Thanks for an interesting column, but I have a question:  You suggest:  "buy it from a store that sells seasonings by the bulk. It's cheaper, you can see what you are getting, and know it's not old."

I'm always skeptical of buying from bulk place for the very reason I have no idea how long it's been kept around.  In a can, it will be fresh (but more expensive).  What gives you the confidence to "know it's not old"?

Dottie

 

Because I can see it and smell it. I bought a tin of the stuff once that still had a year on its date. It was rancid. Also, you can ask the person that works that department what the "best if used by" date was on the bag that filled the bin. Where I shop they can tell you... but I still like the look and smell method best!

The spice I put on everything is Fenugreek.  It has many health benefits, including helping with insulin resistance.  I'm lucky to have a couple of good sources for ground fenugreek nearby.  The seeds have to be roasted, fried or boiled before they are useable.

I use turmeric for cooking and also take it as a supplement in capsule form. No other food product had been as beneficial for my arthritis inflammation. Studies have shown great benefit of drinking turmeric infused milk to fight inflammatory response. There were also study findings (which of course I can't find right now) to indicate turmeric can be a valuable supplement while undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Not to mention I find it delicious too!

I cook with a whole host of Indian spices everyday but never thought to add them to my eggs.  Great idea! Try it in rice, soups, Quinoa, sauce, lasagna, etc....  People will love a pot luck dish with a slightly different flavor.

Also to the point of spoiled or rancid spices I buy all my Indian spices at a local Indian market (so lucky to have one!) and they have a high turnover of product. They're also packaged in much bigger quantities and are way less expensive than the supermarket.

Turmeric can be cleaned off the bench with a small amount of bleach.  Have done it heaps of times.

 

Iam an indian and turmeric is the spice I use in each and every curry i make.We use turmeric not only in preparing food but uses in everyday of life,we use it in pujas(prayers to god),weddings,any celebrations(we put turmeric water all over edges of the house so no bugs can come in),even as a face pack as it brings glow to ur skin.Even if i got a knife cut,i apply lot of turmeric on the spot to stop bleeding,it is consider as antiseptic medicine.If u have a cold,we place tumeric in hot water and we breathe the vapors coming from that water,it gives instant relief.For sore throat,we add pinch of turmeric to milk and drink.Ha!what to say..so many pro's with the turmeric usage.

Original Post by: egmurer

The spice I put on everything is Fenugreek.  It has many health benefits, including helping with insulin resistance.  I'm lucky to have a couple of good sources for ground fenugreek nearby.  The seeds have to be roasted, fried or boiled before they are useable.

I took Fenugreek to augment my breastmilk and can't eat it now. I know a lot of people love it but to me it reminds me of sadder times. :-/

As well as in the expected places, I've been using tumeric for years in my morning porridge with cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, pumkpin seeds and a grate or two of black pepper.  I also add dried fruit, nuts, other seeds including flax, frozen raspberries or blueberries to keep it interesing.  Be warned - the blueberries and tumeric can turn your porridge a rather worrying shade of green, but it still tastes good.

To me, tumeric has only a slightly bitter taste that is masked by the sweetness of the fruit.

FYI: The black pepper increases the potency of tumeric apparently, as well as making fruit taste richer and sweeter.

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/8-health-benefits-of-bl ack-pepper.html

 

I love potatoes with turmeric - and cumin seeds... dee-lish!!  The kids always called 'em 'yellow potatoes' but the recipe came from an indian cookbook - the dish was called Aloo Zeera.

I take turmeric every day to control the arthritis pain and swelling in my big toe joints. As long as I take it, I can run and climb hills and have a pretty much normal life. Without it, I'm a cranky, hobbling sedentary old lady.  So I don't really care what it tastes like! Luckily, I like it though.

I put a spoonful in a glass of orange juice,  with a half a teaspoon of pepper, shake it up and drink it before it thickens. And there's the added bonus of the huge boost to my iron levels, and a goodly amount of fiber and potassium too.

Love it!

Original Post by: wilkschie

Turmeric can be cleaned off the bench with a small amount of bleach.  Have done it heaps of times.

 

Thanks for the tip! I've indeed pondered Tumeric on my bench before and wondered how to remove it.

I usually just juice fresh turmeric. A typical juicing session consists of lacinato kale, collards, or spinach (I rotate through those three), beets, ginger root, turmeric, garlic, beets, and carrots.

I take 1,000 mg of turmeric with 95% curmininoids for my arthritis pain and swelling before going to bed at night. My swelling is noticeably less and it does not hurt your liver or kidneys like store bought pain relievers. It's a wonderful supplement!

Trying to enter tumeric on Calorie Count yields no results.  I'm hoping this will be fixed in the future so I can add it to my analysis when I put it in my food. 

I don't have any trouble entering turmeric. I wonder what's going on for you. 

 

mmm Turmeric. It just turns your food into the most appetizing color. I use it on lentils, rice, potatoes usually.. going to try it on my eggs for breakfast today!   I also definitly have a yellow kitchen counter haha.

I've read that turmeric adds good flora to digestive system, along with acidophilus, bifidus, bulgaricus, and other probiotics.

They rejuvenate the liver, kidneys, intestines and brain.

 

I'm going to try it in my food.

Thanks.

After reading this article, I made the best bean dip I've ever made by including turmeric. I sauteed some onions & garlic, then added salsa and cooked pinto beans, then on a whim decided to add some turmeric. I put it all in the food processor, then added cheese because it was too thin and threw the whole thing into the oven to make it all bubbly. Oh my goodness, it was INCREDIBLE. The turmeric gave the whole thing an Indian flair, and it was SO GOOD. I will definitely be adding turmeric to my dishes more often!

Turmeric is a stape in India and I have read that the incidence of alzheimers is very low there too.  coincidental?

I have been adding it to my eggs thanks to your post. YUM! :-)