Turmeric – The Golden, Wonder Spice

If there was a popularity contest for the most treasured spice for health and wellness, we predict that turmeric would win hands-down. Derived from the root of the turmeric plant and similar in appearance to ginger, this bright orange wonder-ingredient is used globally for its health benefits and its slightly bitter, warm and fragrant flavour.

Turmeric has been a staple in India for thousands of years both in cooking and traditional medicine – specifically for treating disorders of the upper respiratory tract, skin, joints, and digestive system. After much research in modern medical labs, curcumin (a main component of turmeric) has been found to provide a huge array of health benefits, with turmeric now often promoted as a dietary supplement to relieve conditions including arthritis, digestive disorders, liver disease, and more (source).

A versatile spice, turmeric can be used to provide natural ‘golden’ food colouring and adds a key bitter/sweet note to spice mixes in curries or stews. Because of its healing properties, the past decade or so has seen the rise of new culinary innovations where turmeric is added to an array of unexpected dishes and beverages.

Turmeric Latte is another comforting and delicious way to enjoy the benefits and flavour of turmeric! In fact, we have developed our own signature Turmeric Latte Spice which combines ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric (all anti-inflammatories). The addition of black pepper to this blend not only gives warmth but also dramatically increases the body’s ability to absorb the healing qualities of the other ingredients.

Traditional South Asian dishes such as Chana Masala, Dry Potato Curry, and Sri Lankan Cashew Curry utilise turmeric to great effect and are perfect for fortifying immunity in the colder months. If you’re looking for other ways to add turmeric to your cooking, try dusting powdered turmeric or Turmeric Latte Spice to your roast root vegetables such as pumpkin or sweet potato, add to soups or use to flavour your rice.

If it’s not already on high rotation in your kitchen it might be worth adding some more turmeric into your life. Your body and your tastebuds will thank you.