HealthyPIG Magazine

Asafoetida is the dried sap or gum resin obtained from the roots of the Asafoetida plant. It is usually dried and ground into a coarse yellow powder for culinary or medicinal purposes.

Although asafoetida is native to Afghanistan and Iran, it is commonly used in Indian cuisine.

As a condiment, asafoetida is known for its strong pungent smell, which is caused by its high concentration of sulfur compounds. In fact, it is sometimes called smelly gum due to its unpleasant odor.

However, when cooked, its taste and smell become more savory, often described as similar to leeks, garlic, and even meat.

In Ayurvedic medicine, used to aid digestion and gas, and to treat bronchitis and kidney stones. In the Middle Ages, some people hung dried gum around their necks to help ward off infection and disease.

Still, many of the traditional uses of asafoetida have not been confirmed by modern science.