The Goddess Spice
Angie Lang
Features Editor
Why you should care about turmeric as much as it cares for you!
It’s not every day that you come across something that could possibly save the world, not actually, but the benefits are blowing science out of the water.
Turmeric, also known as curcuma longa, is a very common spice, especially in the Middle East. It is often referred to as the “Queen of spices,” but we are not entirely sure how The Queen B (Beyonce) would feel about this title.
I’ve seen people eat turmeric by itself in powder form, I’ve seen it in pill form at the health food store, but it wasn’t until a couple weeks ago when my lovely grandma introduced me to this wonderful spice.
It has a distinct yellow-golden colour and a pepper-like aroma and is used mostly when cooking. You probably have ingested this little super spice if you’ve ever eaten an Indian curry type dish. Along with the amazing taste, turmeric actually has an amazing amount of health benefits.
According to the Journal of the American Chemical Society, turmeric contains a wide range of antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. Researchers have done a ton of studies surrounding the effectiveness of turmeric, out of the 7000 tests done; there have been very few reports on any side effects whatsoever.
The health benefits are endless but there are seven proven benefits study after study. Turmeric can help prevent some cancers such as prostrate and can even destroy cancer cells that have already formed. It can relieve the effects of arthritis. It has been found that those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis who consume turmeric in some form on a regular basis experience much relief from the moderate to mild joint pains as well as joint inflammation. It helps control diabetes, contributes to better brain health and memory and does fantastic things for your skin.
So attention everyone who has ever dealt with a bad hangover and needs something to kill those aches and pains, try popping a couple turmeric pills to relieve the inflammation. Science has confirmed that turmeric is as effective, if not more than 14 drugs.
Now ladies, if you want your skin to be glowing and as wrinkle free as possible in your golden years, I would suggest hitting up Pinterest for a DIY turmeric face mask.
The possibilities are endless with this power spice and it could just be the golden secret to a long healthy life!