Add a Little Spice…Turmeric

Can the spice turmeric keep you healthy?  Read our guest blog from fellow RD and Virginia Tech graduate Nour El-Zibdeh.  Nour practices in the Washington, DC area.  Visit her website below for additional articles and delicious recipes. 

It’s Your Health.  It’s Your Life.  Make That Change!

~ Angie & John

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A common spice in the East, turmeric, is obtained by crushing and grinding the root of the turmeric plant.

The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. It’s used commercially in the United States as a food additive to prevent sunlight damage and as a food-coloring agent for cheese, mustard, potato flakes, ice cream, and soups. A teaspoon of turmeric has 8 calories, 0.17 g protein, 0.5 g fiber, 4 mg calcium, 4 mg magnesium, 6 mg phosphorus, and 56 mg potassium

Curcumin is an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammation agent. It fights free radicals and inhibits lipid peroxidation, which contribute to inflammation, heart disease, and cancer. It also boosts other anti-oxidants and found to be ten times more effective than vitamin E.

Turmeric and Diabetes

Oxidative stress that accompanies diabetes can damage the lenses of the eyes, leading to cataracts. In animal studies, curcumin delayed the initiation and slowed down the progression of cataracts. It also lowered blood glucose level and prevented protein glycation (binding of amino acids to glucose) that causes aging and stiffening of artery walls, lung, and joint tissues. Curcumin supplements reduced total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL—bad cholesterol) and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL—good cholesterol).

Recommendations

The evidence is not strong to recommend turmeric or curcumin supplements. Most studies are done on lab tissues or animals, and human trials, while promising, are still inconclusive. No exact doses have been suggested for patients with diabetes.

However, since turmeric has been used for centuries in India, the spice itself is safe for consumption. Clinical studies report safety of curcumin supplements for up to 3600-8000 mg/day for 4 months with mild side effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, headache, rash, and yellowish stool.

Turmeric in The Kitchen

Turmeric is a main ingredient in curry powders. However, to get the most possible amount of curcumin, it’s better to use pure turmeric in cooking since the amount in curry powders varies.

Store turmeric in an airtight container in a cool, dry, and dark place. Be careful, turmeric can stain clothes. It can be bitter, so use small amounts when cooking.

Suggestions for Use

· Season poultry and meat with ¼ teaspoon when cooking

· Add to rice and other grains, fruit dishes, and jellies for a yellow color (natural food coloring that is less expensive than saffron)

· Add to pastas, potatoes, vegetables, vegetable soups, chili, chutney, Thai or curry sauces

Recipes

Middle Eastern Tomato Lamb Stew (Link: http://practicalnutritionbydietitian.com/2010/03/28/recipe-middle-eastern-tomato-lamb-stew/)

Curried Cauliflowers with Potatoes and Chickpeas (Link: http://danielleomar.blogspot.com/2010/03/superfood-turmeric.html)

Grilled or Roasted Eggplants with Turmeric (Link: http://practicalnutritionbydietitian.com/2010/03/16/turmeric-spice-and-eggplant-recipe/)

Indian Spicy Turky keema (link: http://www.chowandchatter.com/2010/01/spicy-turkey-keema.html)

Persian Chicken with Green Beans and Carrots (Link: http://turmericsaffron.blogspot.com/2009/09/chicken-with-green-beans-and-carrots.html)

By:

Nour El-Zibdeh, registered dietitian, is a nutrition consultant, freelance writer and blogger. In her blog, Practical Nutrition (Link: http://practicalnutritionbydietitian.com/), she offers healthy lifestyle tips and inspires people eat nutritious foods without sacrificing the taste or the fun. Nour is pursuing a Master of Science degree in Nutrition.