Curcuma: what is it?
Curcuma can be taken to mean either a plant genus or a drug they themselves have obtained.
The species of greatest pharmaceutical and phytotherapic interest (hence economic) is Curcuma longa (or Curcuma domestica ), but Curcuma xanthorrhiza and Curcuma zeodaria are also not to be overlooked.
The Curcuma longa has long, oval and long petiolate leaves, while the flowers are gathered in bislong spikes.
Distributed throughout South Asia (the domestic species is predominantly native to south-western India), the Curcuma are herbaceous, perennial and rhizomatous type plants, today cultivated in most tropical regions.
To thrive, turmeric needs an ambient temperature of between 20 and 30 ° C, as well as a significant amount of annual precipitation. The plants are harvested annually and, normally, a part of the rhizomes is preserved for the cultivation of the following season.
Turmeric in the Kitchen
When not used fresh, the turmeric rhizome is boiled for about 30-45 minutes, dried in hot ovens and reduced to an orange-yellow powder.
The main uses of this spice are: Indian cuisine, Pakistani cuisine, curries, generic dyes and as a food coloring.
The active ingredient of turmeric is curcumin, which has a spicy, slightly bitter taste, distinctly earthy and a smell similar to mustard.
For millennia, in the countries of origin, turmeric is used in most recipes; only recently, it has found a remarkable diffusion also in the western nations, considering its use in the formulation of curry and some sauces .
Because of its coloring capacity (of yellow), turmeric is also known as "saffron of India"; in fact, the active principle of these plants, or curcumin, is often used as a natural food coloring (E100), even if the high cost strongly limits their use.
Turmeric is often used in vegan recipes, both for its remarkable health properties and for replacing the yellow color of the yolk (forbidden for them).
The aroma of turmeric, warm and pungent, finds a certain resemblance to that of ginger (with which it shares the botanical family).
Curcuma based video recipes
Curry Video Recipes
The rhizome is not consumed as such, but washed, blanched, dried and ground into a fine powder.
Curcuma online
Online you can find the certified organic turmeric powder in a 250g resealable freshness pack, produced using only the best roots. Commonly used in the kitchen for the preparation of dishes and beverages (such as golden milk or turmeric tea), turmeric has been used for years in Chinese medicine as a natural wellness remedy. This article is specifically without additives and produced without the addition of flavorings, colorings, preservatives or flavor enhancers. 100% organic, it is packaged by hand and carefully controlled to ensure maximum quality.
Available online
Alternatively, you can buy 500g organic turmeric powder with a high concentration of Vitamin C, Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium. Thanks to its characteristic spicy taste and the inviting ocher color, it is perfect for preparing rice, curry, soups and other dishes. Rich in proteins, essential to increase and maintain muscle mass and to maintain healthy bones, this turmeric powder is grown and harvested naturally, without resorting to the use of pesticides or other harmful substances, so as to have obtained the Organic Certificate of the Soil Association.
Available online
Golden Milk: A Healthy Habit
The Video analyzes the properties of turmeric and the steps to prepare the Golden Milk at home.
It is a drink based on Curcuma, simple to prepare and perfect to increase the supply of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory molecules. The Complete recipe is available by clicking here
Golden Milk - Golden Milk and Curcuma Properties
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Biochemical Composition
The most important chemical components of turmeric are part of a group called curcuminoids, which includes: curcumin ( diferuloilmetano ), demetoxicurcumina and bisdemetoxicurcumina .
The most studied element is curcumin, which on average accounts for 3.14% of the dust.
Other volatile oils include turmerone, atlantone and zingiberene .
Popular Medicine and Traditional Uses
In India, turmeric has always been used as a remedy for disorders of the stomach and liver, as well as treatment for topical use to heal wounds regarding its alleged antimicrobial capacity.
In the "Siddha" system (1900 BC), turmeric is a medicine for various diseases and clinical conditions, affecting the skin, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, wounds, sprains and liver disorders.
Fresh turmeric juice is commonly used for various skin diseases, including eczema, chickenpox, herpes zoster, allergic reactions and scabies.
Curcuma: Health Properties
In turmeric there are good quantities of an essential oil, which can also be extracted and used in perfumery.
The amount of oil present in the dried rhizome (together with the curcuminoid polyphenols , captained by curcumin ) gives the drug different pharmacological properties. The best known and proven are those choleretic-cholagogues, which favor the production of bile and its outflow into the intestine; turmeric can therefore improve liver health, help eliminate excess cholesterol and facilitate digestion of large, fat-rich meals.
Turmeric is also very useful in the treatment of dyspepsia (bad digestion), meteorism and flatulence (it has carminative and antispasmodic properties); moreover, it has shown discrete anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant properties.
Both in vitro and in animal studies, curcumin has been shown to be potentially useful in the treatment of numerous diseases and related symptoms, including Alzheimer's disease, AIDS, arthritis, diabetes and various types of cancer. in particular the colon-rectum and pancreas; on the other hand, in humans, the doses necessary to obtain any kind of beneficial effect are very difficult to establish.
Deepening: Turmeric for Cancer: Is it Possible?
Furthermore, the reduced bioavailability of the substance suggests that many of the effects demonstrated in vitro are absent in humans.
Despite this, curcumin is still the subject of numerous studies, both to confirm its healing properties and to improve its systemic absorption. In this regard, the association of turmeric with piperine has been proposed , which can increase its bioavailability up to 2000%, or the incorporation in liposomes and soy lecithin complexes. It has also been observed that the absorption of curcumin improves in the presence of the other components of turmeric, while it worsens in the assumption in isolated form.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, "there is little reliable evidence to suggest that turmeric use can be beneficial to any health condition, as (so far) very few clinical studies have been conducted" (statement of year 2012).
Terms of Use and Side Effects
The quantity of turmeric recommended for continuous and systematic intake is on average 1.5-3g of dried and pulverized rhizome per day; due to the poor water-solubility typical of the essential oil and curcuminoids, we do not recommend taking it as a herbal tea. Further information on therapeutic doses and on how to use them is available in the article curing with turmeric.
The use of turmeric is contraindicated in the presence of gallstones; in this case, it is better not to add curry or other sauces containing good quantities of this spice.
No other significant side effects are reported in the literature.
Possible Contaminations
Turmeric, like other spices, is sold by weight and is a potential target for common commercial fraud (adulteration, sophistication, etc.). It is not uncommon for turmeric to add powders of a similar color, which are cheaper but potentially toxic; the most common is lead oxide (II, IV), which gives the turmeric a more red-orange color instead of its natural golden yellow.
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