TURMERIC SPICE
Turmeric spice…
Turmeric is a widely used spice in Asian cooking. It gives curries the warm taste and the bright yellow colour. When eaten on its own, turmeric has a bitter taste. Thus, it is mostly in use to flavour or colour the food. So, it is often mixed with curry powders, butters, cheese and mustards. It contains a yellow colour chemical known as curcumin. Thus far, it is commonly used to colour foods and cosmetics. Turmeric is widely used to make medicines too.
Health benefits
Turmeric spice may be the most effective nutritional supplement. Several prominent studies prove that turmeric has major health benefits for the brain and body. So, most of the benefits come form curcumin. It is the most active ingredient.
It has been in use in India for many thousands of years as a medical herb and spice. In recent times, science is backing the traditional claims that turmeric contains compounds with medicinal properties. Turmeric with powerful anti-inflammatory effects is a very effective and strong antioxidant. So far, inflammation is important. It helps to fight foreign invaders. Thus, it helps to repair damage in your body. Acute, short term inflammation is beneficial. However, it may be of a concern when it becomes chronic because, it may attack the body’s own cells.
Turmeric, contains bioactive compounds with medicinal properties too. Thus far, turmeric may increase the antioxidant capacity of the body. The key reason that antioxidants are so good because they help protect body from free radicals. Curcumin is a potent antioxidant. It neutralises free radicals. Furthermore, curcumin may boost neurotrophic factor which is brain derived. Thus, it increases the growth of new neurons and may help many degenerative processes in the brain.
So far, due to many positive health effects like ability to prevent heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and cancer, curcumin may aid longevity. Turmeric is effective to control and cure diabetes too.
Benefits of turmeric
Naturally, turmeric is a popular Indian spice. It is used to cook curries and other dishes. Thus far, the roots hold more than culinary benefits. So, most culinary experts know turmeric is one of the most potent active herbs. Over the centuries, more than 10,000 published researches discuss the benefits of this spice.
Thus far, it has naturally cooling effect on the body and improves immunity. Hence, turmeric powder now appears in golden milk and golden latte in cafes throughout the world. You may try to sprinkle a little turmeric powder on top of soups and smoothie bowls. It tastes superb to blend it with your coffee and milkshakes.
Furthermore, turmeric helps to enhance beauty and heal wounds.
Culinary importance
The Asian root spice of turmeric is commonly known in India as haldi. It barely needs introduction. So, the spice is made from the root of a flowering plant. It belongs to the ginger family and is native to the Indian subcontinent. Hence, it is a key spice in Indian cooking. Turmeric is a common feature in a lot of Indian dishes. It is a must spice in every spice box. So far, most culinary use of turmeric is cooking at high temperature and fermenting in pickles.
In fact, a most of the studies conducted on the effects of heat on curcumin suggests in the favour of cooking the spice. It shows curcumin becomes more bio-available once turmeric is cooked. This is mostly due to certain enzymatic reactions that occur when the compound is exposed to heat.
Thus far, research shows that certain properties of turmeric may be lost when over cooking. So, while cooking lentils or ‘dahl’, you may choose to put turmeric later, when almost cooked. One choice may be to add turmeric in the ‘tadka’. Hence, the short duration cooking of turmeric in the ghee may result in better retention of curcumin. The worst form of cooking turmeric is boiling it.
