Known as the vibrant yellow ingredient used liberally in Indian curries, turmeric has a long history of use in both Indian and Chinese traditional medicine, and has also been used as a textile dye – as anyone who’s spilt a yellow curry on their clothes can appreciate!
It is to that vivid yellow-orange pigment – curcumin – that potent therapeutic properties are attributed. It is powerfully antioxidant (significantly more so than vitamin E or C) and this ability to neutralise free radicals before they damage healthy cells and cell membranes, in conjunction with its anti-inflammatory effects (via a number of pathways), contribute to its role in preventing or alleviating an impressive array of conditions, including many cancers, arthritis, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, cardiovascular disease, liver ailments, and Alzheimer’s.
