What Is Tumeric Spice?

Turmeric, also known as Indian saffron, is a bitter tasting spice that gives curry its golden color. But, it is also a plant that has medical uses dating thousands of years ago. Outside its use in Indian cuisine and a food coloring in products like mustard, people who practice alternative medicine use the plant to treat ailments from eczema to ulcers.

Origins

• Turmeric found its way into the medicinal world as far back as 4,000 years ago in Chinese and Ayurdevic medicine. The plant grows naturally in India and parts of Asia and Africa.

Treatments

• People in the herbal medicine world use turmeric to treat indigestion, ulcers, ulcerative colitis, osteoarthritis, atherosclerosis, gall stones, diabetes, cancer, infections and uveitis. Some clinical studies have correlated the turmeric chemical curcumin as a possible link to some medical successes, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).

Application

• Besides eating it as a powdery spice, people ingest turmeric in capsules, teas and extracts. It is also made into a paste to treat skin conditions such as eczema, according to NCCAM and the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Plants

• The turmeric plant is related to ginger. The plants grow to 5 or 6 feet tall and sprout yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers. Turmeric's underground roots are typically dried then ground into powder.

Considerations

• Turmeric is moderately safe for adults to ingest, according to NCCAM; but, if too much is taken or eaten, it can cause mild stomach conditions, such as indigestion or diarrhea. The herb has only been tested for medicinal purposes in animals --- never in humans --- so there is little evidence about its effects on people, as per both the NCCAM and University of Maryland.