By Shaheen Perveen
Photos by Shahid A. Makhfi

India has the lowest incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in the world. Kudos to turmeric - the lingua franca of the Indian kitchen. Ayurvedic practitioners have been using this medicinal rootstock since time immemorial and in everyday Indian life, it ushers in luck and prosperity. Turmeric’s yellow - orange hue assumes a tinge of erotic significance and several Hindu ceremonies are steeped in this auspicious color. It is a honored cosmetic and no less an antidote against the evil spirits!

Malaysians plant turmeric in the corners of their fields to keep away the dreaded crocodiles. Shepherds in Nepal apply turmeric on their forehead as protection against any misadventure. People in the Pacific perform ceremonial dances only after they have sprinkled turmeric powder or applied turmeric paste over their bodies. In India, turmeric is used to ascertain if someone is a ghost or a human being. (Ghosts are averse to the burning smell of turmeric.) In Hawaii, dusting the virulent yellow powder within a defined outline creates a spiritual aura or a protected zone.

Turmeric, or Curcuma longa, belongs to the ginger (Zingiberaceae) family and is native to India or SE Asia. The name is derived from ‘terra merita’ in Latin, which suggests meritorious earth that refers to the pigment color of the ground turmeric. In various languages, turmeric is simply called “yellow root” (Dutch geelwortel) or ‘Indian saffron’ (French safran d’Inde).

Ancient Indian and Chinese medical accounts have catalogued the myriad benefits and uses of this powerful herb. When Marco Polo discovered turmeric in China (1280 AD), he recorded it as “ a vegetable which has all the properties of true saffron, as well the smell, the color, and yet is not really saffron.”

Turmeric

However, turmeric has little in common with saffron, except for its similarity in colors. Turmeric’s typical orange - yellow hue has added color to our lives since time immemorial. Until recently, humans were sacrificed in the turmeric fields in the belief that blood would influence the depth of color in turmeric! The rhizomes were primarily valued as a coloring agent and Curcumin — the yellow pigment —did the magic. Curcumin accounts for one to five percent of the turmeric and is the herb’s most biologically active phytochemical compound with a wide range of therapeutic benefits.

Indians believe that the touch of turmeric renders things lucky and auspicious. For this reason, Indian wedding invitations, wedding garments are always marked with turmeric. Monks in Thailand used this kitchen condiment to dye their robes. In most Asian countries turmeric is used to dye the bride and in a few places, she is even married with it still on. In some parts of India, the bride’s body is anointed with turmeric and mustard oil paste. It is not only the element of luck, but turmeric improves the complexion, softens the skin and imparts a unique radiance. Married women in India apply turmeric on their cheeks in the evening, in anticipation of a visit by Goddess Lakshmi.

Javanese Lulur — reckoned as the queen of beauty treatments and practiced in the palaces of Central Java — is all about the golden glow rendered by turmeric. Applied to the face regularly, turmeric checks acne and used over a period of time even cures it.
Ayurveda welcomes turmeric as an excellent antibiotic, antiseptic and a blood purifier, a remedy for respiratory ailments like cold and cough, bronchial asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, cardio vascular problems and several other disorders. Turmeric’s rich iron content makes it ideal for anaemic conditions. Compared to other spices, turmeric is rich in potassium, iron and ascorbic acid. A good number of Ayurvedic medicines use turmeric as a base.

Turmeric’s direct application or use in poultices is a popular folk remedy. In case of swellings, sprains, strains or boil, turmeric (mixed with mustard oil or honey or lime juice) is still applied in the countryside. Turmeric’s antiseptic properties prevent sepsis, which is best suited for dressing of wounds. Turmeric paste applied to the scalp prevents vertigo, and is also used against insect stings and ringworm. Eyewash containing turmeric is a traditional Ayurvedic remedy for burning eyes, conjunctivitis and opthalmia.

Taken internally, it serves as a liver tonic, stimulates the gall bladder, purifies blood, prevents blood clots, lowers cholesterol, sooths the respiratory tract, combats intestinal infections, expels worms, checks diarrhea, and improves vision. In Ayurveda, turmeric is referred to as “the internal healer.” It promotes digestion by stimulating the flow of bile, which aids digestion and absorption of nutrients.

Turmeric Powder

Fatty accumulations in and around the liver can be prevented by use of turmeric in combination with cooked eggplants. A decoction of fresh eggplants and turmeric powder is believed to prevent bleeding during pregnancy. (In half a litre of boiling water, allow 2 medium sized eggplants (diced) to simmer for about an hour. Strain the water and mix a teaspoon of powdered turmeric. Steep again until lukewarm. Strain the decoction and drink one cup at regular intervals until bleeding stops. (Courtesy: Philippines Journal of Nursing)

Researchers have further established turmeric’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It contains phytochemicals (disease fighting substances that mop up free radicals) that are believed to prevent cancer and has the potential to check the buildup of plaques in the brain, which are responsible for Alzheimer’s disease.

In Asian countries, particularly India, turmeric is used in almost all the vegetable and meat dishes. Its most liberal use goes in the making of cooked lentils and stews. In some parts of Indonesia, fresh turmeric leaves are used for flavoring, while Thai curries make use of the fresh rhizome. However, the use of this colorful spice varies with region, culture and the cook. The best example is popular ‘curry powder’ — coined by the English to cover the whole range of Indian food spicing. Western cuisine is not so impressed or influenced by turmeric like the Asians, but this valuable spice reaches their palates by way of spice mixtures or curry powders.

A fresh turmeric is aromatic, slightly bitter, pungent with an earthy aroma. However, its inroad into the kitchen must have been due to its food preserving properties, followed by color and flavor that have been acknowledged throughout history. Until the advent of synthetic preservatives, turmeric was a vital food additive.

Turmeric is available as fresh, dry, powder, tincture, fluid extract, tablet, etc. If possible, prefer grinding turmeric just before cooking so that its true flavor and aroma can be realized. Dried or ground turmeric loses its spicy fragrance and tends to fade with the passage of time. Turmeric should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place for it to retain its flavor and strength. Make sure that your turmeric is not adulterated with lead chromate, often used to deepen its yellow color.

White turmeric, or zedoary, a closely related plant, is more popular as a vegetable. However, in some parts of India even fresh turmeric is cooked like any other vegetable. Like ginger, it imparts a sensation of warmth when eaten.

Indians drink raw turmeric juice ( at times mixed with honey or milk) early in the morning to purify blood or in case of bronchial asthma or simply for general health benefits.

In absence of raw turmeric juice, one can consider half a tsp. of turmeric powder (freshly ground if possible) added to a cup of milk, which can be simmered for five minutes. For taste, honey or maple syrup can be added later.

Pregnant women, people with gallstones, obstructive jaundice, blocked bile ducts and extremely toxic liver disorders are recommended to see a health care provider before turning to turmeric.