Turmeric Benefits... Just a Spice?

Turmeric is yellow colored spice with some amazing health properties.  It has been used in ancient Chinese medicine and is proven to be more effective than some prescription medicines! Turmeric has a peppery, warm and bitter flavor and a mild fragrance slightly reminiscent of orange and ginger, and while it is best known as one of the ingredients used to make curry, it also gives ballpark mustard its bright yellow color.

Turmeric's curcumin is a safe, effective anti-inflammatory. More and more health practitioners and researchers are realizing that inflammation is the source of most disease, even if the inflammation is not directly noticeable.

That means there are many benefits of using turmeric (curcumin). Here are six of them:

(1) It has been clinically proven to ease arthritic pain and promote increased flexibility in many studies. It's comparable to large doses of ibuprofen (800 mg daily) without side-effects while actually delivering other health benefits.

(2) It slows or delays liver damage that could develop into cirrhosis.

(3) It slows and helps reverse the onset of Alzheimer's disease as symptoms develop. It also helps eliminate cognitive decline normally attributed to "old age."

(4) It aids digestion, the root of good or bad health. It has been used successfully to ease the agony and help heal inflammatory bowel disease.

(5) Mixed with the appropriate veggies for specific cancer types, it helps fight cancer cells and prevents them from metastasizing.

It reduces carcinogenic heterocyclic amines that are formed when meat is cooked by up to 40 percent.

(6) It is a powerful antioxidant that helps promote heart health, memory, and boost the immune system. It has the potential to deliver more antioxidants then even vitamins E and C.

Amazingly, it can deliver even more antioxidant power than grape seed or pine bark extracts. It's strong enough to scavenge the hydroxyl radical considered the most reactive oxidant.

All these benefits add up to serving as an anti-aging agent, with direct results manifesting in the skin after daily use over an extended period of time.

How to Cook & Enjoy Turmeric

A Few Quick Serving Ideas

Add turmeric to egg salad to give it an even bolder yellow color.
Mix brown rice with raisins and cashews and season with turmeric, cumin and coriander.
Although turmeric is generally a staple ingredient in curry powder, some people like to add a little extra of this spice when preparing curries. And turmeric doesn't have to only be used in curries. This spice is delicious on healthy sautéed apples, and healthy steamed cauliflower and/or green beans and onions. Or, for a creamy, flavor-rich, low-calorie dip, try mixing some turmeric and dried onion with a little omega-3-rich mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Serve with raw cauliflower, celery, sweet pepper, jicama and broccoli florets.
Turmeric is a great spice to complement recipes that feature lentils.
Give salad dressings an orange-yellow hue by adding some turmeric powder to them.
For an especially delicious way to add more turmeric to your healthy way of eating, cut cauliflower florets in half and healthy sauté with a generous spoonful of turmeric for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Turmeric Smoothie!