Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a spice which is most commonly used for its flavour and bright orange colour. It’s quite mild and earthy and it adds lots of depth to dishes. It can also be added to make your food look more vibrantly coloured. It has been used throughout history as a culinary spice, herbal medicine, and fabric dye. Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. Turmeric, ginger, and cardamom are plants all belonging to the Zingiberaceae family—also known as the ginger family.
Read this article to find out everything you NEED to know about turmeric!
Where Did Turmeric Come From?
The Turmeric plant is native to India and requires warm, tropical climates and lots of rain to grow and thrive. It has been in use in Asia for thousands of years. History shows that by 800 AD, the cultivation and trade of Turmeric had spread across much of Asia, including China, and also across much of Africa. By the 18th century, as it continued to become increasingly popular, Turmeric spread to Jamaica and other tropical locations.
Did you know?
Many consider Turmeric to be a super spice because it is high in antioxidants and contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
Description Of Turmeric
The turmeric plant is identifiable by both its characteristic tuberous root and the leaves that extend upward from erect, thick stems arising from the root. Turmeric root is actually a fleshy oblong tuber 2–3 in (5–10 cm) in length, and close to 1 in (2.54 cm) wide. It is tapered at each end, and its exterior can be yellow, tan, or olive-green in color. The interior of the root is hard, firm, and either orange-brown or deeply rust-colored, with transverse resinous parallel rings. Turmeric root has a fragrant aroma and a somewhat bitter, peppery, biting taste reminiscent of ginger. When eaten, it colors the saliva yellow and leaves a warm sensation in the mouth.
Nutritional Facts Of Turmeric
Turmeric is an excellent source of both iron and manganese. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, dietary fiber, copper, and potassium. Phytonutrients in turmeric include curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, tumerones, and tumenorols.
Here Are 15 Magnificent Healthy Benefits Of Turmeric
- Eases Arthritis Symptoms – If you suffer from arthritis pain you might want to consider adding more turmeric in your daily diet, since it is shown to help reduce the pain connected from arthritis because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Since the regular course of treatment for arthritis is concentrated around pain management with prescription medication, it’s best to use as numerous all-natural remedies as possible, particularly those which are supported by clinical studies. To utilize turmeric for arthritis you’ll wish to ingest it, as it doesn’t work as a topical treatment, but rather from the inside to assist calm inflammation and produce the body back to its more natural state.
- Helps to Prevent Cancer – Probably the most persuading need to start incorporating turmeric into your life is definitely the way it will help the body fend off cancer formation and growth. It’s been proven to assist with a variety of cancers, stopping the spread through the body and also the growth of the tumor in question. It’s not too often that science supports claims that a food item might have anti-cancer benefits, but turmeric is presently being seriously researched, and the findings claim that it truly does work to assist avoid cancer and keep it from getting worse.
- Helps the Heart Stay Healthy – Your heart is essential for your everyday health and longevity, and it’s vital that you keep it functioning in the best of its abilities. Turmeric might help in several ways, which includes preventing strokes and heart attacks. Turmeric helps you to split up the cholesterol that’s accountable for blocking your arteries, and this alone causes it to be worth utilizing regularly. Heart attacks and strokes are definitely the major forms of fatal heart disease, therefore eating right, being fit, and taking supplements like turmeric along with other all-natural herbs will help you prevent them. There isn’t any magic bullet with regards to handling your heart, so don’t leave it up to one type of food or spice or supplement. Take a multi-tiered method of a healthy heart as well as you’ll reap the advantages for many years.
- Combats inflammatory diseases – Turmeric’s all-natural anti-inflammatory qualities mean it might work as along with several anti-inflammatory medicines, with no negative effects. Early studies have shown it may help with inflammation of the eye (uveitis), inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis) and multiple sclerosis.
- Fights colds and flu – Initial research has shown that turmeric might help decrease the harshness of bacterial as well as viral infections.
- Natural Painkiller – An article within the July 2009 issue of Time magazine points to a study carried out in the University of Arizona. Researchers discovered rodents injected with a material recognized to result in joint pain suffered less once the injections were combined with curcumin. The article also cites anecdotal evidence singing the praises of turmeric for fighting a number of pain that will otherwise be helped by over-the-counter pain medication.
- Helps the Skin – Turmeric might help the skin in several ways, from decreasing redness to fighting signs of aging. These types of skin treatments include utilizing turmeric powder topically instead of ingesting it. There are some qualities of turmeric that provide it its healing nature whenever applied to the skin. The first is that it’s anti-inflammatory, which will help calm a variety of skin problems. The second is its germ killing ability, which will help eliminate the skin of impurities. Probably the most common skin care products on the market include chemicals and additives that you simply wouldn’t wish to rub in your skin. Utilizing an all-natural item just like turmeric helps you to heal the skin without these largely unknown ingredients.
- Soothes Upset Stomach – Turmeric has long been utilized as a fast and efficient treatment for an upset stomach. This really is one of those benefits which have been noted for generations, but only lately has science come along to back it up. Because turmeric serves as an anti-inflammatory, it will help to keep stomach acid from getting out of control, and it has been proven to soothe heartburn in addition to general stomach upset.
- Helps Prevent Prostate Cancer – We’ve currently talked about how turmeric is effective with cancer in general, but there’s very guaranteeing research showing that it may go a long way in the combat against prostate cancer. Since prostate cancer will affect lots of men, it’s perhaps just about the most persuading good reasons to get more turmeric in your lifetime.
- It’s a Natural Fat Burner – One of the more well-known advantages of turmeric is its capability to assist the body burn off fat. That’s why it’s being recommended more and more like a dietary aid when attempting to shed weight. The best part of adding more turmeric to the diet in order to lose fat is it helps you to flavor up nearly any dish, and it’s all natural so you won’t need to use dangerous weight loss pills or even fad diets.
- Treats Depression – Curcumin, the antioxidant which makes turmeric so interesting like a spice, is shown to work much like an antidepressant. This really is great news for all those seeking to treat their depression utilizing natural methods, in addition to those that just need the very best mental health they are able to have.
- Protects Against Free Radical Damage – Curcumin present in turmeric is really an effective antioxidant, which supports protect the body from free radical damage, which will help it remain healthy and vital and avoids several diseases. The antioxidant power of turmeric is the reason why it so effective and provides it most of the other benefits right here. Antioxidants have been shown avoid cancer and heart disease, and help with a numerous problems that are either brought on by, or worsened by, free radical damage.
- Headache Remedy – Turmeric can be used as a highly effective headache treatment for headaches, and as long as you don’t overdo it, there aren’t any reported negative effects with taking turmeric. Turmeric works best on headaches brought on by tension, along with a turmeric supplement will give you better and faster relief than attempting to eat it to avoid a headache. It’s the anti-inflammatory property of turmeric that can help with headaches.
- Helps with Cystic Fibrosis – Cystic fibrosis is actually a long-term lung illness that generally demands anti-biotic as well as breathed in medicines, yet scientific studies are displaying that turmeric can also be in a position to help. Again, it’s the curcumin contained within turmeric which is offering the advantage of cystic fibrosis sufferers. At first there was a link found in between curry consumption as well as an enhancement in cystic fibrosis symptoms. Further research discovered that it is in truth the curcumin, and now it’s easy to just use the curcumin without making use of dietary supplementation.
- Wards off Alzheimer’s disease – Researchers think that curcumin’s antioxidant as well as anti-inflammatory properties might be strong enough to break down the amyloid plaques within the brain that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. “If the blood vessels remain less clogged, then certain parts of the brain may be fed more easily with oxygen and that would keep the brain functioning better,” explains Hourigan. The Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at the University of California currently is planning clinical human trials.
Turmeric side effects:
- Allergic Reaction
- Gallbladder Problem
- Stomach and Gastrointestinal Problems
- Bleeding
- Liver Problems
- Drug Interactions
- Uterine Contractions
Other side effects include nausea and agitation, development of inflammatory skin blisters if applied on abraded or damaged skin and diarrhoea if consumed in higher doses.
About Turmeric
Turmeric aka Super spice is used for its flavour and its bright orange color. It is a member of the ginger gamily. Turmeric most active compound curcumin have many scientifically-proven health benefits, such as the potential to prevent heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer. It’s a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and may also help improve symptoms of depression and arthritis. Turmeric, through East Indian practices, is widely used in Guyanese cuisine.
Article References:
- http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=78
- https://www.turmericforhealth.com/general-info/introduction-to-turmeric
- https://www.desiblitz.com/content/history-origins-turmeric
- https://www.myspicer.com/history-turmeric/
- https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/turmeric/
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