Turmeric

Tieraona Low Dog, MD 

I admit it - I am in love with turmeric. I put 2 teaspoons in one cup of plain yogurt and basted it over our chicken before baking it last night. Heavenly. It has been used as both a food and medicine for thousands of years. The yellow pigments in turmeric are referred to as curcuminoids, and they are responsible for imparting that golden glow to foods during cooking.Science has found that these curcuminoids have powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. Research shows that it can be beneficial for promoting the health of the GI tract, easing the pain of arthritis and possibly even helping lift the mood. Add it to soups, stews, rice, or even smoothies. Because turmeric loves the GI tract, if using a concentrated supplement take it with a fatty meal to enhance absorption and/or look for products that contain piperine (an alkaloid from black pepper) or phosphatidylcholine.