An Introduction to Turmeric, the Wellness Spice

Yesterday I touched on my love of turmeric when I shared holistic nutritionist Elissa Goodman’s delicious, healing latte recipe. One of the reasons I was so excited about her drink is that I’m a longtime fan of this powerful Southeast Indian spice. For centuries it’s been used medicinally and for cooking curries and other dishes.

The vivid orange ingredient is particularly prized for its anti-inflammatory power. Beyond that, the antioxidant-rich spice has been tied to maintaining good cholesterol levels, improved working memory and digestion, a healthy metabolism and enhanced liver function. Many other researched benefits include helping prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and helping treat arthritis, cardiovascular disease, some cancers and Chron’s disease. 

I’m an avid proponent of incorporating turmeric into my daily wellness regimen. It can be as easy as swallowing an organic supplement such as Gaia Herbs Turmeric Supreme, which I take every morning, or New Chapter Turmeric Force Softgels. If you like the slightly peppery taste, try Elissa’s recipe from yesterday, or Pamela Salzman’s Turmeric Latte. A few of my favorite juice companies make beverages featuring the cleansing ingredient: Moon Juice’s Golden Tonic and Turmeric’s Cup juice, Live Beaming’s Antioxidant Elixir and power shot, and Pressed Juicery’s Vitality shot. You can even make a healthy martini out of the latter—along with goji berries and coconut—that actually helps prevent a hangover. Aside from using it in fresh or powdered form when cooking, you can also get your daily turmeric through healthy snacks. I prefer Moon Juice’s Chocolate Chaga Donuts or their Activated Turmeric, Coconut & Lime Pepitas. I hope you’ll discover your favorite way to get the most out of this beneficial ingredient! XXJKE