Turmeric The Healing Spice
Name: Turmeric Most Commonly Found: Turmeric grows throughout the wild forests of South and Southeast Asia and is thus one of the key ingredients in Asian dishes. Stone Cold Facts: Turmeric is currently one of the most studied herbs and it has even been proven to be a replacement for a variety of medicines. It's an important healing ingredient in Ayurveda though it was originally used as a coloring agent. In fact, it gives curry its yellow color. What to Heal: Turmeric contains compounds with medicinal properties, called curcumin, the primary active ingredient in turmeric, which contains powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a strong antioxidant (Monika Nagpal and Shaveta Sood). Besides its anti-inflammatory properties, it neutralizes free radicals on its own, then stimulates the body’s own antioxidant enzymes. In addition, curcumin boosts brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which is linked...