As a known antioxidant and brain booster, it’s a helpful natural resource for protecting the heart and fighting diabetes and cancer.
Turmeric is used as a flavoring spice, a stimulant, and also as a coloring agent. It belongs to the ginger family, and its powder is of a strong ochre color. You don’t need to be an expert cook or spend too much time in the kitchen to make your diet a bit more exotic and zesty. For instance, I add turmeric in day to day dishes like scrambled eggs, omelets, roasted vegetables, stews, and soups; it enriches their appearance (we also eat with our eyes!) and their flavor. Rumor has it that black pepper increases the absorption of turmeric, by the way. Who can go wrong with a good dash of black pepper?
We’re commonly reminded to eat colorful plant foods because of their pigments, associated with antioxidants — the nutrients experts believe protect and repair cells from damage caused by free radicals and that also have important anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric’s intense color makes it a leader in this group of foods; curcumin, a compound found only in turmeric, seems to be the magic ingredient.
The combination of my genetically inherited love for cooking and my own mother’s incessant quest for healthy options took me into an interesting journey regarding the benefits of different ingredients and spices. That journey hasn’t just saved me from the bland steak-and-potato kind of diet, but it’s also offered me great advice in order to stay healthy while tasting great and varied foods.
If you’re a foodie like me and you suffer from any of the annoying conditions I’ve mentioned, talk to your doctor about your prescribed medication and how including zesty ingredients like turmeric in your diet can enhance the good effects of your treatment.
