Turmeric, turmeric, turmeric. You’ve probably heard a lot about this bright yellow spice and its benefits but did not want to add another spice to your collection. Who wants to add new ingredients in our kitchens at this age, right? Friends, it is never too late to regularly add a new ingredient into your diet especially if the health benefits are high. Turmeric offers numerous health benefits along with a warm, golden colour to food. Turmeric comes from a root which when cut, reveals a beautiful sunny inside and you will find it in any curry worth its salt. It is what gives curries and even mustard their yellow colour.
It has been used for over 4,000 years in South East Asia but is only now making its way into Western pantries. And that is a good thing! Check out the recipes down below!
Before we carry on, I just want to mention that I have heard so many people mispronounce this spice. It is pronounced “Ter-mer-ic” not “Too-mer-ic”. I can see why people do this but promised myself I would mention it.
Health Benefits of Turmeric
If you have never used Turmeric but are curious about it, here are some of the benefits of incorporating it into your diet. You will be surprised how many positive effects this spice can have on your body.
Turmeric has medicinal properties called curcuminoids, the most important one being curcumin. Here are 13 reasons why you should go out and get some turmeric…now!
- Keeps inflammation away. This one is super important especially as we age and inflammation creeps into our bodies and lives if not careful. The process of inflammation is when your body tries to heal itself and fight against injuries and infections that are attacking your cells. Inflammation contributes to many common diseases. As I write this, I can’t help but think about my frozen shoulder and wonder if the painful and annoying condition could have been avoided.
- Turmeric is an antioxidant. We’ve all heard about foods that are antioxidants. But what do they do exactly? First, we need to understand that oxidation causes aging and disease. The anti-oxidative effect of turmeric may stop your liver from being damaged by toxins. Diabetes drugs also adversely affect the liver so using turmeric can help diabetes patients.
- Improves brain function. Curcumin boosts levels of a brain hormone that increases the growth of neurons and fights various degenerative processes in your brain.
- Lowers risk of heart disease. Improves the function of the lining of blood vessels and lowers bad cholesterol.
- Can help prevent cancer. Studies have shown that curcumin appears to affect cancer development and growth of tumor cells.
- Preventing and treating Alzheimer’s Disease. Inflammation and oxidative damage cause Alzheimer’s Disease and curcumin has a positive effect on both.
- It’s good for your joints. Curcumin is an anti-inflammatory so it helps with joint pain associated with arthritis.
- Digestion: Turmeric can help with gut health.
- Diabetes: Curcumin can stabilize blood sugar levels and therefore may help with Type 2 Diabetes.
- Depression. Curcumin is being studied for its potential ability to reduce depression.
- PMS: Recent studies show that curcumin supplements reduce the symptoms of PMS.
- Promotes a healthy mouth. Bet this one surprised you! Consider turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties. It helps prevent gingivitis and helps remove plaque. Some people even use it as a teeth whitener.
- Skin: Another one you probably did not hear of! Since turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties, using a turmeric mask may help revive your skin. Just mix a small amount of yogurt, honey and turmeric together and apply to your face. Let the mixture dry and then wash off. Test on a small spot on your arm before using on your face. There is a tradition called the Haldi (Hindi word for turmeric) Ceremony in Indian culture where the turmeric and yogurt mixture is applied to a bride’s face, arms, neck and legs the day before the wedding. It is said that this mixture brightens up the face. It is a beautiful ceremony where all family members and guests wear gorgeous clothes in every shade of yellow to kick off the wedding festivities. I guess people knew of the magic of turmeric even back in the day! I have also heard from senior relatives that when they were young, turmeric paste was applied to cuts and scrapes to avoid infection!
While researching for this post, I learned that In addition to curcumin, 1 Tbsp of turmeric also contains manganese, iron, potassium and vitamin C. That’s a lot of good stuff in one spice! There are two ways to consume curcumin:
- Supplements, or,
- Adding Turmeric to the food and drinks you consume. I have included a couple of recipes below. Be sure to check them out!
Where do I get turmeric powder?
Gone are the days when you had to go to a specialty store to find turmeric. I am pretty confident that most large grocery stores now carry it. You will, of course, find it in Indian markets, ethnic grocery stores and other health food markets.
Recipes:
Now the fun part! It is never too late to experiment with a new spice and don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. I know we are sometimes afraid to try a new ingredient but give it a go! Need ideas on how to consume turmeric? You have come to the right place!
Not everyone is into curries so here are some ideas on ways to incorporate the wonder spice into your diet. If curries are your beat, let me know and I can post recipes of vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries.
You’ll wish you started using it earlier!
A little goes a long way with turmeric so you really don’t need that much to start making some wonderful things. Don’t be alarmed if it stains your hands or nails. This happens sometimes but is completely harmless. Also note that all turmeric powder is not the same. There are variations in the root which causes commercial turmeric powder to have varying strengths. You will know over time as soon as you use a spoon, if the powder is of super strength or milder. Just adjust accordingly.
*For maximum absorption of turmeric, try combining it with pepper whenever possible.
**Consider wearing an apron when cooking with a lot of turmeric. It can stain clothes.
Matcha with turmeric
This is my daughter’s recipe. You can say what you want about millennials but one thing is for sure. They mostly try to eat well. I run into my daughter in the kitchen some mornings when she prepares her breakfast and notice she makes a gorgeous green hued hot drink. My kid drinks matcha with turmeric! She won’t eat peas but she loves matcha. Who would have thunk! This drink grows on you and is very easy to prepare.
1 tsp of pure unsweetened matcha powder
¼ cup hot water (not boiling)
¾ cup oat milk (or milk of your choice)
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp honey (or to taste)
Put matcha powder in a bowl. Add hot water and mix (consistency should be between watery and a paste). Whisk until it is frothy and you see bubbles. Now add milk of choice in a cup and heat in the microwave for 50 seconds. Pour the matcha mixture over the heated milk. Stir to combine. At this point, add the turmeric and honey and stir. It’s basically a matcha turmeric latte!
Tip: do not add boiling water to the matcha powder. It will make your drink bitter.
Turmeric detox tea
Don’t let the name fool you. It is delicious! Mix all ingredients and enjoy!
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp honey
Pinch black pepper
Green tea
½ tsp lemon juice
1 cup hot water
Variation: add a couple of sprigs of fresh mint
Golden Milk (Turmeric Milk)
This drink is known to help you relax and improve sleep.
1 cup milk or any plant-based milk
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
Pinch black pepper
1 tsp honey
Variation: can add ¼ tsp or cardamom, or ¼ tsp ground cloves
Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to a simmer. Watch carefully so it does not boil over. Let simmer for about 5 minutes (this will eliminate any flavour of raw spice).
Roasted Cauliflower
1 medium head of cauliflower, broken into florets
1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp minced ginger
Salt to taste
¼ – ½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp coriander
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
4 tbsp olive oil
Put all the cauliflower florets in a large bowl. Combine all ingredients in a bowl except the fresh coriander, using a plastic glove if preferred. Set aside for 30 minutes, tossing now and then. Preheat the oven to 250°C. Spread the cauliflower on a baking tray. Place in the oven for 15 minutes, then turn the pieces and roast for another 10–15 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through.
Stir Fried Scrambled Eggs
Bet you’ve never had such delicious scrambled eggs!
6 eggs, whipped
½ cup finely chopped red onion
½ clove garlic, chopped
½ tsp minced ginger
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp coriander powder
Green chili, chopped (if desired, can replace with ¼ tsp red chili powder)
Salt, pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
Optional: 1tsp chopped cilantro or chives
In a frying pan, heat oil and butter and fry red onion until translucent. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander powder, green chilies, salt and pepper. Fry for 2-3 minutes and add a splash of water if it starts sticking to the pan. Add eggs and mix until done.
Note – I add both butter and oil to prevent the butter from burning. You can adjust the amounts if you are concerned about it for health reasons. Or go ahead and use only butter!
Egg Salad Sandwich
2 boiled eggs
1 tbsp mayonnaise
¼ tsp turmeric
Pinch paprika or chili powder
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
Salt, pepper to taste
Cut and mash the boiled eggs. Add remaining ingredients and serve on toast or Melba toast.
Side effects of having too much.
As with anything, there are risks associated with consumption of large amounts of turmeric. It all boils down to how much turmeric you are consuming. The amounts are very small in the recipes above, so no need to worry.
Upset stomach: taking too much turmeric, stimulates gastric acid and could have adverse effects on digestion.
Blood thinning properties: people taking blood thinning drugs should not consume large quantities of turmeric. Again the recipes above contain very small amounts of turmeric.
*Just wanted to make sure everything I read about turmeric was valid so I consulted some websites (Healthline.com, Medicalnewstoday.com and Maharishiayurvedaindia.com)
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