1 The earliest known recipe for curry sauce appeared on tablets found near Babylon, Mesopotamia, that date from 1,700 BC.

2 A strong, sweat-inducing curry is believed to have aphrodisiac properties because the effects it produces in the body are remarkably similar to those of sex.

3 Some believe that rubbing curry into the scalp prevents hair loss – supposedly it stimulates the follicles.

4 Turmeric contains the compound curcumin, believed to help fight cancer, cystic fibrosis, psoriasis, IBS, kidney and liver damage and even ward off Alzheimer’s disease. This spice is also what gives curry that bright yellow colour – you know, the one you can never scrub out of your clothes.

5 Watch out for ghee, aka Indian clarified butter. It has an amazing 99.8g of fat per 100g, compared with 82.7g for butter. Instead of ghee-laden dishes such as butter chicken or creamy masalas, opt for dry-cooked healthier meals such as madras, balti or tandoori fish dishes.

6 The nation’s favourite dish, chicken tikka masala, contains more than 700 calories, or just under a third of the average man’s daily calorie requirement.

7 The best way to ease mouth-burn when you’re eating curry is with dairy produce, such as milk, ice cream or lassi (a yoghurt drink), rather than beer or water. Sadly, it won’t help with any ‘ring of fire’ problems the next day.

8 Latest research from Pakistan shows that cinnamon, an ingredient of many curries, can help reduce blood fat and blood cholesterol and could therefore help guard against type 2 diabetes.

9 Tests show that curry staple fenugreek can lower LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol by improving your metabolism.

10 Cumin, used in Indian food, can help with flatulence and chesty coughs.