Plant Hunters Archives - Zizira Explorers

Lakadong Turmeric Trail – Into the World of the World’s Best Turmeric

At Zizira we are always concerned about product purity and quality. Because when we promise the best we mean nothing but the best. Incidences of adulteration in foodstuffs raise a morbid fear in us. Because of this, we have made it a policy in the company to source our raw material from nowhere but the very source itself, and not via media. That way we can ensure 100% genuineness in our product line. This is how we source our Lakadong turmeric – from the very farmers who grow it.

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The Why Behind The Big Fat Indian Haldi Ceremony

Weddings in India aren’t just ceremonies, they are festivals! Which is why wedding planning starts at least six months in advance. The Haldi or turmeric ceremony is the only Indian ceremony named after a spice. Let’s find out the significance of turmeric in Indian weddings.

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Get Connected With Nature Through 3 Underutilised Plants Transformed Into Products

Our needs are endless! There is no limit to what we want and what we can create. In this race of constant creation, we have come far. But in our quest to create, have we missed the link to create with nature? Look closely, and you will realize that nature has given us everything we …

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Winged Prickly Ash Impressive Tongue-numbing Spice

Spice to Chew Away Your Ailments Uncle Wen had one peculiar habit. He never travelled anywhere without a tiny box of dried ‘Jaiur’ – Winged Prickly Ash a.k.a. Szechuan pepper. It was his lifeline, he declared. You see, Uncle Wen suffered from low blood pressure and diabetes. He had frequent toothaches (he ate too much …

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Natural Health & Wellbeing – Revive and Regenerate Everyday with Zizira

The Race for Health and Well-being Being and staying healthy is everyone’s desire, and one of people’s nagging concerns. Health is the single vital need that’s often taken for granted. Until we run into problems. That’s one reason why global healthcare industry is thriving. There is any number of health clinics and hospitals. And numerous …

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Meghalaya’s Mosambi – Sweet Lime for Refreshment & Nutrition

Sweet Lime for an Energised Day The cruel hot sun beats without mercy. The weather is oppressive. Exhaustion soon overcomes you, enervating you and your body jellifies. Instinct craves for a swig of that cool, soothing drink to get energised once again. Like most people’s, your first fruit juice of choice happens to be Mosambi …

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5 Reasons Why Turmeric Might Not Be for You?

Customers often ask me “Is turmeric safe for everyone?” My quick response is “Yes it’s Turmeric, it’s good for everyone”. But then, as the thought “Could something as medicinal as turmeric be unsafe?” popped up in my head, I erased my answer. Worth looking up, I thought. Turmeric is my favourite spice as it helped …

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21 Ways How You can Use Turmeric

Turmeric Is a Wonder Spice! We sought out ancient wisdom and modern innovation to discover internal and external applications of turmeric. Raw turmeric. Powdered turmeric. Turmeric Leaf. All three parts of the plant are multi-purpose. Apart from the health benefits of ingesting, turmeric has many external applications as well? So, what are the various uses …

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Highland Tea Story From Sohryngkham Meghalaya

Little Magical Tea Garden Picturesque is the word that describes Sharawn Tea Garden. It sits pretty on the gentle south-sloping highlands of Sohryngkham village in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district. The well-known temperate climate of Sohryngkham situated at an altitude of 5333 ft is perfect for this highland tea. Bah John, a bold entrepreneur who for …

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A Touch of Spices – Spending Time With Bei Bina

Bei Bina Shylla of Iewduh Market, Shillong ‘Bei’ is an endearing term meaning Mother in the Pnar language of the Jaintias, a sub-tribe of the Khasi people of Meghalaya. Bei Bina is one of the retailers of Khasi spices in Shillong. I had an appointment with Bei through my sister Lina who knows her well. …

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Discover Sohiong – the Unique Blackberry of Meghalaya

Unique Blackberry of Meghalaya There are these delightful little berries, purplish-black in colour, packed with nutrients and antioxidants, which starts flooding the markets of Shillong for a short period from late August till mid-October. Locals call them Sohiong – literally black fruit, and they count among Meghalaya’s abundant indigenous, underutilised, but high potential, edible fruits. These sweetish, slightly acidic, soft …

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King of Oranges – the Khasi Mandarin

Scent of the Orange November is around the corner. That means all you orange lovers will once again get to see and savour, those orbs that will colour the markets golden. Just holding one in your hand you get that endearing whiff of sweet, orangey scent. Dig your thumb into the depression atop its skin …

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Amazing Power of Herbs & Plants for Traditional Healing

Easy Cures Within Easy Reach Little Dino was as normal as any eight-year-old would be. Playful, mischievous, up to endless tricks and accident-prone too. Nicks, cuts, scrapes and gashes are part of his daily routine. One typical day while playing with friends he tumbled down a concrete slope and badly hurt himself. Deep gashes and …

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Fascinating Lore of Meghalaya’s Traditional Healers and Cures

Medicinal Plant’s Traditional Healers Use Allium sativum, Cinnamomum tamala, Curcuma longa, Piper nigrum, Hypericum Laxum, Lycopodium clavatum, Swertia chirayita…the names may sound exotic, but they actually are scientific names of very common plants, some of which you have definitely seen, and used.Most of us have no idea that these plants possess tremendous medicinal value. Significantly, …

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Medicinal Use of Plants in Meghalaya – A Brief Study

Medicinal use of plants has been incorporated by the people of all races and regions since time immemorial. These plants grow abundantly on the pristine and lush green forest of Meghalaya, you can find the common herbs on our backyards itself, that’s the main reason the people of Meghalaya used plants to treat almost all …

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Nepenthes Khasiana of Nokrek National Park Maybe an Endangered Plant!

Meghalaya is a state rich in endemic flora, unique to only the state. It is blessed with abundant indigenous plants that have potent medicinal uses. In this article, we will focus on one unique plant species called the “pitcher plant” scientifically known as Nepenthes khasiana. This post is based on a study published in 2011. This …

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Little Known Facts of Black Pepper Plant [Infographic]

Black pepper plant is a well-known spice plant that it is widely used for its spicy flavor in seasoning and flavoring cuisines all across the globe. Black pepper is a spice that will be found in almost all the restaurants and kitchen, in fact, it is one of the most commonly used spice. It is …

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Phenomenal Health Benefits of the Galangal Root

Generally, we are all aware of the different spices and herbs. But have you heard of a herb called Galangal? Let us learn about this. What Is Galangal? Galangal is an herbal root that belongs to the ginger family (genus Alpinia). Galangal root is mostly found in the South-east part of Asia and is native …

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5 Effective Health Benefits of Black Pepper Powder

Every time you buy black pepper spice, remember that this spice holds more benefits than you can imagine. Black pepper belongs to “Piperaceae family”, this pepper plant is processed in multiple ways to yield a different kind of pepper variety. For instance, the dried fruit is the black pepper and the white pepper is the …

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Quick & Easy to Make Home Remedies for Cough

It is never fun to be in a situation where you have been suffering from a persistent cough. Coughs, although may not be a serious ailment, can just be terribly uncomfortable, both physically and when you are around people. While it may be necessary to take a cough suppressing medicines, but often, simple substances in …

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5 Useful DIY Natural Health Remedies with Bay Leaf

‘Bay leaf’ is a popular spice, commonly known as ‘Tej Patta‘ in the Indian household. Obtained from the Bay laurel tree, Laurus nobilis, it is widely used as a flavor enhancer in dishes, for perfumery purposes and for aromatherapy. Indian Bay leaf is a three-veined leaf, with smooth leathery texture and is deep green in …

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How Simple Medicinal Herbs and Spices can Heal

One Common Medicinal Herb and Nine Common Spices That Help Heal Injuries and Illnesses Did you know that there is a shrub that grows abundantly in Meghalaya, one that is considered an obnoxious weed, that can effectively stops bleeding in cuts and wounds? Or, that simple spices you use in your kitchen can effectively help …

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Sohdanei – Garcinia pedunculata – Does it Help in Weight Loss?

Zizira explorers have been hearing a buzz about Sohdanei – that it is used for curing many an ailment and could also help people shed weight! We decided to find out more by talking to people in Meghalaya who are knowledgeable about herbal medicines. *pronounced Sawh-da-ney (as -ey in they) Botanists call it Garcinia pedunculata. …

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Lantana Camara a Camouflaged Treasure Trove

Lantana camara is a perennial flowering plant found in tropical areas. It is indigenous to America and Africa, but can be now found as an exotic species in many other places of Europe, Asia and Oceania. This plant is known for its clustered flowering form with an aromatic scent. Lantana flowers display bright tinges of …

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Long pepper – a Spice that Spices and Cures

Grandma’s Go-to Doctor — Mother Nature It was a lazy Sunday when I was recollecting younger days and was reminded of my grandmother and how she used locally grown herbs and spices to churn up a cure for many ailments! Grandma knew how to get us kids up, and off to school. As kids we …

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Explore the Medicinal Benefits of Ginger

Ginger is renowned for its taste elevating properties and is almost a ‘must have’ in Asian cooking. Its use is so common that at times one tends to forget that ginger has many medicinal properties too. This spice is of special interest to Zizira explorers as many farmers grow ginger in Meghalaya the natural way …

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Traditional Remedy for Excellent Oral Health: Potentilla Fulgens

Before the advent of modern medication, medicinal interventions such as dentistry were practiced as early as 7,000 BC in India. For ages, we have healed with herbal medicines using the traditional knowledge passed down through generations. The rich biodiversity of Northeast India makes it one of the richest warehouse of medicinal and aromatic plants in …

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Benefits of Turmeric: The Miracle Spice for a Healthy Heart

Benefits of Turmeric Has a Long History In a recent study, it was found that turmeric is just as effective as well as a safer alternative to treating major depressive disorder (MDD). This study provides first clinical evidence that curcumin may be used as an effective and safe modality for treatment in patients with MDD …

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Quinoa: Face to Face With a 4,000-year Old Superfood

The reward for braving out on the hills of Meghalaya is discovery. Discovery that is profitable, not just for Zizira’s explorers, but for the farmers and for all who are looking for a great way to get back to healthy, non-synthetic lives. This time, we found out how an ancient grain – whose domesticated heritage …

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Exploring the Potential of Hydrosol

Want to know the latest discovery of Zizira explorers in the area of essential oils? It is a by-product from distilling essential oils of aromatic plants, is valuable and has a market! We are talking about what is called Hydrosol! As its name suggests – it is water based and is collected during the process …

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Can Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Improve Livelihood of Farmers?

In a recent post of ours on the top 5 essential oils of India you may have noticed a mention that Zizira explorers ‘discovered’ the world of essential oils after a visit to CIMAP, Bangalore. That was in March 2016. Once back home we seem to be discovering more and more about the Medicinal and …

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High Quality Meghalaya Wintergreen Can Tap Into a Billion-dollar Export Market

Remember as a kid, when you come back from the playground with aching limbs, and your grandmother took out her little bottle of oil of wintergreen and gave you a rub-up? The pain just disappeared. Well, wintergreen has many more qualities. It has a very high demand in the pharmaceutical industry around the world, and …

High Quality Meghalaya Wintergreen Can Tap Into a Billion-dollar Export MarketRead More

Top 5 Essential Oils of India

Essential oils of India, is an area of interest for Zizira. What we learnt while exploring this area is what we are presenting here, which includes information on top 5 essential oils produced in India. You may wonder why essential oils? Curiosity, they say, kills a cat, but it seems to give Zizira a boost …

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