Curry powder is the staple of many spiced chicken dishes and is perfect in a bowl of coconut curry. Curry is a mix of spices such as coriander, turmeric, cumin, chili, and fenugreek, with occasional garlic and ginger. Curry is a unique mix of spices that has anti-inflammatory properties, and the fragrant spice is used in healing dishes across the world. While curry is deeply associated with the popular curry sauce, it is often used to make dishes have a uniquely south Asian flavor outside of sauces as well. With the blend of spices, it can be hard to know whether or not it is a safe addition to a gluten-free or low-gluten diet.
The mix of spices used to make curry powder are naturally gluten free. However, companies use flour to make sure that the curry spice doesn’t cake or clump together. There is also a high chance of cross-contamination with wheat and grain products during manufacturing. The best certified gluten free curry powder on the market is Thrive Market Organic Curry Powder.
In this article, we are going to explore how the nutritional value of curry powder, as well as other gluten-free alternatives. Let’s dig in!
Contents
Is Curry Powder Healthy?
Curry powder is one of the healthier spices out there. The complex flavor of the curry is created through the different spices within it. This makes curry powder have a myriad of benefits with regular consumption, as well as not being extremely calorie-dense.
1. Anti-Inflammatory
Curry has multiple spices that contribute to anti-inflammatory properties such as turmeric, coriander, and chili. Turmeric is a particularly powerful anti-inflammatory that has been shown to relieve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or bowel diseases.
2. Anticancer Properties
While curry doesn’t reverse the effect so cancer, many of the spices found in curry have spices that have been shown to fight cancer cells. This is by inducing cancer cell death and prevents the spread of cancerous cells by suppressing the pathways that they travel by. Studies on both animals and humans have had very promising results, leaving us with a lot to look forward to in terms of the future of nutrition and medicine.
3. Antibacterial Properties
Curry powder has coriander and cumin, which have been shown through test-tube studies to be able to fight bacteria and fungus. This type of antibacterial food can be beneficial for the body because it doesn’t fight all forms of bacteria but instead focuses on traditionally bad bacteria.
4. Lowering Blood Sugar
Curry has been shown through studies that those who consume a regular amount of curry had lower blood sugar levels over time. People who didn’t consume curry regularly had blood sugar levels that remained the same. The ones who didn’t consume curry regularly consumed about one curry dish per month.
5. Keeping You Full For Longer
Studies have confirmed that people who ate 6 grams or more of curry powder in a dish reported a lack of desire to eat and were less hungry compared to those who ate less. This means that if you’re on a low-calorie diet, adding curry may improve its sustainability.
6. Heart Health
The way that curry powder benefits the heart ti that it boosts the amount of blood flow as well as significantly improving blood vessel function in the long term. This mitigated one of the main contributed to heart disease, making it a worthy long-term addition to your diet.
Are Takeaway Curry Dishes Healthy?
Takeaway curry dishes are entirely different health-wise from the powder with so many benefits. Takeaway curry tends to balance out the benefits of the powder by creating an extremely fatty and calorie-dense meal. A single bowl of a takeaway curry dish will often contain about 1,000 calories or half of the doctor’s recommended caloric value.
Why isn’t Curry Certified Gluten-Free?
Curries spices are naturally gluten-free, but that doesn’t make the production of curry gluten-free. When factories are producing spices, there are a lot of additives that they put in to ensure that the spices won’t cake together or to preserve them for longer periods.
Flour
Flour is one of the more popular additives that curry companies use to make sure that the powder doesn’t stick together in the canister. This also makes the product last for longer but makes it not safe for consumption if you’re gluten-free.
What Are Some Gluten-Free Curry Brands?
When you’re craving some curry flavor, it can be hard to find brands that you trust. To find gluten-free curry, a good tip is to look for ones that are free of additives as well.
Thrive Market Organic Curry Powder
Thrive Market Organic Curry Powder is a perfect example of a curry powder made without those pesky additives to extend shelf life. This is a powder, meaning that you can customize the paste with dairy or dairy-free alternatives. This curry powder is vegan, paleo-friendly, vegan, salt-free, preservative-free, gluten-free, and organic.
Nutrition Facts (per 1/4 of a teaspoon):
- 2 Calories
- 0g Total Fat
- 0g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 0mg Sodium
- 0g Total Carbohydrates
- 0g Total Sugars
- 0g Added Sugars
- 0g Protein
Ingredients:
- Organic Turmeric Root
- Organic Coriander Seed
- Organic Cumin Seeds
- Sea Salt
- Organic Ginger Root
- Organic Fenugreek Seed
- Organic Cayenne Pepper
- Organic Cinnamon
- Organic Cardamom
- Organic Cloves
- Organic Nutmeg
Thai Kitchen Gluten-Free Red Curry Paste
Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste is a good example of a multifaceted brand that carried gluten-free and glutenous products. They make sure not to cross-contaminate gluten-free and gluten-filled products on the products that they label gluten-free. Their red curry paste is no exception.
Nutrition Facts:
- 5 Calories
- 0g Total Fat
- 0g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 95mg Sodium
- 1g Carbohydrates
- 0g Fiber
- 0g Sugar
- 0g Protein
Ingredients:
- Spices
- Red Chili Pepper
- Garlic
- Lemongrass
- Salt
- Shallot
- Coriander Root
- Kaffir Lime Peel
Public Goods Yellow & Green Curry
This curry mix is made with gluten-free, vegan, and organic ingredients that are easily readable and understandable. It comes in a thick paste that can be added to soups and salads, or smothered over your favorite protein. The sauce recommends that it is paired with coconut or nut milk to have a smooth, creamy curry that everybody will enjoy.
Nutrition Facts (per 1 tablespoon):
- 15 Calories
- 0g Total Fat
- 0g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 390mg Sodium
- 4g Total Carbohydrates
- 1g Fiber
- 1g Total Sugars
- 0g Added Sugars
- 0g Protein
Ingredients:
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Lime Juice
- Galangal
- Himalayan Pink Salt
- Dried Red Chili
- Turmeric
- Coriander Powder
- Fennel Powder
- Cumin Powder
- Cinnamon Powder
- Clove Powder
Homemade Curry Powder
The best way to make sure that your product isn’t cross-contaminated is to make it yourself. The mix of spices and oil means that all the ingredients are gluten-free, To make your homemade curry, simply gather these ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 4 1/2 teaspoons of ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 1.2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 inch cinnamon stick
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions:
After gathering all of these spices together, make sure to mix them and store them in an airtight container in a room temperature cabinet or pantry.
What Curry Powders Are Not Guaranteed Gluten-Free?
McCormick Curry Powder
While McCormick spices themselves don’t contain any glutenous products, they have a high chance of cross-contamination. This is because they are processed with shared equipment that could have remnants of gluten products on them. Before you buy this powder, make sure that it explicitly states that it is gluten-free.
Anything that says “Flour to Prevent Clumping”
Many curry companies will put the flour into their product to prevent clumping in spice mixes, but under federal law, they are required to disclose the allergen on the ingredient label. This means that to remain 100% gluten-free, you should avoid things that say they may contain wheat.
What does “May Contain Wheat” mean?
May contain wheat, in this context, means that while gluten-free products were used in the making of the product, but the manufacturing process was shared with a product that contains wheat or is not gluten-free. This means that they cannot guarantee that there is a complete lack of gluten under the legal definition.
Related Questions
What Are the Uses of Curry?
The use of curry powder is to add flavor to any dish, from stews to meat and vegetables. The flavor is a mix of spice and slightly sweet, making it a popular addition to lean meats such as chicken and shrimp.
Are Garam Masala and Curry Powder the Same?
No, they’re not. While both bring a warm flavor to the dish, they are made of different ingredients. Traditional curry is made of over 20 spices, while garam masala is made of much fewer, if similar, ingredients.