Asafoetida is an Indian spice for cooking.1,2 — a name that translates into “rotten resin”3 — also known as hing, hingu4Heeng or5A gum made from giant fennel. It has an offensive smell that is similar to sweaty feet and rotting garlic, but a pleasant, umami-flavored taste. In France, the herb is known as devil’s dung.
GoodFood.com says6Jain and Brahmin Hindus have used it for centuries in place of onions and garlic. It’s also popular among those in whom onions cause digestive trouble.
While it is sometimes possible to locate asafoetida in its raw gum form, it’s most commonly sold as a ground powder mixed with flour, starch or turmeric. It is best to avoid eating raw as it can cause severe diarrhea or vomiting.7It is very strong in odor so it should only be taken in small quantities. GoodFood.com has this to say:8
“Once a container of asafoetida has been opened it’s best to close it as soon as possible. Then, keep it hermetically sealed in an airtight plastic container, or double wrapped — at least. If the aroma escapes you will awake to find a house reeking of yesterday’s garlic …
The yellow, diluted, asafoetida paste is usually used in the amount of about a pinch to 250g main ingredient…. Longer cooking slows it down…
Asafoetida works best when first fried for five to ten seconds in hot oil until its pungency is dramatically obvious — make sure you have the extractor on or the window open. Then quickly add other ingredients to stop it burning.”
Asafoetida’s Health Benefits
You can substitute either the onion-garlic or garlic flavor for it with its onion-garlic taste. It is often recommended to be used in bean-based dishes as it prevents gassiness.9
Antibacterial compounds are responsible for reducing the activity and growth of bacteria that causes flatulence.10There are many other health benefits as well.11It also has antibacterial and antiparasitic properties.
Researchers discovered in 2009 that certain compounds in the herb killed the H1N1 influenza virus more effectively than the commercial antiviral drug, amantadine.12,13
Another study14The ability to control fascioliasis was found in asafoetida, which contains ferulic acids.15Zoonotic liver disease is a condition that can spread between people and animals. It is caused by watercress, Fasciola hepatica, and Fasciola gigantica.
According to a paper16According to the Pharmacognosy Review asafoetida is also known for its antispasmodic properties and expectorant, laxative, and sedative qualities. Historic uses include treating hysteria, anxiety, nervous conditions, asthma and infantile pneumonia.17
According to the Pharmacognosy Review paper, it’s particularly beneficial for asthma, thanks to volatile oils that are eliminated through the lungs. It’s also been shown to work as a natural blood thinner and helps lower blood pressure. The herb is used in traditional Indian medicine to dissolve and remove gallstones.18
It has been used historically as an antidote for opium. According to the Pharmacognosy Review, “Given in the same quantity as opium ingested by the patient, it will counteract the effect of the drug.”19
Asafoetida is Anticancer and has Life Extending Properties
Asafoetida also includes a variety of chemicals that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities.20As reported in the Pharmacognosy Reviews:21
“Dried resin, administered orally to Sprague–Dawley rats at doses of 1.25 and 2.5% w/w of the diet, produced a significant reduction in the multiplicity and size of palpable N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced mammary tumors, and a delay in mean latency period of tumor appearance.
The percentage of mice that live to 52.9% was increased by oral administration. The intraperitoneal administration of chemotherapy did not result in a significant decrease in tumor growth.
The extract also inhibited a two-stage chemical carcinogenesis induced by 7,12-dimethylbenzathracene and croton oil on mice skin with significant reduction in papilloma formation.”
A similar study is also available.22Published in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine 2017, the findings confirmed that asafoetida was effective in preventing breast cancer. The authors claim:23
“Our results showed that treatment with asafoetida was effective in decreasing the tumor weight and tumor volume in treated mice. Female BALB/c mice were significantly heavier than control.
Apart from the antitumor effect, asafoetida decreased lung, liver and kidney metastasis and also increased areas of necrosis in the tumor tissue respectively.”
Check out these other studies24We also discovered that the asafoetida contains a small amount of ferulsinaic acids, which has a life-extending ability. This increases Caenorhabditis Elegans’ mean life span by as much as 18.03% and their maximum lifespan between 8.33% to 41.6%.
These effects are believed to be caused by improved heat stress tolerance as well as a decrease in lipid oxidation. According to the authors, “Ferulsinaic acid had therapeutic efficacy as an antioxidant with the possibility of its use as an antioxidant drug.”
Asafoetida’s Usefulness in Treatment of Women’s Ailments
Asafoetida can also be used to treat a number of female health conditions, including sterility, premature labor, and painful and excessive periods.
The Pharmacognosy Review25 suggests taking 12 centigrams of asafoetida gum fried in ghee with 120 grams of fresh goat’s milk and 1 tablespoon of honey, three times a day for four weeks, to increase secretion of progesterone, which can be helpful in these situations.
Asafoetida in male rats at doses of 25 to 200 mg/kg was shown to significantly increase the viability and number of sperm. This improves fertility.26
Care must be used if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant,27Asafoetida can also be used to induce miscarriage and prevent pregnancy. A 400 mg/kg dose of asafoetida has been found to have antifertility properties in rats. This prevents pregnancy in up to 80% of cases.28,29
Breastfeeding moms should avoid asofoetida. It can be passed via breastmilk to babies and may cause blood disorders.30 To treat colic, asafoetida is typically applied to the infant’s navel in the form of a paste, opposed to being ingested.31
Brain and Cardiovascular Benefits
The Pharmacognosy Review noted that the herb has been shown in the past to lower blood pressure.32Vasodilation is one mechanism that causes this hypotensive effect. The anticoagulant and smooth muscle relaxant properties of water extracts and tinctures made from dried gum resin have been demonstrated.33
Moreover, certain compounds appear to have the ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase,34,35 which means it may be useful against Alzheimer’s disease.36Asafoetida in 200-400 mg per kilo was also shown to increase memory formation in animal studies.
Asafoetida Helps Promote Gut Health
This herb can also be used to treat various digestive ailments. One study37 looking at asafoetida’s effects on functional dyspepsia (FD), a chronic disorder of the upper digestive tract,38It proved to be both safe- and effective. According to this study:39
“In the double-blinded, placebo-controlled study, 43 subjects diagnosed to have moderate to severe discomforts of nonulcer FD were randomized to receive hard-shell capsules (250 mg × 2/day) of either placebo or a food-grade formulation of asafoetida (Asafin) for 30 days.
A set of validated indexing instruments was used to evaluate the Asafin groups. Nearly 81% showed significant improvements in their overall score and quality life compared with the placebo. 66% of subjects in Asafin remained symptom-free after the study was over.
The symptoms scores improved in both groups. However, the Asafin group had a higher percentage with more than 80% reductions in several symptoms: bloating (58%), hunger (69%), postprandial fullness (74%), motion sickness (75%), digestion (77%) compared to less that 10% in the placebo group.
All the subjects remained safe with no adverse events or variations in haematological and biochemical parameters.”
Cooking with Asafoetida
If the idea of smelling up your kitchen isn’t a deterrent, consider spicing up your meals with this medicinal herb.
In “Asafoetida Stinks, But It Helps the Cook,”40Monica Bhide, a Seattle Times journalist, explains how to use it in cooking and gives you a recipe for savory cheddar cheesecake with green tomatillo and red pepper chutney.
Additional cooking tips can be found on NDTV’s Food Channel,41Netmeds.com has a recipe to make lemon-asafoetidawater.42
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