TURMERIC - THE WONDER SPICE

TURMERIC – THE WONDER SPICE

Mar 29, 2020 Consumer Concerns, News

By Pat Dial

Some time ago, we had intended to do an article on Turmeric or haldi as it is also known. The onset of the Coronavirus or COVID-19 has precipitated us in doing so since we have seen on the internet a number of references to its use having some value in confronting COVID-19.
Turmeric has been in use medicinally and as a food for over 5000 years and has been in the pharmacopeia of the ancient Ayurvedic System of Medicine and still remains the recommended treatment for a large number of ailments.
Though Western medicine had long known of the use of turmeric, it was only in the last twenty years that it was enthusiastically adopted by Western Alternative Medicine and now even by formal Western medicine and knowledge of its use and its use are growing exponentially. In Guyana, turmeric and its use were long known, having been brought here by Indian indentured immigrants in the 19th century, but like so many herbs and foods of value in Guyana, we only exploit them when foreign countries set the example.
Turmeric is used to effectively treat more than 1500 ailments but here we will mention only a few. Its use for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer Disease and other forms of Dementia are well known. It stabilises the disease and in time reverses it. The usual daily dosage is one to two teaspoons of turmeric powder with half a teaspoon of each black pepper and ginger, and if desired, with a half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon together with a tablespoon of virgin coconut oil. These powders may be used in porridge or sprinkled on food or consumed on toast with breakfast. The turmeric is not easily absorbed in the body and most of it would pass out as waste but with the help of black pepper or ginger, there is almost 100% absorption.
These powders could be obtained at Mattai’s grocery in Water Street, Georgetown and could be bought by the pound since it is far more economical to buy bulk than in small packets, 2-litre bottles of virgin coconut oil could also be had at Mattai’s or at the Ministry of Agriculture outlet in Brickdam near the Ministry of Education. At this outlet, a number of other Interior products are sold such as cassava bread and cassareep.
Foreign imports of these powders are far more expensive and the quality is almost always suspect as compared with the locally ground spices which are purer and fresher.
Turmeric’s use in treating arthritis inflammation and pain is well-known and it may be taken however one wishes including mixing with milk or tea.
Other well-known diseases that could beneficially be treated with turmeric include Diabetes since it could help to manage blood sugar. It detoxes the liver and increases the flow of bile necessary for breaking down dietary fat during digestion. It is also used to treat tonsolitis. coughs, sore throat, swollen gums, dry cough and asthma.
Turmeric does a lot more. It promotes heart health by helping to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system. It supports healthy weight loss and could help in weight management. It supports healthy, strong and supple joints and is used as a standard pain killer for both muscular and joint pains. We had mentioned above its use in treating Alzheimer Disease. Allied to this use, is its use to lift depression.
It is widely used in cooking and gives food a pleasant yellow-gold hue and curries get their yellow-gold colour from turmeric. India has the lowest Alzheimer rate in the world and this is attributed to the fact that the Indians eat curry almost every day. We reiterate that tumeric should be taken with ginger or black pepper since its most important chemical Curcumin and the various curcuminoids are not easily absorbed into the body and would go to waste. Black pepper or ginger helps it to be 100% absorbed. Turmeric could also be fermented and in its fermented state it could easily be absorbed.
For turmeric to have a full impact and be fully effective, it should be used daily. Unlike Western medicines, it does not have any side effects. The turmeric powder and turmeric capsules imported from abroad are often of poor quality and are sometimes no more than placebos. The local turmeric is grown in the North-West District and with the other locally ground spices offer the Guyanese consumer fresher and purer products.
Turmeric today has earned the status of a wonder drug.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)