What does turmeric do for you?
Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is a spice known also as Indian saffron, cimarron, yuquilla (Cuba), turmeric, jengibrillo (Puerto Rico), cholón stick, chuck stick, guisador, stick (Peru), root saffron Colombia).
The Turmeric is a herbaceous plant of the family of gingers that can be found from Polynesia to Southeast Asia. The turmeric , is a spice cultivated for its rhizomes (roots), which are used as food coloring, giving a deep yellow color.
Flavor and Flavor of Turmeric:
The aroma of turmeric is exotic and very different, musky and fresh reminds us of ginger and orange, its taste is very peculiar as it is slightly sweet, bitter and spicy. The dried and powdered turmeric is an intense yellow color almost orange, bright and soft to the touch.
The turmeric is often used as a coloring substitute for saffron, since it is much cheaper, but the taste has nothing to do, so it is not a good substitute for saffron.
Gastronomic Uses of Turmeric:
The turmeric is a perfect spice for cooking and seasoning fish dishes, eggs and rice and is one of the spices most commonly used in Indian cuisine as a food coloring for rice, meat and various dishes. It is also part of the spices that give color as the curry.
The turmeric Madras is used in preparing Indonesia for Indonesian prawn curry, rice or chicken Madras curry, besides skewers and fish or shrimp marinated in Okinawa, Japan is served along with tea.
The rhizome turmeric , reduced to powder allows to preserve the freshness, flavor and nutritive value of food for longer.
Properties of Turmeric:
The turmeric contains a chemical called polyphenol curcumin or curcumin which is the major component of turmeric and is responsible for the natural properties of this plant and the effects of antioxidants , antiarthritic and antiinflammatories .
Curcumin studies are underway to indicate its effectiveness in the treatment of various diseases such as malaria, apoptosis (programmed cell destruction) of malignant cells in some types of cancer, and there are very promising studies on the interaction of curcumin in The inhibition of interest responsible for HIV-1 replication. We also found studies on the incidence of this active principle in liver and kidney function with very encouraging results for diabetics, as it appears to improve insulin secretion and reduce glucose production.
But the consumption of this spice must be moderate, since this active principle of turmeric is metabolized through the liver and consumed in large quantities can be hepatotoxic when excreted by bile (its elimination is not simple to make it Through the stool). The daily dose of turmeric is currently permitted by the WHO is up to 1 mg of curcumin or 3 mg of turmeric oleoresin (at a concentration of curcuminoids 3%) per kilo of weight of the person, that is approximately between 1 and 3 gr. Of turmeric, either powdered or root daily for an adult.
In any case we recommend that you consult with a doctor the consumption of any substance since by being natural do not have to be good for the body and look at hemlock or rue.
Where to buy Turmeric:
In addition to buying turmeric here in Spices Cave in ground or powder form, you can buy it fresh in the greengrocer's , usually found near the sweet potatoes, sweet potatoes and other tubers.
