"Asafoetida or Asafetida is a strong pungent dried gum resin obtained from the taproots of several plants of the Ferula genus (sometimes called Giant Fennel)Ferula assafoetida, F. foetida and F. narthex. The plants are related to carrots and are native to the mountains of Central Asia. Today it is mainly used in India, Iran and Afghanistan as a condiment and seasoning in curries, etc.
Also known as stinking gum and devil's dung, asafoetida resin is obtained by making a cut in the top of the taproot and periodically scraping off the protective resin or sap that is exuded. Asafoetida is sold in lump and powdered form. It has a strong, unpleasant fetid aroma due to its complex mixture of sulfur compounds, which disappears when cooked and takes on an onion/garlic aroma and flavor."
Source: http://www.foodreference.com/html/f-asafoetida.html
"People use asafoetida resin, a gum-like material, as medicine. Asafoetida resin is produced by solidifying juice that comes out of cuts made in the plant’s living roots.
Asafoetida is used for breathing problems including ongoing (chronic) bronchitis,H1N1 "swine" flu, and asthma. It is also used for digestion problems including intestinal gas, upset stomach, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and irritable colon. Other uses include treatment of “whooping cough” (pertussis), croup, and hoarse throat.
Some people use asafoetida for hysteria, insanity, convulsions, and as a nerve stimulant for ongoing mental and physical fatigue with depression (neurasthenia).
Women sometimes use asafoetida to restart their menstrual periods aftermenstruation has stopped for some reason.
Asafoetida is sometimes applied directly to the skin for corns and calluses.
In manufacturing, asafoetida is used as a fragrance in cosmetics and as a flavoring ingredient in foods and beverages. Asafoetida is also used in products meant to repel dogs, cats, and wildlife.
"K. Chellamuthu, a farm worker at Kodumudi village, Erode, Tamil Nadu has developed a herbal sray for control of eriophyd mite in coconut trees, according to The Hindu. Chellamuthu details the preparation as: “About one kg of custard apple leaves, turmeric rhizome, peenari changu (Clerodendrum inermi), Aloe vera, Nochi (Vitex negundo), neem kernel (Azadirachta indica) and calotropis (calotropis gigantia) each should be ground into a fine paste by adding sufficient water and about five litres of essence extracted from it. The essence must be diluted in 15 litres of water (to make it 20 litres) and sprayed on to the crown of the tree at the rate of 2 litres per tree after harvesting the nuts.” Chellamuthu recommends repeating the procedure once every two months at the start, and later, twice a year. “Nearly 2,000 coconut trees treated with my herbal formula are healthy and about 300 farmers are using it,” he says.
The farmer also advocates use of asafoetida, or giant fennel, for increasing crop yield. “I accidentally discovered that asafoetida acts as a pest repellent and aids plant growth,” Chellamuthu says, adding that he knows that asafoetida benefits plant health, but does not know why. For an acre he places one kg of asafoetida inside a sack and places it in the irrigation channel. “The water along with the dissolved asafoetida repels pests and aids crop growth,” he says.
He discovered this technique by accident: “I once jokingly suggested to my neighbour to use the surplus half-a-kilogram asafoetida he had on his ring gourd plants affected by pests. I wanted to tease him and did not know the consequences,” he says. Surprising both Chellamuthu and his neighbor, the plants not only survived the pest attack but also grew well to yield bigger, healthier gourds than the normal ones. A farmer from a neighbouring village heard about their success and, after using it on his 2.5 acres of jasmine plants, had a good yield.
“I started experimenting asafoetida’s effect on paddy, sesame seeds, ground nut, tomato, brinjal and other crops and found that the yield increased and the plants were healthy,” says Chellamuthu. After other farmers in the district followed Chellamuthu’s practice, the Centre for Plant Protection Studies at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, undertook a scientific study on the effect of the bio-spray on paddy and brinjal crops and endorsed its usage."
21 Amazing Health Benefits of Asafoetida
In India, every kitchen has Asafoetida included in the rack of spices. No spicy food is prepared with this spice and hence Asafoetida plays a very important role for the Indian cuisine. Although, its benefits are not limited to the Indians alone, this spice plays a very important role in Ayurvedic medicines and home remedies too.
1. Kills Worms: Stomach infections related to worms in the stomach can be cured within 3 days of consumption of Asafoetida. Children get immediate and overnight results after consuming a very small quantity of Asafoetida before going to bed.
2. Anti-flatulence: Consuming Asafoetida as an ingredient in the recipes would keep the stomach away from flatulence.
3. Gums Problems: Asafoetida is used to prevent and cure gums related problems.
4. Acts as Astringent: Since Asafoetida kills the infections it is used as an astringent to kills the harmful bacteria hidden in the mouth.
5. Breathing Problems: Problems related to lungs like asthma, swine flu, bronchitis, cold and cough can be cured by consumption of Asafoetida.
6. Controls Bowel Movements: Consuming Asafoetida in daily meals controls the bowel moments and helps solve digestion problems.
7. Throat Infections: Asafoetida helps in curing throat infections and problems like sore throat, whooping cough and other throat related problems too. Gargling with warm water and Asafoetida in it gives instant relief from throat pain and infection.
8. Controlling Hysteria: Emotions can be controlled with the help of the aroma present in Asafoetida.
9. Mental Problems: Many problems related to mind like depression, tension, migraine, insanity, mental fatigue and fear can be controlled by consuming or with the aroma of Asafoetida.
10. Restart Menstruation: Many women have traditionally been using Asafoetida as the home remedy to cure the menstruation related problems and restart it after a long gap.
11. Skin Care: Asafoetida is applied on callus and corns for skin care.
12. Enhance Fertility: Both male and female fertility can be enhanced by consuming Asafoetida.
13. Controlling Diabetes: Asafoetida with bitter gourd juice is useful in controlling diabetes.
14. Relief from Toothache: Mixing small quantity of Asafoetida to lemon juice and applying it on toothache gives relief from the pain.
15. Reduces Painful Menstruation: Consuming a pinch of Asafoetida with buttermilk, half a teaspoon of fenugreek powder and salt to taste would help reduce the pain during menstruation.
16. Aromatherapy: Asafoetida essential oil is used in spa and aromatherapy.
17. Improving Voice: Gargling with Asafoetida or consuming buttermilk with a teaspoon of Asafoetida in it helps improve the voice. This is beneficial for the singers who wish to have a sweet voice forever.
18. Relief Constipation: Drinking buttermilk with a teaspoon of Asafoetida in it helps in relief from constipation.
19. Anticoagulant: This property of Asafoetida helps lower the blood pressure of the human body.
20. Prevents Blood Clotting: Asafoetida is known for its quality of blood clotting and blood thinning.
21. Antidote: The spice works as an antidote to counteract the effect of opium drug.
http://www.foodlve.com/food/21-amazing-health-benefits-of-asafoetida-561
ASAFOETIDA - Nutritive Value Of Common Foods
Energry(Ecals) 297
Moisture(gm) 16
Protein(gm) 4
Fat(gm) 1
Mineral(gm) 7
Fibre(gm) 4
Carbohydrates(gm) 68
Calcium(mg) 690
Phosphorous(mg) 50
Iron(mg) 39
Note : Nutritive value / 100 g of raw ingredients