Turmeric - the gold spice!

Enjoying yellow rice with curry is a uniquely delicious experience!! There is no Asian dish that does not contain this impressive spice.

The use of turmeric is mentioned in the ancient texts of the Vedas and is the spice that people offered to the sun at sunrise, because of its intense yellow color. To this day, in India, brides apply turmeric to their bodies as a symbol of good luck and prosperity.

Turmeric – curcuma longa, is a perennial plant, which grows flowers and a thick rhizome, relatively close to the surface of the earth. From its rhizome, we get the characteristic powder, which is dried, boiled and then ground. It contains high levels of carotenoids, while curcumin is the main substance that gives the plant its therapeutic properties. Although the use of turmeric in Asia is lost in the depths of time, only in recent decades, extensive research has focused on the therapeutic effect of curcumin.

Let's look below at the benefits that the use of turmeric offers to our health:
✔ Turmeric has the ability to nourish the body's tissues and transport its beneficial benefits throughout the body through the bloodstream.
✔ It enhances brain function, memory, and concentration. Research has shown turmeric’s ability to maintain nerve cell health (Russell, Anne M 5 Science-Backed Health Benefits of Turmeric.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, October 29, 2021).
✔ It actively supports joint functionality, relieves muscle pain and significantly improves daily movement.
✔ It is believed to enhance skin radiance and anti-aging. It is often used as an ingredient in cosmetics to treat discoloration and acne.
✔ When consumed daily, it detoxifies the liver and aids in the production of bile (De La Foret, Rosalee. Alchemy of Herbs - Transform Everyday Ingredients into Foods & Remedies That Heal. Hay House UK Ltd, 2017. 17).
✔ It significantly improves the digestion of fats and carbohydrates and enhances ideal blood sugar levels.
✔ Its invigorating and mild warming properties enhance the creation of new heart cells and strengthen the circulatory system.
✔ It contains high levels of flavonoids, curcumin, antioxidants and therefore removes free radicals. In this way, it protects the strength of our defenses from oxidative stress. (Gunnars, Kris. “10 Proven Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin.” Healthline. Healthline Media, May 7, 2021).
✔ Ayurveda uses turmeric as a lymph (rasa dhatu) and blood (rakta dhatu) enhancer, as it nourishes and eliminates unnecessary fire from these tissues.

Turmeric is one of the most widely used spices in Ayurvedic cuisine and is also used in many therapeutic recipes.

Its Ayurvedic characteristics are:

• Taste = bitter, astringent
• 
Doshas = balances vata – kapha, in overconsumption increases pitta

• Properties = warm, light, kinetic, airy, purity, alkaline
• 
Effect on the mind = clarity, concentration, memory, positive emotions, alertness, enhances inner glow. 

Organic turmeric powder offers food a unique aroma and flavor, thus transforming a bland meal into a delicious experience!!!