Until about a year ago, turmeric was one of those spices that I had only heard of, but had never seen and certainly didn’t know what to do with. I had heard that it was good for me, but had never really done any research about it. Last year my family and I were living in Nashville (we’ve since moved back to Michigan) and our apartment was about a mile from a Whole Foods (and a Lululemon…double score). Back home in Michigan the closest Whole Foods is about an hour away so this was very exciting to me (and maybe a little bit dangerous since most of the locals call is “Whole Paycheck”.. and that it is…but I digress). Anyhow, I saw turmeric in the root form for the first time. So of course, me being me, I picked some up even though I not the foggiest idea what to do with it. I went home, did a little research and found out that there are about a bazillion ways you can use it. You can make it into a tea, or grate it over salads. Perhaps the easiest way is to peel it and toss it into a smoothie- so that’s what I did! WOWZA! Talk about a KICK in the pants! This stuff is SERIOUS.

In my research about Turmeric I also found out that it is one of nature’s MOST potent anti-inflammatories. In numerous studies, turmeric has been  found to be MORE effective than common over-the-counter anti-inflammatories such as Motrin and common over-the-counter steroids such as hydrocortisone. And turmeric doesn’t have the nasty side effects that the OTC stuff does (think ulcers, intestinal bleeding, decreased white blood cell count) (source).

So what is it about turmeric that makes it so medicinal? Turmeric contains a volatile oil called curcumin, which is what gives it that bright orange color! The concentration of curcumin in turmeric is so high that turmeric has shown promise for helping to treat multiple medical conditions including but not limited to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s Disease, and Ulcerative Colitis. Turmeric also has powerful antioxidant effects which may help improve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Some studies performed on mice showed that turmeric decreased tumor growth and halted cancer cell metastasis.

The benefits of this root are really too numerous to even mention here because you’re probably already glazing over and thinking “yea yea yea okay I get it it’s GREAT for me”…right? So if you can’t get it in root form (like myself), dried is a perfectly acceptable alternative. BUT, and that’s a BIG BUT, organic is absolutely 100% necessary in this case. Non-organic spices are irradiated, rendering their medicinal properties NULL and VOID. I like this kind and I buy it in bulk because it’s less expensive that way.

So maybe you’re not ready to jump in full force and eat the root raw in a smoothie. Okay, no problem. I have a great recipe for Turmeric Roasted Carrots that is great for turmeric beginners and turmeric experts alike! Turmeric Roasted Carrots provide a quick, easy side dish that are a great entrance into the world of turmeric!

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Turmeric Roasted Carrots

 

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Author: Happy Healthnut

Recipe type: Side Dish

Ingredients

• 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp raw honey
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• sea salt and pepper to taste

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Ingredients:

• 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp raw honey
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place your cut carrots on a sheet tray. Drizzle with coconut oil, sprinkle with sea salt, pepper and turmeric.
• Make sure the carrots are in one layer on the tray, and place them in the oven.
• Roast for 20-30 minutes, turning halfway through, until cooked through
• Transfer the roasted carrots to a large bowl. Add the honey and toss until the carrots are coated with honey.
• Toss in the cilantro. Taste and season with sea salt and pepper. Enjoy!

What’s your favorite way to use turmeric?

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