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Spicing up your healthy diet with Turmeric

Posted by Mary Curry Feb 11 2012, 1:27 am

I’ve done a few Saturday blogs on spices, but so far I haven’t done Turmeric – mainly because I don’t know much about it.

But it’s a spice name that keeps popping up on healthy food lists so I wanted to learn about it. We can do it together.

So what is Turmeric?

tur·mer·ic/ˈtərmərik/

Noun:

A bright yellow aromatic powder obtained from the rhizome of a plant of the ginger family, used for flavoring and coloring in Asian…
The Asian plant (Curcuma longa) from which this rhizome is obtained.

A picture is worth a thousand words -

So now that we know what it is? Why all the buzz?

Health Diaries lists 20 reasons for eating Turmeric, but the article starts with this introduction:

The medicinal properties of this spice have been slowly revealing themselves over the centuries. Long known for its anti-inflammatory properties, recent research has revealed that turmeric is a natural wonder, proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease.

WHF gives a more in depth analysis of the health benefits.

Here’s another sampling of some of the benefits being credited to Turmeric:

Turmeric powder has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that make it an ideal antiseptic used in the treatment of wounds.

In studies performed on mice, turmeric has shown to be able to prevent breast cancer.

Turmeric can be used to naturally detoxify the liver.

Turmeric is a natural pain killer.

Turmeric can prevent the growth of tumors (along with curcumin).

Studies show that Turmeric may possibly prevent the Alzheimer’s disease from progressing

Can possibly be used in the treatment of psoriasis.

Patients with myeloma will possibly be treated by using Turmeric in the near future.

So if we want to try it, what do we do with it?

Dr. Andrew Weil recommends a Turmeric Tea, a beverage he disovered during one of his many trips to Okinawa, the island nation with the world’s longest average life span, 81.2 years.

Bring four cups of water to a boil.
Add one teaspoon of ground turmeric and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Strain the tea through a fine sieve into a cup, add honey and/or lemon to taste.

Some people like to add a teaspoon of ginger along with the turmeric. While ground versions are more convenient, it’s worthwhile to experiment with freshly grated turmeric for a more vibrant flavor.

Here’s a recipe for Vegetable Curry (plus some more information) from Dr. Frank Lipman, “The Voice of Sustainable Wellness”.

Turmeric, that pungent, bitter spice usually incorporated in curry powders giving it that deep yellow color, offers many health benefits.

In the Ayurvedic medicine tradition, Turmeric is regarded as a “cleanser of the body”. The root and powder are used in drinks, ointments and poultices to treat sore throats, indigestion, sprains, inflammation and wounds. Traditional Ayurvedics believe that it’s a powerful antibiotic, strengthens digestion and helps improve intestinal flora.

Despite this long tradition in Asia, it was not until the early 1070’s that laboratory researchers discovered the inflammation-fighting compounds prevalent in curcumin (the active ingredient in Turmeric).

One of the easiest ways to incorporate this beneficial spice into your diet is to use to eat it, so cook yourself a batch of delicious vegetable curry, or alternatively take it in supplement form.

Vegetable Curry (serves 4)

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon salt
½ butternut squash, peeled and cut into small cubes
¾ cup water
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
½ head cauliflower, cut into small florets
¾ cup frozen organic peas
½ teaspoon garam masala
Cilantro (optional)

1. Fry the onion and garlic in olive oil until the onions are soft and opaque.

2. Add the spices and salt and sauté a few minutes, until you can smell the aroma of the spices.

3. Stir the spices from the bottom of the pot occasionally.

4. Add the butternut squash and sauté about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water to prevent sticking.

5. Add sweet potato and sauté about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Add the rest of the water and scrape all the spices up from the bottom of the pot.

7. Add cauliflower and peas on top of the butternut and sweet potato, do not stir.

8. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 – 15 minutes.

9. Just before serving, add garam masala and stir through.

10. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Chef MD has a wonderful recipe for Moroccan Vegetable Stew with Turmeric and Cinnamon.

So have you ever cooked with Turmeric? Do you have any recipes to share?

4 Comments

Comments

4 Responses to “Spicing up your healthy diet with Turmeric”

Anju Gattani says:

February 11, 2012 at 8:45 am

Hi Mary,
I use turmeric A LOT with a lot of other Indian masalas (spices) in cooking. I know for sure that it’s a major preventative for alzheimer’s too.

Reply
MaryC says:

February 11, 2012 at 2:32 pm

Hi Anju,
Yes, that’s the one constant I saw no matter what site I checked out.

I’m intrigued by the tea. Have you ever used it that way. I can’t imagine what it’s going to taste like but I’ll give it a try. If I don’t like it, I can always use the leftover turmeric in cooking.

Reply
healthy diet, diet easily, healthy diet easily says:

February 14, 2012 at 2:12 am

That is really fascinating, You’re an overly professional blogger. I’ve joined your feed and sit up for in quest of more of your great post. Additionally, I have shared your web site in my social networks

Reply
Star says:

February 15, 2012 at 12:46 pm

I have tried a product called Curamin–turmeric and boswellia in accessible forms–for pain (knees in my case) and all the liver and other benefits. I kept feeling a little bilious–so never really got a blood level–and I am not sure it was even that…so I am not sure. There are fairly decent studies, which makes me want to give it another throw.

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tur·mer·ic/ˈtərmərik/

Vegetable Curry (serves 4)

4 Responses to “Spicing up your healthy diet with Turmeric”

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