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15 Ways To Add Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Root To Your Life

When I was growing up, I was scared of my Mom’s Indian cooking. I thought it looked weird, smelled funny and was nothing like what I saw available at school or what other kids were eating. This was a HUGE mistake and one that I regret tremendously. Not only is my Mom’s cooking my favorite food in the world now, but I love all the healthy ingredients she uses!

Indian food, as most of you know, is full of spices that have antioxidants and other nutrient dense properties that nourish the body.  

Back then, I knew nothing about those spices, but now I do. Turmeric is one of those spices that I am most thankful for discovering! Not only have I used it to curb inflammation caused by injuries, but I eat it almost everyday. 

Turmeric has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat a number of conditions and scientists believe that one of the reasons why turmeric is so powerful is that it contains curcumin. Its beneficial properties have been the subject of thousands of peer-reviewed and published studies

Turmeric

Recently I went to an island called Zanzibar, off the coast of Tanzania in Africa. While there, I got to visit the most incredible spice farms that grow almost every spice imaginable. I met the most impressive young man named James. He works on the farm in his free time to save money for med school. James showed us around and we ate the fresh turmeric he dug up straight from the ground. Here’s a short video of James getting some fresh turmeric root for us to try. 

See How Turmeric Is Grown: 

To experience Turmeric this fresh, was AMAZING to say the least. Here’s 15 easy ways to add this powerful spice to your diet! 

15 Ways To Add Turmeric To Your Life:

1. Brew Turmeric tea: Dr. Andrew Weil recommends this simple way to use turmeric – Just bring 1 cup of water to a boil and then stir in ¼ teaspoon of ground turmeric or fresh grated turmeric. Allow it to simmer for 10 minutes and strain before drinking. You can stir in honey or fresh lemon juice for added flavor.

2. Stir up a curry powder: When you’re cooking with turmeric, it’s a good idea to mix it with some black pepper or oil (or both!) as this has been shown to increase the bioavailability of curcumin so that your body can use it. That’s why one of the best ways to eat turmeric is in dishes with some fat, plenty of black pepper and curry powder. A basic curry powder can be made with 8 parts ground coriander, 4 parts ground cumin and 1 part each of turmeric and cayenne or paprika. You can decrease the cayenne and use paprika instead if you don’t want it spicy, and store this in a glass container in your pantry for up to 6 months. Try using this curry powder to make these Chickpea Curry Wraps, or in this Coconut Split Pea Soup! Those are both very simple recipes taken from the Food Babe Meal Plans for Health program. If you want to make a more elaborate curry, you’ve got to try this Balinese Curry Sauce that I learned to make in Bali a few years ago – it’s amazing.

3. Blend it into a smoothie or juice it: You can add a pinch or two of ground turmeric or one to two inches of raw fresh turmeric to a flavorful smoothie, like this Sunrise Green Smoothie, and you won’t even taste it! Granted… it may change the color of your smoothie, since it’s got such a strong pigment. :) To increase the bioavailability, dissolve the turmeric in a bit of warm coconut oil before blending it in, or blend in ½ an avocado for some fat. You can also juice Turmeric, check out this recipe.

4. Season roasted veggies: Toss some fresh vegetables (like diced potatoes, cauliflower, or brussel sprouts) with a dash of olive oil and turmeric, along with any other seasonings you like. Roast at 400 degrees, tossing once until done, usually about 30-40 minutes.  

5. Brush your teeth with it: When I first heard this I thought it was ridiculous… because who wants yellow teeth! That’s until I read that for some reason it doesn’t stain teeth yellow, and instead whitens them up naturally. But be warned that your toothbrush will get stained yellow! Simply dip your wet toothbrush in a pinch of turmeric, brush your teeth with it, and allow it to sit on your teeth for about 3-5 minutes. Make sure to rinse your mouth (and sink!) thoroughly and then brush with your regular toothpaste afterwards. This isn’t a daily ritual, just do this occasionally to brighten up your smile.

6. Add color to boring dishes: Stir a dash of turmeric into plain basmati rice, quinoa, mashed potatoes, or eggs for added color. It doesn’t add much flavor, and changes things up a bit.

7. Drink Golden Milk: This is an ancient Ayurvedic recipe that can be made a number of ways. It is essentially just a turmeric paste mixed with warm milk and oil or ghee. You can use any kind of milk for this recipe (dairy, goat, nut, oat). To make the paste, simply bring ½ cup filtered water to a low simmer and then mix in ¼ cup of ground turmeric, stirring constantly until it makes a thick paste (this can take 5-10 minutes) adding more water as needed. To make the golden milk, mix 1/2 teaspoon of paste with 1 cup of milk in a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in about 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil or ghee before drinking (you can also add other spices like cinnamon, ginger, or black pepper, and honey or maple syrup for some sweetness). Store the remaining turmeric paste in your fridge for 2 weeks. This is fabulous before bedtime! …zzzzzzz!

8. Make homemade mustard: You can mix up a basic mustard with ½ cup ground mustard, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, 1 teaspoon each of turmeric and salt. Store in a glass jar in the fridge.

9. Fortify your soup: A few dashes of turmeric can be added to most soups without changing the flavor, it adds a nice color to brothy soups and may help you fight a cold.

10. Mix up some “Golden Honey”: Mix 1 tablespoon of powdered turmeric with 7 tablespoons of raw honey (this is known as Golden Honey). Dissolve a 1/2 teaspoon of this mixture in your mouth every couple hours. You can also make some turmeric gummy bears (like these from The Cook’s Pajamas). Just make sure you choose the right kind of gelatin to make these (grass-fed, organic). Since gelatin is an animal product, it’s crucial that you carefully choose your gelatin and that it doesn’t come from factory-farmed animals that were subjected to antibiotics, artificial hormones and GMO feed.  

11. Saute a healthy side dish: For a quick side dish, saute some fresh greens (kale, spinach, etc) in some olive oil and turmeric. I like to add fresh garlic and a dash of sea salt too.

12. Sprinkle on an avocado: This is an awesome snack, full of fiber and just enough fat to keep you from indulging in unhealthy processed snacks from the vending machine. Another variation is to mash the avocado, mix in some ground turmeric, a dash of sea salt, a dash of black pepper, and spread it on sprouted bread or brown rice crackers or cakes.

13. Make natural food coloring: There’s no reason to ever bake with artificial dyes like Yellow #5 and Yellow #6, when it’s so easy to make with turmeric. Just boil some water, whisk in enough turmeric to create the yellow shade you want, and boil for 3 to 5 minutes. Allow it to cool and store it in a glass jar in the fridge – and that’s it! If you want to use it to dye Easter eggs, simply add some vinegar to the dye. 

14. Top your salad with it: You can sprinkle a pinch of turmeric directly on your salad or blend it into about any salad dressing, and the flavor will go largely unnoticed. Make a quick turmeric salad dressing by whisking together 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, 2 teaspoons miso paste, 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon raw honey and the juice from 1/2 a lemon (this is another recipe from the Food Babe Meal Plans for Health program) – or try stirring some into this tahini dressing!

15. Spread it on your skin: Just mix some ground turmeric with a little water (you can also use coconut oil, almond oil, or sesame oil), apply it on your skin, and wash off after about 15 minutes.  Beware, that turmeric will temporarily stain your skin, so this works best on body parts that you can cover easily or don’t mind being orange for a little while!

Before you run out and buy some turmeric…

One thing you don’t want to do is just pick up some random powdered turmeric from the spice aisle and start sprinkling it on your food, because many of these spices are irradiated, grown with conventional pesticides, and not organic. If you want to use turmeric effectively, buy organic high quality ground turmeric or fresh turmeric root from the produce section (found in natural food stores like Whole Foods).

Want to learn more about turmeric?

When you pick up your first bottle of Truvani Turmeric, I’ll send you two complimentary eBooks:

  1. Truvani LifeI’ll walk you through my top healthy-living tips. I answer some of your most-asked questions about what to eat (and what to avoid) to stay fit and healthy. 
  2. The Ultimate Guide To Turmeric: A beautiful 35-page guide to help you better understand the remarkable power of Turmeric, the ancient Ayurvedic remedy. I’ll show you how to incorporate it into your daily life with delicious recipes, specific product recommendations, and more.
Get your Truvani Turmeric + 2 Free eBooks here

Our mission at Truvani is to choose the absolute best ingredients, as nutrient-dense as possible, without processed chemical ingredients invented by the food industry to increase their bottom line. We enjoy food the way it was meant to be – real, whole, organic, and full of nutrients. Experience it for yourself!

If you know someone who loves turmeric or needs to try this powerful spice, please share this post with them!

Xo,

Vani 


*This statement has not been evaluated by FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

As with any dietary supplement, you should discuss with your healthcare professional prior to use. If you are breastfeeding, pregnant, or considering pregnancy, you should consult your healthcare professional prior to taking any supplements. Discontinue use and contact your healthcare professional if you experience any side effects or an allergic reaction. Keep out of reach of children.

 

 

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90 responses to “15 Ways To Add Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Root To Your Life

  1. hi! i found your website amazing! My name is Natalia Picardi, I am a health coach. Of course i am always looking in the best quality of food and brands. I am a little lost about the best source of Chlorella and Spirulina, i tried to research but i am not sure what are the best brands. Do you have any information or studies about it Thank you so much!
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  2. I am surprised most of these 15 ways start with tumeric powder. I expect it to have at least one or two ways that start from the real tumeric root itself. You and I know that the greed of commercialisation, will be ‘something’ to make the volume larger for greater profit. And moreover most nutritional enthuastists now prefer preparation from natural ingredients.

  3. I have osteoarthritis & apparently I’m lazy. Can a drink or an easier way to take turmeric out there already to drink or digest?

  4. I want to know how to use the turmeric root please instead of buying powder turmeric over the counter

  5. Hi, long time reader here!
    While I definitely agree with the benefits of turmeric, I used to believe Indian food was healthy (because of all the fresh and natural spices), and was very recently horrified to find out that even small family-owned restaurants use RED FOOD COLORING in their recipes! As someone who avoid all processed and artificial ingredients, I am extremely distressed. How is this information not more widely known?! Please do an expose or investigation on this topic, this information must be shared so people can make informed decisions about what they are putting in their body – family-owned/not a chain does not guarantee anything these days!

    1. just do all of humanity a favor and simply inform others on your own account and just ask before you purchase. and not just an Indian food in all food there’s red dye that’s put into the meat at the supermarket the yellow squash that’s in your Lean cuisine meal probably should give them a call to to find out for using any yellow dye I mean really in all seriousness you might as well grow your own food don’t let it haunt you just let it help you make good decisions for yourself there’s no exposing needed it’s a given that food dyes were used everywhere and every day.

  6. I am curious about turmeric tea. I am hearing good news about the good effects on pain. I have lupus, fibromyalgia , and lots of bone pain. Who out there has a good turmeric tea recipe. I am willing to try. thank you.

    1. Sherry I am curious if you take meds like omeprazole, that have side effects including bone pain?

      1. there can’t be bad enough side effects to let it hinder you. anything that’s natural and from the Earth let me tell you it could only do more help than harm

  7. How about in coffee? And plain water ? Those are two of the most common drinks I drink. Aside from wine n beer.

  8. @Sherrie Nakai: I tried it and it is fabulous!!! Just follow – 1. Brew Turmeric tea: Dr. Andrew Weil recommends this simple way to use turmeric – Just bring 1 cup of water to a boil and then stir in ¼ teaspoon of ground turmeric or fresh grated turmeric. Allow it to simmer for 10 minutes and strain before drinking. You can stir in honey or fresh lemon juice for added flavor.

  9. Very good for arthritis and gout. Traditional anti-inflammatories only target one inflammatory enzyme. On the other hand, turmeric has an impact on several inflammatory enzymes and pathways. In one trial, turmeric was discovered to be able to control 30 distinct molecular pathways.

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