Turmeric: More than just a spice

From making curries to whipping up DIY face scrubs, the uses of turmeric are aplenty! Needless to say, this simple herb has been a godsend for the many generations of dadis, nanis and moms. Let’s find out what makes it so special, shall we?

Natural painkiller

Turmeric has curcumin, a compound which has an anti-inflammatory property; in turn, serves as a natural painkiller. Moreover, its inhibitory action on inflammatory chemicals, like prostaglandins and interleukins, helps reduce pain. So, on days when you don’t have paracetamols, you can easily ground some turmeric and smear it on your cuts and burns to relieve yourself.

Turmeric’s functions go beyond being more than just an everyday spice

Aids in post-operative recovery

If the thought of chugging milk and turmeric makes you hurl; here’s one good reason you might want to think otherwise. Turmeric is loaded with anti-microbial and immune boosting properties that keep infections at bay after surgery. In case you’re going under the knife soon, keeping some turmeric might come in handy.

Protects your teeth against gingivitis

The pangs of gingivitis can be brought down to a minimum with a dose of turmeric. Studies have shown that curcumin in turmeric can help combat the woes of gingivitis because of its anti-inflammatory agents; in fact, it’s as effective as chlorhexidine mouthwash. If this isn’t reason enough to add turmeric to your staple diet, we don’t know what is!

 Can help cure a pesky itch

Bid adieu to insect bites and itchy skin with the magic of turmeric. No joke, this herb is a saving grace against itchy skin. All you have to do is ground it into a paste and apply it onto the infected area, and voila! Say hello to itch-free, beautiful skin.

Helps treat diabetes

A scientific review suggested that curcumin helps lower the levels of glucose in blood, thus preventing diabetes. Moreover, curcumin supplementation had also shown to reduce insulin resistance, improve the functions of pancreatic beta cells as well as enhance tolerance towards glucose.

Healing cracked feet, reducing weight, preventing cramps: is there anything turmeric can’t do?

Reduce menstrual cramps

Ladies, when you’re experiencing a monthly carnage down south, adding turmeric to your diet might actually make your lives a lot less painful. An Iranian study suggested that curcumin in turmeric reduces the gut-wrenching cramps that women endure once a month. We bet that’s all the more reason to stock up on turmeric, eh?

Keeps your weight in check

Time and again, curcumin’s anti-inflammatory properties have worked wonders for our bodies.  Trying to stay on the lighter side of the scale has for long been a struggle for the most us. Nevertheless, much of our baggage can be curbed, provided we start consuming turmeric. Curcumin enhances metabolism and suppresses the production of new fat. In addition to that, it lowers blood cholesterol levels without affecting the appetite. How neat is that?

Heal cracked feet

Imagine a shoe salesman giving you a death-stare as you try on a pair of new shoe and that too with cracked feet.  But no need to bring out the waterworks, here’s how you can cure the blues. Make a paste out of castor oil, coconut oil with a pinch of turmeric, apply it on the cracks of your feet and leave it on for 15 minutes. Rinse off with water to get smooth, crack-free feet.

For the South-Asian side of the globe, herbs and spices like chilli, black pepper, garlic, cumin, coriander powder, and of course turmeric come as a blessing especially for those who take a special interest in food. For instance, cumin with its distinct flavour making it a favourite for many of us, and there is no real substitute for the savour chilli adds to our meals. Turmeric in particular makes dishes taste as good as they look; so it’s no surprise that our love for this spice is beyond everything else.

Aside from adding wonderful flavours, spices as a whole can also help with food breakdown by encouraging motility and enzyme production in our digestive system. Not only that, some spices provide antioxidants and have anti-flammatory properties.  It is also proved that many of them can play a role in preventing cancer. So, get ready to spice up your meal, more!