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Tips for Turmeric: how to incorporate the health world’s fastest-growing spice

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Over the past year, turmeric has taken the health-food world by storm. The anti-inflammatory, healing spice known for its bright golden-orange hue is being added into almost everything — smoothies, oatmeal, roasted vegetables, quinoa, you name it. Turmeric has been a staple in Indian food for thousands of years, and emerged as a vital part of Ayurvedic medicine in 500 BC. They used it for relieving congestion and to make a tumeric paste to help wounds and clear blemishes. Nowadays, countless studies have been done to discover the benefits of turmeric. Along with being anti-inflammatory, the spice has been found to improve brain function, protect against heart disease, helps arthritis, and is effective as an antidepressant. Here are   ways to incorporate this healing spice into your daily routine.

Add it to a green smoothie – Smoothies are one of my favorite ways to sneak in nutrients that you won’t taste. Turmeric can be added to a smoothie easily and you won’t even know it’s in there. Here’s a quick, easy one you can throw together in minutes!

  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 banana
  • 1 handful spinach
  • 1 handful of frozen mango and/or pineapple
  • 1 teaspoon of turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon of almond butter (optional)
  • Ice if needed for blending

Put it in your scrambled eggs – Turmeric tastes delicious when combined with eggs. Next time you decide to have them for breakfast, add some salt, pepper, and a teaspoon of turmeric to add an anti-inflammatory benefit to your breakfast.

Add it to quinoa, rice, or cauliflower rice – Whenever I make one of these grains for lunch or dinner, I add turmeric to the water it’s cooking in. For the cauliflower rice, I fold it in after it’s cooked. It adds more taste and once again you’re getting all of turmeric’s benefits.

 

Sprinkle it on your veggies before you roast them – Next time, before you throw your sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, or any other vegetable you’re roasting in the oven, sprinkle on some turmeric for extra flavor and nutrients.

 

Make golden milk – You may have seen the yellow-orange milky beverage on health food Instagrams like Shut The Kale Up or Balance with B. That drink is called golden milk, and it’s made with turmeric. Countless health practitioners and yogis alike swear by golden milk for its healing abilities and calming taste. I personally love to make it before I go to bed to relax me. Here is a golden milk recipe below.

 

  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon of turmeric, 2 teaspoons if you’d like it a bit stronger
  • 1 pinch of black pepper (this is key for absorbing the turmeric in the milk and for unlocking all of its nutrients, read more about that here)
  • 1 dash of ginger
  • Lots of cinnamon (I normally don’t measure, I just do a ton)
  • Warm the almond milk over the stove, then add in the spices and pepper and whisk to make sure everything combines. Let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to enhance the flavor.

Throw it on any fish or chicken – My family and I are definitely going through a turmeric craze and have been for quite a while, so we started putting the spice of our fish and chicken before we baked or grilled it. It’s another great way to get the spice into your diet!

Make this soup. My mom and I discovered this turmeric-y, coconutty, gingery soup in December and it has become our go to when we want a warm, light dinner. I highly recommend making it as it is very simple and easy and does not take long to prepare!

 

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Brett Chody, Author
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