What is turmeric?

Turmeric is the root of Curcuma longa, a leafy plant in the ginger family. The root, a rhizome, is boiled, dried, and ground into the deep-yellow powder that colours so much of Indian food. It has been part of the kitchen, the medicine chest, and the ritual of India for thousands of years.

In Ayurveda

In Ayurveda, turmeric (haridra) is one of the most valued herbs, used in cooking, taken in warm milk, and spread on the skin. It is held to be warming and cleansing, and suited to all three doshas. Sadhguru describes turmeric as bringing a certain vibrance to the body, valued as much for the glow it lends the skin as for what it does within.

What research has looked at

Modern interest centres on curcumin, the compound that gives turmeric its colour. Some research suggests curcumin may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, though the studies are still building. One catch researchers note: curcumin is poorly absorbed on its own. It is taken up far better alongside a little black pepper and some fat, which is exactly how the old recipes pair it, in golden milk made with milk and a pinch of pepper.

Ways people use it

Turmeric turns up fresh or dried: the base of a curry, stirred into warm milk as golden milk, simmered with honey when a cold is about, or mixed into a paste for the skin. It is sharp and earthy, and easy to bring into everyday cooking. The golden milk and grandmother's throat drink here both lean on it.

You don't need to treat turmeric as a remedy to let it into your cooking. If it appeals, bring it into your week and notice how it sits with you.