As a food product turmeric is best known for being the main ingredient in curry and a key spice used in Indian and other Asian food recipes. Turmeric, or Curcuma longa, belongs to the ginger family and naturally occurs in Southern Asia and India. The spice that is used in cooking and a food ingredient comes from the flesh of the plant.
Turmeric is usually used in powder form but can also be used as a fresh ingredient. It has a slightly bitter taste and is frequently used to flavor and color mustards, butters, desserts and cheeses on addition to being one of the main components of curry powder. Tumeric not only helps give many Asian foods their unique flavors, it’s also responsible for giving curries and mustards their yellow color.
Is Turmeric also a medicine?
Some folks swear that Turmeric is more than just a spice. The root of the turmeric plant contains a yellow colored chemical called curcumin which many people believe is beneficial for treating a wide variety of ailments and diseases. It is important to note that there are no clinical studies or scientific research to support the medical efficacy of turmeric or curcumin. Even so, turmeric and curcumin has been associated with relieving inflammation and other ailments ranging from acne to immune disorders to obesity. As a result, consumers will find all sorts of medical advice and products which tout the benefits, as well as the side effects, of using turmeric as more than just a spice and cooking agent.
For an overview of turmeric check out this Youtube video titled What is Turmeric? Where is it from? How can you use it?