Turmeric – the Golden Spice and wonder drug

Remember the time when elders would apply turmeric powder on minor wounds? Or drinking warm milk with turmeric and powdered black pepper was recommended for cough and congestion? These remedies were recommended with good reason because turmeric has medicinal properties.

Turmeric (scientific name is Curcuma longa) is a vital part of everyday life as a lot of Indian dishes use turmeric. Apart from health benefits, it is frequently used in cosmetics like sunscreens and face creams. Call it superfood or wonder medicine, turmeric is widely used in South Asia.

India grows the highest amount of turmeric in the world and is known to be the highest consumer and exporter too. Erode (Tamil Nadu) is the highest producer of turmeric in India.

It is used as a colouring agent in food and is often called ‘Indian saffron’ and also the ‘golden spice’.

Turmeric contains the potent polyphenol curcumin. A polyphenol is a micronutrient that has antioxidants, which are beneficial for health. Research has shown that polyphenols can help in preventing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI, USA) lists that turmeric has calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, ascorbic acid, Omega-3 fatty acid and alpha-linolenic acid.

An article on the medicinal benefits of turmeric by Sahdeo Prasad and Bharat B Aggarwal and published in the NCBI says that turmeric has been used in traditional medicine for nearly 4,000 years. It further states that according to Sushruta’s Ayurvedic Compendium, dating back to 250 BC, an ointment is recommended containing turmeric to relieve the effects of poisoned food.

In Ayurveda, the medicinal properties of turmeric are used for strengthening the overall energy of the body, relieving gas, dispelling worms, improving digestion, regulating menstruation, dissolving gallstones, relieving arthritis, treatment for respiratory conditions, anorexia, rheumatism, diabetic wounds, runny nose, cough and sinusitis, it adds.

In India, it is widely believed that turmeric purifies the blood and can heal skin diseases. This is all due to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.

The NCBI article describes the health and healing properties of turmeric following human studies:

Relief from bronchial asthma and cough.

Can reduce itching, pain and size in external cancerous lesions.

Reduction in colicky pain.

Healing of peptic ulcer.

Reduction of abdominal pain.

Umbilical cord care after cutting (prevention of infection). This is common in certain parts of Bangladesh.

Eight healthy subjects showed that the presence of turmeric in curry increases bowel mobility.

Another NCBI article states that turmeric can help prevent and cure liver diseases.

Another research finding says: The results obtained from the present review revealed that curcumin can be effective in various types of oxidative associated liver disorders. This potentiality attributes to curcumin effects on hepatotoxicity, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis as well as hepatic injury. Experimental evidence indicates that curcumin exhibits its preventive and curative effect against oxidative associated liver diseases.

How to consume:

A bit of turmeric and pepper powder with warm milk will make one feel great in this gloomy monsoon weather.

A lot of Indian dishes use turmeric. So, that is one way of ingesting turmeric.

Even if it is something simple like an omelette, a small bit of turmeric powder will enhance the taste and get turmeric into the body.

Note: The health benefits listed above are general guidelines and not substitutes for professional medical advice.