Kitchen Spice

Turmeric

SanskritHaridraBotanicalCurcuma longaAlso calledHaldi, Indian saffron

The golden root of the Indian kitchen, earthy and a little bitter, used daily in cooking and in warm milk on cold nights.

Turmeric, root

Turmeric is a knobby rhizome, a cousin of ginger, with flesh the color of a marigold. Fresh, it smells earthy and a little like orange peel. Dried and ground, it turns everything it touches a warm gold, including your fingers and your cutting board.

Ayurveda sees it as both food and medicine. A pinch goes into almost every pot of dal and kitchari, and a little more goes into warm milk when the nights get cold. It is also a classic ingredient in face masks before Indian weddings, where it is valued for bringing a glow to the skin.

Ayurvedic Properties

RasaTastes
  • Bitter
  • Pungent
ViryaHeating or cooling
Heating
VipakaPost-digestive effect
Pungent
AgniEffect on digestion
Gently supports agni

Warming and bitter, it gently supports digestion in cooking amounts.

GunaQualities
  • Light
  • Dry
TridoshaEffect on Vata, Pitta and Kapha
  • Vata: decreases
  • Pitta: decreases, in moderation
  • Kapha: decreases
  • decreases (calms that dosha)
  • increases (can aggravate it)
  • neutral or balancing
  • not known
  • V Vata · P Pitta · K Kapha

Turmeric is considered balancing for all three doshas in normal kitchen amounts. Because it is warming and drying, pitta types do best with modest amounts, and vata types do best taking it with ghee or milk.

Traditional Uses

  • Traditionally used to support healthy digestion when cooked into everyday meals.
  • Traditionally used to support clear, radiant skin in simple face masks.
  • Traditionally used to support comfort in the throat and chest during the cold season, taken in warm milk.
  • Traditionally used to support healthy blood and comfortable, easy movement in the joints.

How People Use It

  • FoodBloom 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric in warm ghee or oil with cumin and black pepper, then build your dal, soup or vegetables on top.
  • MilkSimmer a pinch to 1/2 teaspoon in a cup of milk with ginger and a grind of black pepper for a soothing evening drink.
  • TeaSimmer about 1 teaspoon of the dried cut root in 2 cups of water for 10 to 15 minutes. It tastes earthy, so a slice of ginger and a squeeze of lemon help.
  • TopicalA pinch mixed with chickpea flour and yogurt makes a gentle face mask. Patch test first, and expect some temporary yellow staining.
Try This

Simple Golden Milk

A warm, mellow cup for cold evenings.

  • 1 cup whole milk or oat milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 thin slices fresh ginger (or a pinch of dried)
  • 1 small pinch ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ghee (optional)
  • Honey or maple syrup to taste
  1. Warm the milk in a small pot over low heat.
  2. Whisk in the turmeric, ginger, black pepper and ghee and let it barely simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
  3. Strain into a mug and let it cool a little before adding honey.
  4. Sip it slowly after dinner. Rinse the pot right away so it does not stain.

Pairs Well With

Cautions

  • Turmeric in normal cooking amounts is widely eaten. Concentrated supplements are a different matter.
  • Turmeric supplements may be unsafe during pregnancy, and little is known about amounts larger than food while breastfeeding. Stick to culinary amounts.
  • Liver injury has been reported with turmeric and curcumin supplements, especially high absorption formulas. Stop and talk with your doctor if you notice fatigue, nausea, dark urine or yellowing skin.
  • It can cause stomach upset or reflux in some people, and turmeric on the skin can cause itching or hives.
  • Curcumin may interfere with some chemotherapy drugs. Talk with your doctor before using concentrated turmeric if you are in cancer treatment, take blood thinners or diabetes medication, or have gallbladder problems.
  • Please consult a qualified practitioner or your doctor before using turmeric beyond kitchen amounts.

In Our Shop

Organic Turmeric Root

Organic Turmeric Root, from $5.75. Weighed and packed by hand at our Rockville Centre studio.

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From the Journal

Sources and Further Reading

This page shares how herbs are traditionally used in Ayurveda and other herbal traditions. It is for general education only and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and herbs are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please talk with your doctor or a qualified practitioner before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition.