Turmeric, a rhizome of the biological family zingiberaceae is a native to India, Bangladesh and China. In Indian food a basic spices that one can find easily is turmeric.Apart from making taste to the foods, turmeric has great medicinal values. It is anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic in nature. In early days people used to apply turmeric for stop bleeding. It is one of the strongest antiseptics known to man. The color of turmeric is brilliant golden yellow because of the presence of curcumin.
Turmeric, known also as *curcumin, is ground from the underground stem of the plant. As a spice, it is always used in ground form. The plant thrives in the tropics and subtropics where it requires a hot, moist climate and a fairly light soil.
In Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric is thought to have many medicinal properties and many in India use it as a readily available antiseptic for cuts and burns. Only recently have Western scientists begun to recognize the medicinal properties of turmeric. Study of this fascinating plant continues in various universities around the world. Biochemical Pharmacology is an international journal devoted to publishing original work on the interaction of drugs and nontherapeutic xenobiotics with biological systems
Mainly used as a culinary spice in South Asian and Middle-Eastern cuisines, there are many other benefits of turmeric when it comes to food. Turmeric holds its significance since the Medieval period where it was used as a substitute of expensive Indian saffron. Turmeric imparts rich yellow color to food stuff. To give boiled rice a golden color, rice is heated with turmeric in South Africa. E-100 is what its called when turmeric is used as a food additive. The pigment in turmeric is *curcumic. Turmeric is an important ingredient in curry powder. Pickles are also made out of turmeric. Momos (dumplings) a hot-favorite in the Chinese and Nepalese cuisine is also spiced with turmeric. Turmeric gives flavor to numerous recipes
There are numerous benefits of turmeric when it comes to the medicinal arena. It has the ability to cure stomach aches, skin problems, gastro-intestinal problems. Medicinal experiments depict that turmeric can show possible benefits in Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, childhood leukaemia.
Turmeric is nature's most powerful healer since 2500 years. When combined with cauliflower it prevents prostrate cancer and prevents advancing of breast cancer. It helps in weight management, and for this reason is consumed as a tea in Japan. It is a natural liver detoxifier, a natural pain-killer and has shown considerable results in reducing the side-effects of a chemo drug - Paclitayel.
Turmeric Benefits are innumerable,one by one i will discuss here in my susequent posts,so plz do read my next posts to know many natural treatments from turmeric.
*Curcumin: Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant and the main ingredient in turmeric and curries. Preliminary research in our lab indicates there is quite some variation in curcumic content in different brands of turmeric and curries.
