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Turmeric: Tasty in Curry, Questionable as Medicine

Turmeric (Cucurma longa) is a plant in the ginger family that is native to southeast India. It is also known as curcumin. The rhizomes are ground into an orange-yellow powder that is used as a spice in Indian cuisine. It has traditionally been used in folk medicine for various indications; and it has now become popular in alternative medicine circles, where it is claimed to be effective in treating a broad spectrum of diseases including cancer, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, and diabetes.

One website claims science has proven it to be as effective as 14 drugs, including statins like Lipitor, corticosteroids, antidepressants like Prozac, anti-inflammatories like aspirin and ibuprofen,…

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Featured

 Are the health benefits of turmeric too good to be true?

If you have an ailment, there's a good chance that someone, somewhere, is studying whether turmeric can treat it. There are more than 15,000 manuscripts published about curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, and about 50 manuscripts added to this collection each week, according to the National Institutes of Health.

 Spice Things Up With A Touch Of Turmeric

Turmeric — with its brilliant golden-yellow color and floral, warming, slightly musky taste — is one of the primary flavors in Indian and Southeast Asian cooking. It is what gives curry powder its bright yellow color and has been used as both a spice and a medicinal herb in India for thousands of years.

 This 24-Year-Old Started Her Own Turmeric Business to Help Indian Farmers

"If white women are going to consume turmeric, how do I make sure brown farmers make as much money off of it as possible?"

 Turmeric May Not Be a Miracle Spice After All

Curcumin may not be a miracle ingredient, but Bazilian points out that compounds combined in food can often have synergistic effects. “That’s good news and worth ongoing consideration,” she says. “Because frankly, you wouldn’t eat turmeric as a meal alone.”

Articles of Interest

A Spicy Gold Rush: Turmeric's Rise To Superfood

The spice, which comes from a golden-yellow root native to India, is heralded for its health benefits and is being infused into a variety of food products. Some mixologists are even working it into cocktails.

Are there health benefits to eating turmeric and other spices?

Chilli, turmeric and other spices are often claimed to have health benefits or even the ability to "boost our immune system". But can spices really add any health benefits to our food, or help us ward off illness?

Can curcumin spice treat Alzheimer’s disease?

There is no rigorous evidence that curcumin does anything for Alzheimer’s..

Can Turmeric Prevent or Cure Disease?

If you’ve ever eaten Indian cuisine, you’ve most likely eaten turmeric. It's a yellowish-brown spice that comes from (not surprisingly) the turmeric plant - more precisely from the rhizome of the turmeric plant, the thick root-like portion of the stem that remains underground. But did you know that there are scientists all over the world researching the curative powers of turmeric? This isn’t just some hokey folk medicine, this is like, real science and stuff.

Does Turmeric Have Proven Health Benefits?

Curcumin, the plant compound that gives turmeric its bright yellow-orange color, has demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and neuroprotective properties in lab and animal studies. But “claiming that it can be useful for humans is premature, given the current evidence...

Does turmeric’s reputation translate into real health benefits?

Clinical trials show that curcumin, present in the spice, may help fight osteoarthritis and other diseases, but there’s a catch – bioavailability, or how to get it into the blood

Forget what you’ve heard: Turmeric seems to have zero medicinal properties

Scientists have now had enough. Turmeric’s gains have been ascribed to a chemical contained in it called curcumin. But, though there have been thousands of research papers and 120 clinical trials, curcumin hasn’t yet resulted in a drug.

How Indian superfoods like turmeric and tulsi are taking over the world

Foods, specifically health foods, are now finding place in everyday conversations. But if you asked Rutuja Diwekar, which Egyptian grain you should add to your lunch bowl, or whether you should pick kale or moringa for your next salad, her answer might be, “Wake up and smell the cardamom.'' The Mumbai-based celebrity nutritionist can't stress enough on the fact that there is no dearth of superfoods in the Indian Kitchen.

Research points to health benefits of turmeric

Over the centuries, the root-like stem of the Curcuma longa plant has been used to make yellow dyes and spike food with some tasty zing. But an ever-growing mountain of evidence shows that boldly colored turmeric with its earthy, bitter-gingery taste may offer a plethora of potential health benefits.

The Delicious Turmeric Tonic That Fights Inflammation and Free Radicals

The spice, kin to ginger, is a cornerstone of South Asian cooking and Ayurvedic medicine, and a growing body of research is underscoring its value.

The Wellness Boosting Power of Turmeric

I’ve started adding turmeric to my smoothies and soups as well as stews and sauces. I’ve experimented with it and found that in most things is adds delightful depth to my food and cooking. One thing to note is that Curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream and by combining it with black pepper which contains piperine which enhances absorption of curcumin.

Uncovering Hidden Secrets of an Ancient Spice

The mellow flavor and bright color of turmeric are a highlight of cooking from India to Southeast Asia and beyond, and it is a key ingredient in curry powder. Turmeric’s health benefits and distinctive yellow color come principally from curcumin.

What Can Turmeric Actually Do for Your Health?

Turmeric has been used as a spice and medicine for thousands of years. And in recent decades, it’s become popular as a dietary supplement, often sold as curcumin — a chemical compound found in dried turmeric — with claims that it can soothe joint pain, reduce inflammation and improve mobility. In Thailand, turmeric is also often consumed in its spice or supplement form to quell gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating and indigestion, said Dr. Krit Pongpirul, an associate professor of preventive and social medicine at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. But only a few small studies have evaluated such benefits.

What is the History of Turmeric?

This ancient spice, celebrated for centuries as both food and medicine, has resurfaced within the health and nutrition communities thanks to curcumin, the healing substance which supplies its vibrant color.

Resources

14 best turmeric supplements

We'll show you what to look for in turmeric supplements today. We're featuring Elm & Rye Turmeric supplements and others that help you get relief from inflammation and improve cholesterol.

5 Science-Backed Health Benefits Of Turmeric

Turmeric and ginger, both plant rhizomes and botanical cousins, are longtime staples of traditional Indian cuisine. In recent decades, however, turmeric has also become a superstar to natural health practitioners, with extraordinary healing properties attributed to it.

6 Health Benefits Of Turmeric

It’s a quintessential spice in curry, a relative of ginger and one of the healthiest ways to add flavor — and color! — to a home-cooked meal. Turmeric has been used to relieve everything from liver problems to depression to ringworm in folk medicine, but, like many alternative therapies, there’s not always much research to back up the ancient wisdom. But that doesn’t mean turmeric’s powers are to be discredited altogether. Here, a look at what we do know about this powerful seasoning.