Chances are you have seen or heard at least something about a bright yellow herb called turmeric. There is quite a bit of hype around turmeric and its derivative products at the moment as they have proven to be much more than just an exotic spice from the Far East. How did it come to discovering the medicinal properties of turmeric? It is actually the result of a long journey over time. And thanks to the efforts of many natural healers, explorers, and doctors later on, the true potential and calling of the golden spice seems to have been finally realized.
Coming from ancient tradition
You may have heard of turmeric under one of its other names. Some call it the golden spice, others give it the name of Indian Saffron because of its bright yellow color. Whichever way you call turmeric, one thing is certain – the medicinal properties of this ancient herb are now fully appreciated. These days, besides turmeric spice, you can find a whole host of turmeric-derived products such as body and facial creams, skin cleansers, anti-inflammatory ointments, a wide range of organic turmeric supplements (in the form of organic turmeric capsules), and many other things. When it comes to the use of food supplements though, Seattle-based Bodymune reminds you that using supplements should be part of a varied and balanced diet in combination with healthy lifestyle.
Turmeric has made its way from traditional oriental medicine to modern medicine. The first known use of the herbal plant dates back approximately 4500 years and to what is now India by the Vedics. The Vedic people used turmeric for religious rituals and cooking; the plant’s medicinal properties were not known to their culture.
It took some time for the medical benefits of turmeric to become apparent. Over many centuries, the people of South Asia gathered invaluable knowledge on how to use turmeric and make the most of its healing properties.
Are you wondering when turmeric was first used as medicine?
It appears that the first written mention of turmeric’s medical properties comes from Susruta’s Ayurveda Compendium (circa 250 BC), where an ointment containing turmeric was prescribed to relieve the effects of food poisoning.
Here is an interesting fact for you – in Sanskrit, turmeric has more than fifty known names!
A marvelous…vegetable?!
Turmeric’s popularity as a wonderful spice (and as a medicinal herb) was transcending borders. It is known that turmeric charmed its way across Asian countries on its way to Europe and the New World. By 700AD, the herb was already present in China; a hundred years later it was known to have reached East Asia. West Africa was next in about 1200AD, and eventually Europe in the late 1200s.
Are you wondering what the vegetable comment at the beginning of this section signifies?
It actually pertains to Italian explorer Marco Polo, who described turmeric as a marvelous vegetable that appeared to have properties like those of saffron. He was onto something there!
Here is another one for you – turmeric is actually part of the ginger plant family, all 133 species of it!
Where does it come from?
In short – India and Pakistan. Turmeric’s biggest grower, producer and user happens to be India (with Pakistan being the second), where the plant is used for cooking, healing, and religious worship. Curcumin (the bioactive ingredient in turmeric) has a high content in Indian turmeric, making it the best in the world.
Do you want to know where the most turmeric is produced?
That would be in the city of Erode in Tamil Nadu State, which is also befittingly known as the Yellow City.
