Garam masala
What the research shows
Unclear
the research on this page hasn’t settled it
A blend of ground spices from the Indian Subcontinent.
It is used alone or with other seasonings in dishes like marinades, pickles, stews, and curries.1
What research says
Studies in people
-
Open question
Stomach emptying speed2
In healthy people, garam masala made a meal leave the stomach faster than the same meal without it.
The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.
Products
The 6 most-scanned of 304 products on Open Food Facts that list garam masala.
- Chicken & Lentil with Butternut Squash Yorkshire Provender 0 additives
- Tikka Masala Curry Paste Jamie Oliver · 180 g 1 additive
- Moroccan vegetable tagine soup Yorkshire provender · 560 g 0 additives
- Japanese Style Katsu Curry Rice Naked 0 additives
- Vegetable Samosa M&S 0 additives
- madras curry paste Jamie Oliver · 180 g 1 additive
References
- 1Garam masala. Wikipedia. Accessed September 29, 2026. CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 2Kochhar KP, Bijlani RL, Sachdeva U, Mahapatra SC, Padhy AK, Tandon RK. Gastro-intestinal effects of Indian spice mixture (Garam Masala). Trop Gastroenterol. 1999;20(4):170-4.