Turmeric Root Powder

Turmeric is a kitchen staple in India. The fragrant and earthy spice is an essential ingredient in Indian curries and is found in chutneys, pickles, tandoori spice blends and the Moroccan mixture ras el hanout. A natural dye, the brilliant golden-orange spice is also a coloring agent for foods and was historically used as a fabric dye.

Botanically, turmeric is in the same family as ginger, and like ginger, it is the plant’s knotty rhizomes (commercially referred to as roots) that are dried and ground into turmeric powder. The large-leafed, tropical plant does not produce viable seeds and has been propagated vegetatively for centuries.

As an herbal supplement, turmeric is widely used as an anti- inflammatory and to treat more than 70 maladies, including digestive and liver problems, joint pain, and skin conditions. The pigment that gives turmeric root its vibrant color (curcumin) is considered the source of spice’s many medicinal benefits and its effect has been studied for everything from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease.