Swished, simmered, swiveled, & grilled into cuisine and refreshments, the fancy golden glow of Turmeric has earned quite a glory as a superfood. This terraneous spice, the root of the Curcuma Longa plant, has proven its reputation both in the kitchen and in medicine as well which, without a double, has to make Turmeric worthy of grabbing global attention.
Binomial name
Curcuma Longa
Family
Turmeric is an imperishable herbaceous plant of the ginger family_Zingiberaceae.
Origin
This tuberous rhizome is native to southern India, Indonesia, & other Southeast Asian countries.
Weather condition for turmeric cultivation
Turmeric, the tuber of the plant, requires considerable amount of rainfall and can easily withstand warm and wet conditions.
The flavor profile of turmeric
This golden spice has a bitter, savoy, musky, and effluvial aroma, a mix between ginger and pepper. Freshly harvested turmeric has a dominant spicy hot ginger-like taste than dried or powdered turmeric. Its taste is difficult to describe as it dangles between a tender spice and light bitter overtones.
Benefits of Turmeric
Culinary benefits
An average home kitchen holds more than 10 spices, seasonings & extracts, and turmeric has never lost its place on the spice section of the shelf of the kitchen.
The reputation of turmeric in culinary has never gone down a notch. Ground turmeric roots have been used in Indian & Chinese cooking for decades. Adding a pinch of this miracle bright yellow spice is a great way to make nutritious food taste better_ without adding a generous amount of salt, sugar, or fat.
Turmeric is a perfect add-in for many cooking recipes that augments texture and visual appeal as the flavoring and coloring agent. Turmeric has the potential to put an enchanting spin on a simple dish.
Medical benefits
Apart from its culinary uses, turmeric is believed to have tones of health benefits.
Anti-inflammatory
The chemical compound in turmeric called curcumin is responsible for the anti-inflammatory property of this world's number 1 natural healing herb. It alleviates discomfort, pain & swelling in people who have arthritis, joint pain, & muscle pain. Researches have shown that usage of turmeric has reduced ingestion of anti-inflammatory drugs.
Antioxidant
Curcumin is a potent antioxidant that helps fight free radicals and prevents & controls oxidative damage.
Balance blood sugar
Turmeric helps to balance the blood sugar levels within the normal range. So, if you face low energy issues or simply a person with diabetes, turmeric can help balance your sugar levels up to a considerable range because of its antioxidant property.
Antimicrobial
Being an antimicrobial brightening agent, turmeric has made its way into the skincare routine. Applying turmeric on the face & body by mixing it with honey and milk kills many active bacteria and microbes which cause acne.
Lower risk of health disease
Curcumin plays a massive role in reducing the risk of heath disease by clearing arteries' inner lining (endothelium). This strengthens the heart and prevents the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and even stroke.
Encourages healthy cholesterol
Oxidative stress increases the chances of accumulation of bad cholesterol, aka LDL(low-density lipoprotein). When turmeric fights oxidative stress via its anti-oxidative & anti-inflammatory properties, it encourages terrible cholesterol with good cholesterol.
Helps in digestion
Turmeric accelerates enzymatic reactions, bowel movements, adequate acid production, and ingested nutrients in the digestive tract.
Boosts brain function
Curcumin boosts levels of a brain hormone named brain-derived neurotrophic factor ( BDNF), which promotes brain capacity to ward off degenerative processes of the brain. Therefore, studies have shown that the use of turmeric prevents degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.
Boosts immunity
The immune system is a barrier to protect the body against pathogens that can cause disease & other complications. Turmeric has been proven to be the best herb to protect and boost immunity.