Celebrated for its many benefits, this golden spice offers anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, enhancing well-being
By Lakshmi Sridharan, San Jose
To Hindus, turmeric embodies the essence of Goddess Lakshmi: holiness, sanctity, prosperity, goodness and beauty. This golden spice reigns supreme in Hindu temples, festivals, religious ceremonies and marriages. For instance, Hindus create a small cone-shaped structure with turmeric powder and water to represent Lord Ganesha. My mother used to place this turmeric Ganesha on cloth alongside special items she made for Krishna during Janmashtami. Deities in temple sanctums are bathed in water saturated with fragrant golden-yellow turmeric powder. In South India, brides and grooms bathe in turmeric water on their wedding day, and the groom wears a dhoti soaked in turmeric water. During the marriage ceremony, the groom places a turmeric-soaked thread adorned with gold beads and religious symbols around the bride’s neck. Women of the house welcome the newlyweds with a lit lamp (mangala arathi) often made of turmeric. These lamps play an important role on all joyous occasions. Pilgrims to Tirupati seeking the blessings of Venkateswara also wear clothing imbued with turmeric.
Growing Turmeric
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a tropical plant with yellow flowers that produces fleshy, aromatic underground stems called rhizomes. Pieces of rhizome are used for propagation. Fresh turmeric rhizome is available in Indian grocery stores, and turmeric plants can be found in nurseries specializing in exotic tropical plants. Turmeric prefers sandy loam soil with good drainage, partial shade, a temperature range of 64-86 degrees Fahrenheit (18-30 degrees Celsius), and altitudes from sea level to 1500 meters. If you live in a region with these conditions, you can grow turmeric in your backyard. If not, you can grow it in containers and bring the plants indoors during unfavorable climatic conditions.
When propagating turmeric, cut the rhizomes into pieces, ensuring each piece contains a bud that will sprout into a shoot. Use rich potting soil in a container, and cover the rhizome pieces with soil. Place the container in a warm, sunny location. Keep the soil damp but not soggy. Shoots will appear above the soil in a week or two. You can continue growing the plant in the container, or transplant it outside if you live in a location with favorable growth conditions. Let the plants grow to 4 or 5 feet before harvesting the rhizomes.
Culinary Uses
The rhizomes are sun-dried and powdered for culinary and medicinal uses. Turmeric reigns supreme in Indian and Asian cuisine. Far more than a coloring agent; it is a healthy spice and one of the most important herbs in Indian cuisine, included in nearly all curry preparations. The powder is an integral part of soups, stir-fries, fried vegetables, pickles and more. South Indian breakfast and snack items such as uppuma, uthappam and adai, as well as North Indian roti and paratha, are spiced with turmeric powder. Indian cooks use special rice preparations, such as lemon rice, tamarind rice and tomato rice, for color and flavor. Use one teaspoon of turmeric powder in four cups of any preparation. Curcuma amada (“mango ginger”) is a related variety which is largely used in pickles and salads. It morphologically resembles ginger but has a raw mango flavor, hence the popular name.
Skin and Beauty Uses
Turmeric is a magic potion for skin problems, working nicely for acne, skin rashes and spots, and it promotes skin health and rejuvenation. Daily use of lemon juice mixed with cucumber juice and a pinch of turmeric helps with dark underarms and neck. Mixing pure turmeric powder in coconut oil and massaging your skin with this oil before bathing is a good remedy for many skin problems. A mixture of milk cream with turmeric powder can be applied to the skin around the eyes, helping reduce dark circles and fine lines.
The brilliant golden yellow color of turmeric is very appealing. A common practice followed by Indian women is to apply turmeric paste over the body at least once a week before bathing. Fresh turmeric can be used to make a paste. Women in Indian villages use a grinding stone for this purpose, or you can use a mortar and pestle to prepare the paste. Married Indian women used to apply turmeric paste on their face daily, as it is considered auspicious and symbolic of marital bliss. Though this tradition is slowly disappearing in India, the Indian cosmetic industry now incorporates turmeric in beauty products, using Curcuma aromatica, which is more fragrant than Curcuma longa.
Healing Properties
India and China have been using turmeric for over five thousand years to treat various ailments, including digestive and liver problems, skin diseases and wounds. With complementary medicine gaining popularity worldwide, research on the use of turmeric in treating life-threatening and crippling diseases is expanding. The phytochemical curcumin, which gives turmeric its yellow color, has been shown to be effective in treating hepatitis, gallbladder problems, loss of appetite, arthritis, asthma, Alzheimer’s disease, psoriasis and different types of cancers, including colon and breast cancers. Several laboratory studies report that curcumin has antiviral activity against HIV.
Curcumin has been shown to stimulate bile production by the gallbladder, helping to digest fats and reduce the risk of gallstones. It helps generate enzymes that assist the liver in breaking down and metabolizing toxic substances. It helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may help maintain remission in people with ulcerative colitis.
Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants scavenge free radicals, the byproducts of oxidation that can damage cells and DNA. By neutralizing free radicals, antioxidants may reduce or prevent some of the damage they cause. As an antioxidant, curcumin protects DNA from breaking and prevents cell damage.
Ongoing research suggests that curcumin may prevent, control or kill several types of cancers, including prostate, breast, skin and colon. Curcumin has the potential to stop the proliferation of blood vessels that feed cancerous tumors, thereby stopping cancerous growth. However, cancer should be treated with conventional medications; alternative therapies should not be relied upon alone.
Curcumin’s anti-inflammatory properties help reduce inflammation by lowering levels of two inflammatory enzymes (COX-2 and LOX) and stop platelets from clumping together to form blood clots. Research suggests turmeric may help prevent atherosclerosis by lowering cholesterol levels and preventing LDL (“bad”) cholesterol from building up in blood vessels. Turmeric may also prevent the formation of blood clots along artery walls, though more research is needed to demonstrate its effectiveness in treating atherosclerosis in humans. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric may help relieve osteoarthritis symptoms. It is also antiseptic, traditionally to stop bleeding and prevent infection in open wounds.
Drinking milk mixed with turmeric is helpful for asthma and bronchitis patients, and a mixture of honey with turmeric is good for a sore throat. Gargling hot water mixed with turmeric and salt also helps. In Ayurvedic medicine, a teaspoon of turmeric powder and honey taken orally twice a day is effective in treating thrombocytopenia (low platelet count). A teaspoon of ginger juice with honey every other day makes this treatment more effective.
You can use turmeric for culinary purposes with no hesitation. Turmeric paste, powder or beauty products can also be used for healthy, blemish-free skin. A word of caution though: do not self-medicate with turmeric alone for treating life-threatening diseases such as cardiovascular diseases or cancer. Consult your physician if you wish to use turmeric as a complementary medicine.
About the Author
Lakshmi Sridharan is an American scientist of South Indian origin who lives in San Jose, California, with her husband Tim. As a freelance writer, she enjoys sharing with others her knowledge in plant science, culinary science, her experience in gardening and cooking as well as Indian culture and traditions.