Turmeric - A Health Goldmine

During my weekly trip to the grocery store this weekend, I bought some whole turmeric... (why?) because it was there and I've never cooked with it before, and I thought I'd try it.  Turmeric?  Sounds familiar.  Where have I heard of it before.  Oh, yes... it's used as the natural food color that's not Yellow Number 5.

In it's whole form turmeric looks a little like ginger.  As a matter of fact they're relatives.  Both are rhizomes, the same kind of roots that you see on an iris.  I bought it on a whim before I realized what it was, and then I went home and researched it because I had no idea how to prepare it or what to do with it.  What I discovered was a health goldmine.

Among its many known benefits, turmeric

• is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent
• is a natural liver detoxifier
• has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression
• is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects
• may help in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions
• because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
• is a natural painkiller and cox-2 inhibitor
• speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin
• has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors, along with other positive anti-cancer applications 

(From "20 Health Benefits of Turmeric")

Turmeric has been valued for its healing powers for thousands of years... and Americans put it in mustard, cheap butter and cheese because it's a great food color!  Considering our disconnect between health and our food (as a nation), this shouldn't surprise anyone.  By the time the turmeric has been processed into mustard, who knows if it's still therapeutic... but we can hope.  On the other hand, those who specialize in natural medicine in this country continue to prescribe turmeric supplements for ailments like those listed above.

So, we know it's good for us, but how do we cook with it?  Most often turmeric is used in its powdered form, alone or as part of curry, a favorite Indian spice mix.  But you can also cook with raw fresh turmeric.  The outer skin must be peeled, then it can be grated or finely chopped and added to soups, stews, vegetables, etc.  (Be careful - it will stain.)  It can also be steeped as a tea.  I did both with my little piece.  From my thumb-sized tuber, I got a little more than a tablespoon of chopped turmeric.  I put about a teaspoonful with my Chai tea mix and steeped for about 5 minutes for a cup of tea (no difference in taste noticed, most likely because of the already strong spiciness of chai).  The rest went into my left-over beef and root vegetable stew.  In it's whole form, the strength of this "spice" is quite mild.

Turmeric can also be boiled, dried, and ground into a powder for long-term storage.  This is usually the form we buy on the spice rack, cook with, and use in capsule form as a supplement.

Any way you use it, turmeric is sure to benefit your health.  So, eat up!