It turns out that the infamous spice that gives curry its yellow coloring has many more benefits than simply making food taste better. In Sanskrit, turmeric has over 53 names, which demonstrates the importance of this root to Indian culture. Today, this golden spice continues to provide a variety of health benefits to people all over the world.
Turmeric Basics
iTurmeric (Curcuma longa) is a perennial plant that is part of the ginger family. Native to South Asia, the turmeric plant can grow up to one meter tall and prefers wet habitats with temperatures ranging roughly between 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.1 The part of turmeric that we consume are the tuberous rhizomes, which are boiled and then set out in the sun to dry for five to seven days. The rhizome is then ground up into a yellow powder, packaged, and sold.2
The History of Turmeric
The use of turmeric dates back almost 4,000 years in Indian culture. An Ayurvedic manuscript called Compendium dated 250 B.C. even mentions turmeric ointment as a cure for food poisoning. From India, the spice spread to China and East Africa before 1,000 A.D. and to Jamaica by the 1700s. Today, turmeric is grown all over the tropics, since it requires a large amount of rainfall to grow. However, India produces most of the world’s turmeric supply and also consumes 80 percent of it.3
In addition to adding flavor to dishes, turmeric has been used in many traditional forms of medicine. For instance, in Ayurvedic practice, turmeric was used to treat respiratory illnesses (e.g. asthma and allergies), improve digestion, regulate menstruation, and relieve arthritis. In Pakistan, turmeric was often used for its anti-inflammatory properties, which soothed gastrointestinal disorders.4
Turmeric was also used in ways other than ingesting for medicinal or spice purposes. In some parts of India, turmeric paste was spread on the skin to remove unwanted body hair. Turmeric paste was also spread on the skin of brides and grooms in parts of India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan before the wedding to give the skin a healthy glow and to keep bacteria away from the body.5
Turmeric Health Benefits
Studies have shown that turmeric proves effective for many of the ailments that it was designated to treat in traditional medicine practices. The most important active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, which is an anti-inflammatory agent and an antioxidant. While short-term inflammation in our bodies helps us fight off bacteria, long-term, chronic inflammation is detrimental and has been cited as playing a role in many chronic Western diseases, such as heart disease and types of cancers. Curcumin is able to fight inflammation at a molecular level and has been shown in studies to be just as effective as anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical drugs. Curcumin is also an antioxidant, which means it blocks free radicals from reacting with fatty acids or proteins and it also boosts the body’s antioxidant enzymes.6
Turmeric has also been noted for its ability to decrease the occurrence of heart attacks. A 2012 study found that curcumin (as a supplement, not a substitute for medication) may have lowered the chance of heart attack among post-bypass surgery patients up to 65%. In addition, another 2012 study focusing on people with pre-diabetes found that curcumin capsules delayed the onset of Type II diabetes. Studies are currently in the works investigating turmeric’s possible ability to fight cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and joint pain.7
The curcumin proportion of turmeric spice is not high—only about 3%–thus, people often choose to take turmeric supplements that have a larger amount. Curcumin is also not easily absorbed into the bloodstream. On the other side of this is black pepper which contains piperine and increases the absorption of curcumin by 2000 percent. For that reason, people often eat black pepper with their turmeric.8
It is important to note that you should always consult with your doctor before deciding to take turmeric supplements. According to the National Institute of Health, turmeric should not be taken during pregnancy and can cause negative side effects such as slowed blood clotting, decreased fertility in men, and an upset stomach.9
Other Turmeric Uses
- Teeth whitener – Sprinkle some turmeric powder on your toothpaste and brush as usual.10
- Add a glow to tinted moisturizer – Depending on your skin tone, make sure to only add a little at a time until you get the right color.11
- Deter dandruff – Mix turmeric and olive oil, massage onto your scalp, leave on for 15 minutes, and then shampoo as normal.12
- Make turmeric tea – Boil four cups of water, add one teaspoon of turmeric powder, simmer for 10 minutes, and add honey to taste.13
- Tie dye – Add three tablespoons of turmeric to a pot of boiling water, let simmer, and tie dye your white t-shirts or Easter eggs.14
