A Grandmother’s Secret Turmeric Prescription

I'm not sure about the turmeric tea, but can I call your grandmother?

So, which is better: Curcumin or Tumeric?

“Let your food be your medicine.” the Hippocrates statement is a very basic principle in Ayurveda. No other food Turmeric exemplifies this principle. Universally in India Turmeric is called the ‘kitchen queen,’ is the main spice of the kitchen. Practically most cooking in India, Turmeric ‘The Spice of Life’ is present. It is one of the most recommended foods in Ayurveda.

“I have found a plant that has all the qualities of Saffron, but it is a root.” (Marco Polo on Turmeric, 1280 AD)

"Turmeric has hundreds of molecular constituents, each with a variety of biological activities. For instance, there are at least 20 molecules that are anti-biotic, 14 that are known cancer preventatives, 12 that are anti-tumor, 12 are anti-inflammatory and there are at least 10 different anti-oxidants. The list goes on and on, in fact I counted 326 known biological activities of Turmeric in one particular database. Like Rose, Turmeric is a veritable pharmacy in its own right, with literally hundreds of molecules and activities on its ‘shelves.’ This is also testimony to the use of whole herbs and not just isolated molecules. And speaking of molecules, by far the most researched in Turmeric are the three gold-colored alkaloidal Curcuminoids: Curcumin, Demethoxy-curcumin, and Bisdemethoxy-curcumin. Most of the research done is with a 95% Curcuminoid extract of Turmeric, though in its raw state Turmeric is only 3- 5% Curcuminoids. ,," says http://www.bioponic.com/pdfs/TurmericAyurveda.pdf

And this is why people get confused and blame the media for false reports. Just yesterday, this was published:

https://qz.com/883829/a-large-scientific-review-study-shows-that-curcumi...

Both can't be true. So, now you tell me, beibg a scientist, how do I make a common person understand the truth?

Turmeric is really good in fish dishes, too, because it's a bit citrusy. I always chop it into the spices I put on roasting fish, along with lemon zest and parsley.

Is it just a coincidence that we are offered two remedies - turmeric and hot water bottles - for, amongst other things, generalized anxiety and malaise this particular weekend?

It's only called "haldi" in Hindi, not in all 29 major languages of India. And Hindi is not spoken only in India.

Near perfect article that begged to be attempted - particularly with fresh turmeric and ginger ready to go.
Result - delicious but curdled golden mess.
Where did I go wrong?
Helpful tips to correct the problem appreciated.

Turmeric is an effective pain reliever. After spinal surgery I suffered chronic pain for 2 years, and took prescribed opiates to combat it. Opiates didn't work and made me feel rotten. Finally I manned up, took my health into my own hands, and took turmeric pills recommended by a natural healer. Surprise surprise - turmeric relieved my chronic pain! I took turmeric pills for about 6 months and have never looked back. I recommend it to anyone suffering from chronic pain.

There are many research studies showing turmeric's power against cancer. https://thetruthaboutcancer.com/cancer-fighting-benefits-of-curcumin/ Anti-cancer compounds luteolin and falcarinol, in carrots, have cured cancer for me and many others.

Such such a wonderfully written story with a fantastic kicker. Thanks.

Lovely article! Actually there have been countless lab studies demonstrating that turmeric possesses a range of health-giving properties. The problem is that it needs to be combined with other ingredients before it becomes bio-available. Piperine, a constituent of black pepper is one such ingredient, so adding black peppercorns may well enhance the ability of the body to benefit from turmeric. Raw milk (produced under hygienic conditions) is, somewhat ironically, healthier for you than pasteurised milk (and tastes better) but this may be too great a challenge for non-Europeans to accept. It will obviously take time before the significance of recent discoveries about the microbiome, and its critical importance to human health, really filters through into the public consciousness.

Be careful about where the turmeric powder is prapared. It may contain additives to enhance the color (bright yellow), even lead to add the sheen of the powder. Body's ability to absorb the active ingredient in turmeric is greatly improved when you include some black pepper in the food/drink.

My child's top pain center doc told us to put a teaspoon of turmeric cooked in her food every day.

I have also been a fan of turmeric. But it took me some time to find out that it does have the same side effects as ibuprofen, so these should not be taken at the same time.

Lovely article. Thank you.

If you open the 12 January issue of Nature you will read that there is no evidence for any medicinal properties of turmeric. This conclusion is based on a multiplicity of studies. People are welcome to eat anything they want and believe anything they will, but it might be prudent to stop short of ascribing "antiseptic" or "anti-inflammatory" properties to turmeric.

The healing or fortifying effects of concoctions like these comes from the ritual of preparing and consuming them, at the same time each day. There is nothing magic about the ingredients. The magic lies in the mind. And in the memories.

I disagree that fresh and powdered turmeric are equivalent products, however. The taste is entirely different -- only the color and staining power is the same (and even there the fresh form provides a nicer yellow). I add a generous dose of grated, fresh tumeric to my Indian omelets. The tumeric is not bitter in the least, when used that way, but delicate and pleasant. I have tried using powdered tumeric in the same preparation, and found that it added a garish color and flat, funky taste to the simple dish. Add to this the fact that powdered tumeric is one of the spices that is often padded out with fillers: I will stick with the fresh form. I do use turmeric powder for curry or rice recipes that call for half a teaspoon or so, but that's all. In that context it is more dye than spice.

Beautifully written, the kind of storytelling that used to be the hallmark of NYT's food journalism in the 1990s!

Thank you for this bit of comfort. I make a mix of spices, a tea bag (and/or a bit of coffee) and milk of various sorts for myself in the morning. Now I see this is a long standing tradition to embrace. I loved the comments from your grandmother, mine was equally practical about life.
To give ourselves a warm cup of comfort and encouragement for entering a new day is an good habit. I need encouragement before I read the daily headlines.

Years ago, a friend of mine went on a Turmeric kick before it became hip and found a recipe for something resembling a sponge cake with it as an ingredient. Having grown up with it back in the Middle East, I warned him about overdoing it and being careful about staining but, of course, it was ignored. I came over that afternoon to sample this concoction and found his hands, moustache, several kitchen cloths stained along with an almost Da-Glo loaf of nastiness that was inedible. A gentle and restrained hand with this spice is key...it's not magic but it may need some to get rid of the stains...

Beautifully written...love this. Hope whatever it is that exactly ails us is mitigated by this intriguing drink.

I love the taste of Turmeric. I use it on, spaghetti, mexican dishes (tamales, enchilada's, eye.,), in soups to spice things up and of course all asian dishes.
I also take Turmeric in pill capsule. It's quite delicious…

I will start adding turmeric immediately to my chai consumption/addiction. My grandmother used Lipton bags that never helped anything.
NYT more articles with de-compression, soothing beverages would be a great series for what ails us all, starting--thank you-- with this one.

Enchanted by Tejal Rao's writing on the subject : delightful!
Got right down to making the tea, which I found to be a pleasing way to begin the day (along with Kim Severson's tempting, extra crunchy peanut butter cookie, freshly made the night before). Thank you!

Funny, I did just that this summer, replaced coffee by "golden latte" with almond milk, organic turmeric, powdered and grated, cinnamon, cardamon seeds and maple syrup. It's very nice and stimulating, but the spices end up bearing on the stomach !

How could you forget the many topical uses of turmeric? Use it mixed with lime (the calcium kind) on a bruise. Mix it with yoghurt for a daily face-pack that is used by many models and actresses.

Turmeric is magic not because it is magic; but because it heals inflammation and bacterial infection at the earliest stages, when they can be healed with (just) turmeric. It is preemptive. That's its magic.

Everyday my daughter and I have a cup of chai and a cookie when she gets home from school. It's rainy all winter where we live and there is something about those warm spices and a little hit of tannic black tea caffeine when it's so damp. I've been curious about fresh turmeric. We'll certainly try this. Lovely piece.

I make a turmeric drink and take a gulp of it every day.
Turmeric, black pepper, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar & honey.
I didn't add the exact amounts of each as I made up the recipe myself after googling "turmeric ginger honey elixir" although maybe not all those words at once........ it has been a while since I started making this drink, which I keep in the fridge.

Some years ago, I copied this recipe provided by an Indian who said his mother would insist all of the children drink it to fend off colds.
Turmeric Milk Serves: 2
2 cups fresh whole milk(whole for the fat that helps one absorb the nutrients)
1/2 - 1 tsp turmeric powder
2-3 whole black peppercorns
2-3 whole cardamom pods, cracked
1/2 inch ginger, roughly chopped
Pinch of saffron, optional
Sweetener like honey, jaggery or regular sugar can be added to sweeten the milk.
Method
Heat the milk along with the spices for 2-3 minutes. Add the sweetener to taste if using. Let it cool until its warm. Strain and serve.
Other ingredients could include ground allspice and a pinch of saffron. The name of the poster was Kulsum, who added that he would also 'fry the spices in a pinch of ghee and then add the milk.'

Since there is a lot of scientific data on the hazards of drinking dairy, e.g, casein is a cancer promoter; milk is full of cholesterol and saturated fat contributing to heart disease, I suggest taking turmeric only with non-dairy milk. Here's an example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cge_YoNlgUY

Great piece! I'm Indian too and do rely on turmeric as well. Great home remedy.
That last comment reminded me of my own grandmother, who had given me my first non-hand-me-down piece of jewelry, a ring that I never took off once it was given to me for my 18th birthday. When a small stone fell off it 18 years later and I had to take it off, I remember telling her of my misgivings that I wasn't wearing it anymore. Her reply: "That old thing? Gosh, it's just a ring. Get a new one." She died six months later, and I can't shake the feeling that the universe was giving me a heads up.

You might also add black pepper to turmeric drinks. It aids in metabolization.