Since I’ve got several cross–reactions on food because of pollen, there are not much spices in use at the kitchen. Thats why the variety and taste profile of my recipes is quite small.
Lots of health traditions use herbs for cure. But for me, lots of the praised «healthy things» may make the problem worse. Since people often propagate the heritages and ideas, I sometimes think I’m doing wrong. Or try things out again and again. Instead of accepting that it won’t work for me that well.
Neverteless I found a lot of hints and ideas in the ancient ideas of simple living. I just have to choose well and adequate.
Ginger
I like the spiciness of ginger. Especially, when fried. When winter comes, I start to use small amounts in the kitchen. When pollen season starts, I slowly suspend ginger again. Cross–reactions especially happen to/with mugwort pollen (artemisia). But since the body is playing crazy on birch pollen also, I slowly try keep distance from it as soon as winter ends. But as you see, in some seasons ginger works well for me too.
Black Cumin
Those seeds I do use all year long. They have to be fried, to become tasty. Their spiciness is very welcome on vegetables or on flatbread.
Black cumin seeds are also available as an oil. Quite expensive, but excellent as a finish, added on the dish at the table.
Sage
Since there are almost no other herbs possible, I use sage to give some taste to my dishes. So far I couldn’t feel any cross–reaction with it. As long as this works, I use fresh one when seasonally available, or dried one during wintertime.
Cardamom
I love this spice. I do consume it during winter time. Occasionally also during pollen season. I think it is quite well tolerated if not overdone. When I do have lots of symptoms through pollen in the air or from other foods, I tend to refrain strictly from spices.
Rosewater
This hydrolat was recommended to me by an ayurvedic doctor. Dosed in small amounts, it offers a pleasant taste. Since I don’t like the taste of our drinkable tap water, I flavor the filled up bottle with a drop of rosewater. It helps to drink enough water during the day.
Tamarind paste
Guess this is not considered a sattvic spice – it is very sour. I use very few of it and not every day. The only effect I felt so far was that it hurts on the teeth, if consumed to often or raw, because of its sourness.
I like to use Tamarind for baking (in combination with bicarbonate) or instead of soy sauce.
Tamarind is the only sour food I tolerate so far (be aware, it is from the legumes family). Lemon, lime, vinegar etcetera give me symptoms. I can’t even smell vinegar without starting to feel histamine levels rising.
I find it nice to sometimes have a taste of sour in the kitchen.