Turmeric

English Name: Turmeric

Common Indian Name (Hindi): Haldi

• Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae which is native to tropical South Asia.
• Its rhizomes are boiled for several hours and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly widely used as a spice in Indian and other South Asian cooking.
• Its active ingredient is curcumin and it has an earthy, bitter, peppery flavor and has a mustardy smell.
• It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.
• It is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works well for the treatment of arthritis (Joint inflammation) and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Is a natural painkiller and cox-2 inhibitor.
• May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.
• It is a natural liver detoxifier.
• May prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by removing amyloidal plaque buildup in the brain.
• Practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine say it has fluorides, which is thought to be essential for teeth.
• It is used as an antibacterial agent. It speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.
• Presenting their findings at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco in June 2008, researchers discovered that turmeric-treated mice were less susceptible to developing Type 2 diabetes, based on their blood glucose levels, and glucose and insulin tolerance tests.
• In some places of India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, it is believed that turmeric gives glow to skin and keeps some harmful bacteria away from the body.