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Turmeric: The New Super Spice
How would food taste like without spices? Can you imagine eating your favorite dishes without the flavors and fragrance brought by spices like pepper, rosemary and ginger?
Spices also played a part in shaping human history. In fact, Christopher Columbus set sail in search of gold and spices but he discovered the Americas instead.
You can find spices on almost all kitchen tables because they’re cheap and abundant. But because spices have become ubiquitous, many are surprised to learn that other than making food taste great, they also offer numerous health benefits.
Turmeric, a yellow spice belonging to the ginger family and native to Indonesia and India, is a recent addition to the American spice rack but is not something new in Asia. Turmeric has been an important part of Eastern cultural traditions, including traditional Chinese medicine and Indian Ayurvedic medicine.
Turmeric usually comes as a fine, bright yellow powder and is commonly used as an ingredient in curry dishes, curry powders and yellow mustard. It has a warm, aromatic flavor with a bitter undertone. But more than helping you prepare a delicious curry, turmeric’s true value lies in the wealth of health benefits it possesses.
The Many Health Benefits of Turmeric
American Institute for Vedic Studies director Dr. David Frawely said that if he can only choose a single herb to depend on for all possible health benefits and dietary needs, he would pick turmeric because hands down, there is little it cannot do in the realm of healing and offers much more than other herbs are able to provide.
Here are the health benefits of turmeric in a nutshell:
• Used to treat cuts and burns because it is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent
• Is a natural painkiller
• Is a potential anti-inflammatory medication and helps reduce irritation to tissues characterized by pain, redness, swelling and heat • Strengthens and improves digestion of proteins and fats
• Used in China to treat depression
• Reduces gas and bloating
• Promotes proper metabolism
• Maintains and improves the intestinal flora and improves elimination of wastes and toxins from your body
• Supports healthy liver function and detoxification by helping prevent alcohol and other toxins from being converted into compounds that may be harmful to your liver
• Supports the formation of healthy tissues
• Purifies your blood
• Stimulates the formation of new blood tissue
• Helps fight breast, pancreatic and prostate cancer, melanoma, childhood leukemia, arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease, among other illnesses
• May help in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.
Curcumin: The Antioxidant Behind The “Super Spice”
In India, the prevalence of four cancers common in the U.S. – colon, breast, prostate and lung – is 10 times lower. This is attributed, in part, to the use of turmeric and other herbs and spices.
Turmeric contains curcuminoids, phytonutrients which contain powerful antioxidant properties. Researchers at the University of Texas reveal that curcumin has been shown to prevent a large of number of cancers in animals. Furthermore, studies in Biochemical Pharmacology show that curcumin may inhibit the growth of tumors and cancer cells. Clinical trials at UCLA are also underway to determine curcumin’s effectiveness against Alzheimer’s disease.
Loyola University Medical Center professor Moolky Nagabhushan has been studying the properties of turmeric for the last 20 years and believes that the spice can protect against harmful environmental chemicals, and in the process, help prevent childhood leukemia.
Turmeric also contains volatile oils which provide external antibacterial action, making it a natural alternative for treating minor wounds. Johnson & Johnson sells a Band-Aid containing curcumin in India.
As turmeric is subjected to more testing and research, it’s likely that other potential health benefits could be discovered.
Spice Up Your Life with Turmeric
You can use a pure turmeric powder, rather than curry powder, for cooking because curry contains very little curcumin compared to turmeric. Turmeric is ideal for fish curries, tinting sweet dishes, and flavoring meat (particularly lamb) and vegetables.
Turmeric is also available as a supplement so you can still obtain its amazing health benefits even if you’re not a fan of curry and spicy food.
You should not take turmeric supplements while pregnant or breastfeeding unless recommended by your doctor or a licensed healthcare professional.
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Tags: antioxidant, Ayurvedic medicine, curcumin, phytonutrients, spices, turmeric
