Spices that Heal Us – Class 6 English Poorvi Question Answer (NCERT 2026–27)

Complete NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English Poorvi Unit 3 (Nurturing Nature) – “Spices that Heal Us”: summary, theme, the origin of the piece, word meanings and every textbook exercise (Let us think and reflect, Let us learn, Let us listen, Let us speak, Let us write, Let us explore) answered in full. The questions are reproduced exactly as in the NCERT book, and every table, fill-in and matching task is written out as readable text.

Class: 6 Subject: English Book: Poorvi Unit: 3 – Nurturing Nature Type: Prose (a letter) Session: 2026–27
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About the chapter

“Spices that Heal Us” appears in Unit 3, ‘Nurturing Nature’. It is written in the form of a warm, affectionate letter from a grandmother (Daadi) to her two grandchildren, Vikram and Vaibhavi, who have just recovered from an illness. In the letter, Daadi shares the everyday healing uses of common kitchen spices – turmeric, fenugreek, cumin, asafoetida, cinnamon, clove, ginger, black pepper, fennel, carom seeds and cardamom. The piece celebrates the wisdom of traditional Indian home remedies passed down through generations, while reminding readers to always consult an experienced elder before using any cure.

About the piece

This piece is not a story with a single named author; it is presented in the textbook as a personal letter signed simply “Daadi” (grandmother). Through the letter form, the NCERT lesson shares folk knowledge about the medicinal value of spices found in almost every Indian kitchen. Daadi explains that she herself learnt these home remedies from her own grandmother when she was a child, which shows how such knowledge travels from one generation to the next. The gentle, caring tone of the letter and its closing “love and aashirwaad” make the science of spices feel personal, trustworthy and rooted in family tradition.

Summary

The chapter is a letter written by Daadi (grandmother) to her grandchildren, Vikram and Vaibhavi, after she hears that they are feeling better. She is happy that the natural cures she had shared earlier helped them, and she encourages them to remember these remedies and share them with their friends. She explains that she learnt these cures from her own grandmother, who used to find home remedies in the kitchen for most common weather-related illnesses.

Daadi then describes the healing uses of many ordinary spices. Haldi (turmeric) improves energy levels and digestion and reduces body pain. Methi (fenugreek), soaked overnight and the water drunk in the morning, helps keep sugar levels and body weight under control. Jeera (cumin) seeds soaked overnight improve digestion and help cure sleeplessness. Heeng (asafoetida) water relieves gas in a baby’s tummy and helps control cough and cold. Dalchini (cinnamon) and laung (clove) give relief from toothache until a dentist can be seen. Adrak (ginger), used in Indian cooking for over 4000 years, eases cough, cold and pain. Kali mirch (black pepper) aids digestion and relieves body pain. Saunf (fennel seeds) and ajwain (carom seeds), served after meals, help digestion, and elaichi (cardamom) helps digestion, respiratory troubles and bad breath.

Daadi ends by asking the children to go into the kitchen and identify these spices, but warns them firmly to consult an elder before using any of them. She signs off with love and her blessings (aashirwaad), making the letter both informative and full of warmth.

Theme & message

The central theme is the traditional knowledge of natural healing and the value of caring family wisdom passed across generations. The letter shows that the spices in our own kitchen are not only used for cooking but also have many healing properties. Its message is that we should respect and preserve such traditional remedies, learn them from our elders, and share them responsibly – while always being careful to use them only under the guidance of an experienced, well-informed elder.

Word meanings

WordEnglish meaningHindi meaning
spicea part of a plant used to flavour foodमसाला / ख़ुशबू
healto make healthy or well againस्वस्थ करना / ठीक करना
remedya cure or treatment for an illnessउपचार / दवा
curesomething that makes an illness endइलाज / निदान
digestionthe process of breaking down food in the bodyपाचन
sleeplessnessthe inability to sleepअनिद्रा / नींद न आना
reliefthe easing of pain or discomfortआराम / राहत
respiratoryconnected with breathingश्वसन से संबंधित
weather-relatedcaused by or linked to the weatherमौसम से जुड़ा हुआ
illnessthe state of being unwell or sickबीमारी
soakto leave something in water for a whileभिगोना / पानी में डालना
grateto rub food into small pieces with a graterकदूकस से घिसना
affectionatelyin a loving, caring wayस्नेहपूर्वक
aashirwaada blessing from an elderआशीर्वाद
generationall the people born at about the same timeपीढ़ी
consultto ask someone for advice or informationसलाह लेना / परामर्श करना
propertya quality or feature of somethingगुण / विशेषता

Let us do these activities before we read

I. A spice is any seed, fruit, root, bark, leaf or any other part of a plant used to give taste and colour to our food. Try to recall the names of three spices that are used for cooking in your home.

SAMPLE ANSWER1. Turmeric (haldi)   2. Cumin seeds (jeera)   3. Black pepper (kali mirch). (Open activity – write the spices actually used in your own home, such as coriander, chilli, mustard, cardamom, etc.)

II. Given below are pictures of some spices. Work in pairs and write what you call them in your language. Their names in English are given in the last column.

ANSWER (English → common Hindi name) 1. Turmeric – Haldi   2. Fenugreek – Methi   3. Cumin seeds – Jeera 4. Asafoetida – Heeng   5. Cinnamon – Dalchini   6. Clove – Laung 7. Ginger – Adrak   8. Black pepper – Kali mirch   9. Fennel seeds – Saunf   10. Cardamom – Elaichi Write each spice’s name in your own mother tongue against the English name as the activity asks.

III. Do you know if these spices can be used for something else other than cooking? Let us find out by reading the letter given below.

ANSWERYes. As Daadi’s letter explains, these spices are not only used in cooking but also act as natural home remedies – they help with digestion, body pain, cough and cold, sleeplessness, toothache, sugar and weight control, and bad breath.

Let us think and reflect

I. Read the given lines and answer the following questions.‘When I was a child, I learnt them from my grandmother. She used to find cures for most of the weather-related common illnesses in the kitchen.’

ANSWER 1. Where exactly in the kitchen did her grandmother find the cures? She found the cures in the everyday spices and herbs kept in the kitchen – such as turmeric, fenugreek, cumin, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, clove and cardamom – which are used both for cooking and for healing. 2. Give one example of weather-related common illnesses. Cough and cold is a common weather-related illness (a sore throat or fever caused by a change in weather is also acceptable). 3. What kind of relationship did the speaker have with her grandmother? The speaker shared a close, loving and respectful relationship with her grandmother. She learnt valuable home remedies from her as a child and still remembers and uses them, which shows trust, affection and a strong bond between the two.

II. Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence.Daadi soaked methi seeds overnight and drank the water in the morning to manage ____ and ____.

ANSWERDaadi soaked methi seeds overnight and drank the water in the morning to manage her sugar level and her body weight.

III. Circle the spice that is not useful for body pain according to Daadi’s letter.1. Turmeric   2. Fennel seeds   3. Ginger   4. Black pepper

ANSWER2. Fennel seeds (saunf). In the letter, turmeric, ginger and black pepper are all said to give relief from body pain, but fennel seeds are mentioned only for helping with the digestion of food.

IV. Why did Daadi ask Vikram and Vaibhavi to share the natural cures with their friends?

ANSWERDaadi wanted these simple, useful and inexpensive home remedies to reach more people. By asking the children to share the cures with their friends, she hoped this valuable traditional knowledge would be remembered and passed on, so that many others could also benefit from it.

V. What was Daadi’s final advice to Vikram and Vaibhavi?

ANSWERDaadi’s final advice was that the children must always consult an elder before using any of these spices or remedies. She reminded them that such cures should be used carefully and only with the guidance of an experienced, well-trained person.

VI. How do we know that natural cures are passed from one generation to another?

ANSWERWe know this because Daadi says she herself learnt these cures from her own grandmother when she was a child, and now she is sharing them with her grandchildren and asking them to share with their friends. This chain – great-grandmother to Daadi to the children – shows that the knowledge travels from one generation to the next.

VII. Why do you think we should know about the healing properties of spices?

ANSWERWe should know about the healing properties of spices because they are easily available in our own kitchens, are natural and inexpensive, and can give relief from many common problems like cough, cold, body pain and poor digestion. Knowing them helps us preserve valuable traditional wisdom and stay healthy – provided we use them carefully under an elder’s guidance.

Let us learn

I. Complete the spice table

You have read the uses of spices in the letter. Complete the following table with the help of your teacher. (Part of the plant: root/bark/leaves/flower buds/fruit/seeds; Texture: rough/soft/silky; Taste: bitter/sweet/sour/salty/spicy.)

Spice (Name)Part of the plantColourTextureTaste
Turmeric (haldi)rootyellow / orangeroughbitter
Fenugreek (methi)seedsyellowish-brownroughbitter
Cinnamon (dalchini)barkbrownroughsweet / spicy
Clove (laung)flower budsdark brownroughspicy
Black pepper (kali mirch)fruitblackroughspicy
Cardamom (elaichi)seedsgreenroughsweet / spicy

Note: Texture can be felt as slightly rough on the outside; if your teacher allows describing the powdered form, ‘soft’ may also be accepted.

II. Modal verbs (helping verbs)

1. The words given in Column A are helping verbs. Match the helping verbs in Column A with their functions in Column B.

Column A (Helping verb)Column B (Function)
(i) mayb. suggestion
(ii) shouldd. advice
(iii) cane. ability
(iv) mustc. compulsion
(v) need tof. necessity
(vi) used toa. past habit
ANSWER – matching(i) → b   (ii) → d   (iii) → e   (iv) → c   (v) → f   (vi) → a

2. Complete the following dialogues with any four modals from the table given above. (Use a modal only once.)

ANSWER (sample) Ajay: Anand had fever last week. He (i) should take good rest. Suman: Yes, he (ii) must or he will fall ill again. Ajay: He (iii) can take grandmother’s natural cures. Suman: Yes, we (iv) need to remember how effective they are. Any four different modals that make sense are acceptable (e.g. should, must, can, need to).

Let us listen / speak / write / explore

These are listening, speaking, writing and project tasks. Guided answers and samples are given below – do them in class as instructed.

Let us listen – The Wonder Herb (Tulsi)

You will listen to the benefits of Tulsi (Holy Basil). As you listen, complete the fact sheet given below.

ANSWER (from the audio transcript) 1. Name: Tulsi 2. First found in: north central India 3. Now found: everywhere in India 4. Known as: The Queen of herbs 5. Can decrease levels of: glucose and cholesterol 6. Used to treat disorders of: breathing and digestion 7. Is used to make: mouth wash and toothpaste 8. We can have Tulsi leaves by: eating them raw or adding them while making tea Family: the basil family

Let us speak

Choose one spice and introduce yourself as that spice to the class, after making a spicy headband. Mention your name, part of the plant, colour, texture, taste and benefits.

SAMPLE SPEECH“Namaste! I am Turmeric – you call me haldi. I come from the root of a plant. I am bright yellow in colour and feel slightly rough. I taste a little bitter. People love me because I add colour and flavour to food, and I also help to improve energy and digestion and reduce body pain. That is why every Indian kitchen has a little of me!” (Pick any spice and follow the same six points: name, part of plant, colour, texture, taste, benefits.)

Let us write – I. Natural Cures for Cough

Help Vikram complete the natural cures. Use the phrases given in the box. (Box: some leaves of basil, the mixture, you can have it, for cough, for high fever, grind to get, amount of honey, a piece of fresh ginger, home remedy. Two phrases are not needed.)

ANSWER 1. First, take a piece of fresh ginger, grate it and take the juice from it. Take about two teaspoons of this juice and add about two and half teaspoons of honey to it. Mix it properly. Warm the mixture slightly on very low heat for a minute. Then you can have it about three to four times a day to get relief from cough. Have patience to see the effect as natural cures for cough with ginger and honey might take some time to show results. 2. To prepare the second home remedy for cough, take about 10 grams of each – long pepper, dried ginger and basil leaves. Add four to six small cardamoms and grind to get a fine powder. If you take this powder with an equal amount of honey, it will give you relief from cough. The two unused phrases are some leaves of basil and for high fever.

Let us write – II. A paragraph on Tulsi

SAMPLE PARAGRAPHTulsi, or Holy Basil, is a small shrub of the basil family. It was first found in north central India and now grows almost everywhere in our country. Because of its many medicinal uses, it is called ‘the Queen of Herbs’. Studies show that Tulsi helps to decrease glucose and cholesterol levels and improves blood pressure. It is used to treat breathing and digestion problems, and its anti-bacterial properties make it useful in herbal hand sanitisers, mouth wash and toothpaste. We can wash and eat Tulsi leaves raw or add them to tea, which calms the mind and reduces stress. Truly, Tulsi is a wonder herb that protects us in many ways.

Let us explore – Riddles

I. Guess the spices based on the riddles.

ANSWER 1. “When your tummy felt funny / I was used by your granny…” → Asafoetida (heeng) – it was rubbed as heeng water on a baby’s tummy for gas. (Carom seeds – ajwain – may also be accepted for stomach trouble.) 2. “I come from under the ground / Thousands of years, I’ve been around… From cold I can cure you surely.” → Ginger (adrak) – it grows underground, has been used for over 4000 years, and cures cough and cold.

II. Fill in the blanks to complete the riddle (answer: Fenugreek / methi).

ANSWER (sample)Brownish-yellow in colour, and bitter to taste, I help everyone, to control their weight. Who am I? → Fenugreek (methi). Now write your own riddle and ask your family to guess the spice.

The picture-naming activity, the ‘smell and feel the spices’ exploration, and the speaking/listening tasks are best done aloud in class with your teacher; the model answers above show the expected ideas.

Extra questions

Short answer (30–40 words)

1. Who wrote the letter, and to whom was it written?

ANSWERThe letter was written by Daadi (the grandmother) to her two grandchildren, Vikram and Vaibhavi. She wrote it after hearing that they had recovered from their illness, to share the healing uses of common kitchen spices.

2. How is fenugreek (methi) used as a home remedy?

ANSWERMethi seeds are soaked in water overnight, and the water is drunk in the morning. According to Daadi, this helps to keep one’s sugar level and body weight under control.

3. Which spices give relief from a toothache, and why are they used?

ANSWERDalchini (cinnamon) and laung (clove) give relief when we have a toothache. They are used as a temporary remedy to ease the pain until we are able to consult a dentist.

4. What does the letter tell us about ginger (adrak)?

ANSWERGinger helps when we have a cough and cold and also gives relief from pain. The letter adds that ginger has been used in cooking for more than 4000 years and is still widely used in Indian food.

5. What warning does Daadi give before ending her letter?

ANSWERDaadi warns the children that, although they may go to the kitchen and identify the spices, they must always consult an elder before using any of these remedies, so that the cures are used safely and correctly.

Long answer (100–120 words)

6. Describe the healing uses of any five spices mentioned in Daadi’s letter.

ANSWERDaadi’s letter explains the healing value of many kitchen spices. Turmeric (haldi) improves energy and digestion and reduces body pain. Fenugreek (methi), soaked overnight and its water drunk in the morning, helps control sugar levels and body weight. Cumin (jeera) seeds soaked overnight improve digestion and cure sleeplessness. Ginger (adrak), used in cooking for over 4000 years, relieves cough, cold and pain. Cardamom (elaichi) helps with digestion and respiratory troubles and also cures bad breath. Other spices like asafoetida, cinnamon, clove, black pepper, fennel and carom seeds are also useful for gas, toothache, body pain and digestion. These remedies show how our everyday kitchen is full of natural medicine.

7. How does the lesson ‘Spices that Heal Us’ show that traditional knowledge is passed from one generation to another?

ANSWERThe lesson is written as a letter from Daadi to her grandchildren, which itself is an act of passing on knowledge. Daadi clearly says that she learnt these home remedies from her own grandmother when she was a child. Her grandmother used to find cures for common weather-related illnesses in the kitchen. Now Daadi shares the same wisdom with Vikram and Vaibhavi and asks them to remember it and share it with their friends. In this way the knowledge moves from great-grandmother to grandmother to grandchildren, and then onward to friends. The lesson teaches us to value such inherited wisdom and to keep it alive by sharing it responsibly with others.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. Who wrote the letter in ‘Spices that Heal Us’?

(a) a doctor   (b) Daadi (the grandmother)   (c) Vikram   (d) the teacher

ANSWER(b) Daadi (the grandmother).

2. To whom was the letter written?

(a) Amber   (b) her own grandmother   (c) Vikram and Vaibhavi   (d) a dentist

ANSWER(c) Vikram and Vaibhavi.

3. What is haldi called in English?

(a) fenugreek   (b) cumin   (c) turmeric   (d) ginger

ANSWER(c) turmeric.

4. How does Daadi use methi (fenugreek) seeds?

(a) she fries them   (b) she soaks them overnight and drinks the water   (c) she eats them dry   (d) she makes oil from them

ANSWER(b) she soaks them overnight and drinks the water.

5. Which spices give relief from toothache till one sees a dentist?

(a) turmeric and cumin   (b) cinnamon and clove   (c) ginger and pepper   (d) fennel and cardamom

ANSWER(b) cinnamon and clove.

6. For how long has ginger been used in cooking, according to the letter?

(a) 100 years   (b) 500 years   (c) more than 4000 years   (d) 10,000 years

ANSWER(c) more than 4000 years.

7. Which spices are usually served at the end of a meal to help digestion?

(a) saunf and ajwain   (b) heeng and haldi   (c) laung and dalchini   (d) methi and jeera

ANSWER(a) saunf (fennel) and ajwain (carom seeds).

8. From whom did Daadi learn these home remedies?

(a) a doctor   (b) a book   (c) her grandmother   (d) her school

ANSWER(c) her grandmother.

9. What was Daadi’s final advice to the children?

(a) eat more spices   (b) consult an elder before using the remedies   (c) never use spices   (d) buy new spices

ANSWER(b) consult an elder before using the remedies.

10. In the ‘Wonder Herb’ fact sheet, Tulsi is known as the ____ of herbs.

(a) King   (b) Queen   (c) Prince   (d) Doctor

ANSWER(b) Queen.
MCQ Answer Key: 1-(b), 2-(c), 3-(c), 4-(b), 5-(b), 6-(c), 7-(a), 8-(c), 9-(b), 10-(b)

Assertion–Reason – choose: (a) A and R true, R explains A; (b) A and R true, R does not explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.

1. Assertion (A): Daadi asked the children to share the natural cures with their friends.

Reason (R): She wanted this useful traditional knowledge to be remembered and passed on to others.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

2. Assertion (A): Daadi warned the children to consult an elder before using the remedies.

Reason (R): Spices and home remedies must be used carefully under proper guidance.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

3. Assertion (A): Fennel seeds (saunf) are useful for relieving body pain.

Reason (R): The letter says fennel seeds are served after meals to help in the digestion of food.

ANSWER(d) A is false (fennel is mentioned for digestion, not body pain), while R is true.

4. Assertion (A): Daadi learnt the home remedies from her own grandmother.

Reason (R): Her grandmother used to find cures for common weather-related illnesses in the kitchen.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

5. Assertion (A): Heeng (asafoetida) water was used on a baby’s tummy.

Reason (R): It gave the babies relief from gas in their tummy.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

Exam tips & common mistakes

Exam tips

• Learn each spice with both its Hindi and English name (haldi–turmeric, methi–fenugreek, jeera–cumin, heeng–asafoetida, dalchini–cinnamon, laung–clove, adrak–ginger, kali mirch–black pepper, saunf–fennel, elaichi–cardamom).
• Match each spice to its main benefit – examiners love “which spice helps with…” questions.
• Remember the ‘chain of knowledge’: great-grandmother → Daadi → Vikram and Vaibhavi → their friends.
• For grammar, revise the six modals and their functions (may, should, can, must, need to, used to).

Common mistakes

• Do not say fennel seeds (saunf) relieve body pain – they are mentioned only for digestion.
• Methi is soaked overnight and the water is drunk in the morning – do not say the seeds are eaten dry.
• The piece has no single named author; it is a letter signed ‘Daadi’ – do not invent an author’s name.
• Tulsi is called the Queen of Herbs (not King), and it belongs to the basil family.

FAQs

What is the lesson ‘Spices that Heal Us’ about?

It is a letter from a grandmother (Daadi) to her grandchildren explaining how common kitchen spices like turmeric, fenugreek, ginger and cardamom can be used as natural home remedies for everyday illnesses.

What is the main message of ‘Spices that Heal Us’?

The lesson teaches us to value traditional knowledge of natural healing, learn it from our elders, and use such remedies responsibly – always consulting an experienced elder first.

Which spices help in digestion according to the letter?

Turmeric, cumin, black pepper, fennel seeds, carom seeds and cardamom are all said to help in digestion in Daadi’s letter.

Questions are taken verbatim from the NCERT Poorvi textbook; the summary, the note on the piece and all answers are written originally by ClearStudy.

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