Healthy Spice

Turmeric is a spice that comes from the turmeric plant. It is commonly used in Asian food. You probably know turmeric as the main spice in curry. It has a warm, bitter taste and is frequently used to flavor or color curry powders, mustards, butters, and cheeses. But the root of turmeric is also used widely to make medicine. It contains a yellow-colored chemical called cur-cumin, which is often used to color foods and cosmetics.

Turmeric is used for arthritis, heartburn (dyspepsia), joint pain, stomach pain, bypass surgery, diarrhea, intestinal gas, stomach bloating, loss of appetite, jaundice, liver problems, stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gallbladder disorders, high cholesterol, skin inflammation from radiation treatment, and fatigue.

It is also used for headaches, bronchitis, colds, lung infections, fever, menstrual problems, itchy skin, recovery after surgery, and cancers. Other uses include depression, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, urinary bladder inflammation, and kidney problems.