji masala?

Pav bhaji masala has the combined benefits of chilli, coriander, cumin, dried mango, cassia leaf, black pepper, clove, turmeric, dried ginger, star anise, fennel and black cardamom.

These spices have a lot of health benefits range from improving digestion to reducing inflammation to boosting cardiovascular health to preventing cancer. Cumin, dried mango, dried ginger, fennel and chilli aid in digestion. Turmeric and black pepper have immune boosting and cancer-fighting properties. Clove, star anise and cassia leaf are rich in antioxidants that fight free radicals and cell damage.

Following are some of the potential health benefits of pav bhaji masala.

• Reduces inflammation
• Fights free radicals and cell damage
• Aids digestion
• Aids weight loss
• Promotes heart health
• Has anti-cancer properties
• Prevents tissue damage
• Is anti-diabetic
• Prevents arthritis
• Prevents blood clots

Some potential health benefits of pav bhaji

1. Helps in digestion: Some of the spices used in pav bhaji masala are good for the digestive health. Cumin seeds, dried mango powder, ginger and fennel help in various digestive issues. Individually, each is used as remedies for issues like gas, flatulence and bloating.
2. Can lower risk of death: The spices in pav bhai masala are rich in phenolic compounds that can lower risk of death from cancer, ischemic heart diseases and respiratory diseases.
3. Can boost heart health: Frequent consumption of spices like ginger, turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon and coriander can improve heart healt by reducing bad cholesterol, increasing good cholesterol, preventing platelet aggregation and improving endothelial functions.
4. Aids in weight loss: The naturally occurring bioactive ingredients in spices like ginger, pepper and turmeric have weight loss effects. These compounds target fat cells and help decrease body weight.
   

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