The Health Benefits of Turmeric and Some Tips on Adding It To Your Diet

     Ever since I found out Turmeric aids in keeping the mind sharp, I've been a huge fan and sprinkle it on salads, eggs, and pretty much anything I'm going to season.  Turmeric has a unique flavor to me and does alter the flavor of dishes quite distinctly in my opinion.  However, because of its many wonderful health benefits, I absolutely love adding it to my favorite foods. Now, it's worth mentioning that because of its unique flavor, I don't go crazy with it or dare to get too adventurous (lol).   It works great in combo with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, cumin, ginger, coriander, etc.  I have used it in soup, curry, veggie burgers, and salads for added nutritional boost and flavor (curry especially).  

     I want to share with you reasons why you should add Turmeric to your diet if you haven't already. If you have, then this post will reassure you what a wonderful choice you have made for your well-being.

    An intrinsic component of Turmeric is Curcumin, which has been shown to aid the liver in doing its job for the body, which is filter out the bad stuff in our bodies and send it to the waste department.  Curcumin has also been shown to block free radicals and enzymes that promote cancers of the head and neck. Turmeric as a whole has been shown to be effective in treating other common types of cancer, such as skin and colon.   It has also been shown to slow the spread of breast cancer into the lungs.  In addition to that, when cancer patients consumed Curcumin prior to chemo treatments, it was found that they became more receptive to the treatment.  For the heavy consumers of Turmeric in India, their low rate of Alzheimer's disease is believed to be linked to their diet high in curry.  You should especially add this spice to your diet if you are very active because it has been shown to reduce inflammation, thereby reducing joint pain and arthritis and arthritis like symptoms.

Photo courtesy of Metabolic Effect via Jason Boehm Nutrition on Facebook. Link to post: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151235998421893&set=a.261387376892.141488.79608796892&type=1&theater

My homemade curry 

     Convinced that Turmeric is a super food? Curious how you can add it to your diet?  For those who don't know my style, let me briefly explain. Don't be afraid to experiment. What are your favorite flavors? Could they be combined successfully? Not sure? Do a taste test (in small amounts).  Do a little guess work.  Don't be afraid to fail. Failures lead to success with the right attitude! So back to adding Turmeric to your diet.  If you're a curry fan, curry is one way. I will be posting about a successful attempt at homemade curry from scratch.  In the meantime, check out my post on my first, somewhat unsuccessful attempt but definitely with a huge learning curve (which is why I chose to write about it). Homemade Curry - What Not To Do and pick up some tips for making your own curry at home (no pre-packaged pastes or powders)

     Another way is sprinkling lightly on flavorful salads. I say flavorful because Turmeric can be overpowering so go easy (maybe a 1/2 tsp to start) in a medium sized salad with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar for example.  You can also add an Italian seasoning blend (one of my fave things to do with my salads!), almonds and/or flax seeds or sunflower seeds for protein, texture, and flavor. Of course, a few grinds of sea salt and freshly ground pepper will add excellent finishing touches to a raw and healthy meal. I have a picture gallery of salads I have prepared if you're curious. Here is the link: http://thegreenhomecookdiva.blogspot.com/p/photo-gallery.html

     How about a little brain booster before heading to work or school?  Jason Boehm shares my like for Turmeric sprinkled on scrambled eggs. Check out this post on Curcumin that he shared on facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/photo.phpfbid=10151235998421893&set=a.261387376892.141488.79608796892&type=1&theater.

While you're at it, like my pages too! Spreading Love Through Green Home Cooking and Living Leaner and Greener.

     One last tip on adding Turmeric to your diet.  Add to soups and as meat (or meatless) seasoning.  I added Turmeric (along with other spices) to a pot of black beans I cooked for veggie burgers and the beans turned out FANTASTIC! I could have just eaten a bowl of the beans and been so satisfied (ok so I did eat a bowl of beans out of that batch.).  The veggie burgers were tasty too. Posts on that to come.

     Well, I hope I was able to shed some light on the benefits of adding Turmeric to your diet and made it a little less overwhelming and intimidating.  Please feel free to post any questions or comments.

Sources:
http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/stories/the-amazing-health-benefits-of-turmeric
http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/stories/the-amazing-health-benefits-of-turmeric