12 Jan Turmeric, much more than color

Turmeric has been used as a food coloring for over 2,000 years. It is known (and sometimes confused) for being one of the main ingredients in curry, and responsible for its characteristic deep yellow color. Its use is widespread in Indian and Southeast Asian cuisine, both fresh and powdered.

However, it is increasingly valued and used in cooking around the world for its multiple health properties and as an alternative to other less natural dyes such as chemical dyes.

It is obtained from the root of a plant called Curcuma longa, similar to ginger since they belong to the same family. It has brown skin and its meat is an intense orange color.

In our kitchen, we can use turmeric not only in curry mixes, but also as a substitute for saffron in many other dishes such as rice dishes or in stir-fries for stews, in order to give color and aroma.

In addition, thanks to its curcumin content as well as a large amount of minerals, vitamins and other types of beneficial compounds, turmeric is very effective against different types of ailments. It is not only used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, but numerous investigations have shown its effectiveness, being used by the pharmaceutical industry for its great antioxidant and anti-inflammatory power.

Thanks to this antioxidant capacity, it is associated with properties such as the prevention of certain types of cancer or the inhibition of infectious diseases.

In traditional Indian medicine it has been used mainly as an anti-inflammatory, but also to improve digestion, liver diseases, mental health and skin improvement.

As advice, it is better to take it daily but in small doses. In addition, since turmeric is not easily assimilated by the body, it can be accompanied by black pepper to help its absorption. But be careful, an excess consumption of turmeric could be contraindicated for people who take medications to treat circulation problems, with liver diseases, as well as for pregnant women and babies.

So we see that turmeric is much more than a natural coloring to improve the appearance and flavor of our dishes, it is also a preventive and curative remedy that is worth adding to our diet.

At Carlota Organic we use different natural ingredients such as spices and seeds to nutritionally improve traditional recipes. You can find turmeric in our delicious Carrot and Turmeric Cream, or Quinoa with Vegetables, Turmeric and Curry Sauce.

Enjoy them!

Carlota Organic