Curcuma

Turmeric is a plant species within the Zingiberaceae family(gingerfamily). A distinction is made between Curcuma longa (country of origin India) and Curcuma zanthorrhiza (country of origin Southeast Asia). Turmeric has large, egg-shaped leaves that are between 20 and 45 cm long. The stem can grow up to 1.20 m high. The flowers of Curcuma longa are yellow, those of Curcuma zanthorrica are purple-red. Curcuma longa flowers in August. Both species, Curcuma longa and Curcuma xanthorrica, are used phytotherapeutically and Curcuma longa L. has been used in China for thousands of years as a traditional Chinese medicine, mainly as turmeric.

The tuberous to finger-shaped, yellow rhizomes, i.e. the underground shoots of the plants, are used phytotherapeutically. When powdered, the rhizomes produce a pungent spice that is used as the main ingredient in curry powder, for example.

Ingredients: The curcuma rhizome contains 3 to 12% essential oil, including sesquiterpenes, xanthorrhizol and beta-curcumene. The main active ingredient in turmeric rhizomes is curcumin. Other ingredients are dicinnamoylmethane derivatives, ferulic acid, caffeic acid and caffeic acid derivatives.

The turmeric rhizome is commercially available both fresh and dried (ground as a powder or in pieces). The powder, but also the grated fresh root, is used as a spice, sometimes simply as a yellow dye (food coloring), which is why turmeric is sometimes referred to as Indian saffron. In the food industry, the dye from turmeric has the E number E100.1

However, the yellow color does not only dye food, but also hands, kitchen utensils and textiles, which is why it is better to wear gloves when grating the fresh root and be prepared for the cutting board etc. to be dyed yellow afterwards.

The dried pieces of the rhizome can be used just like turmeric powder for vegetables, soups and rice dishes or for making tea. Turmeric has a spicy, earthy and slightly bitter taste.

1. Abd El-Hack ME et al.(2021) Curcumin, the Active Substance of Turmeric: Its Effects on Health and Ways to Improve its Bioavailability. J Sci Food Agric 101:5747-5462.
2. Razavi BM et al.(2021) A Review of Therapeutic Potentials of Turmeric (Curcuma Longa) and Its Active Constituent, Curcumin, on Inflammatory Disorders, Pain, and Their Related Patents Phytother Res 35:6489-6513.

3. Soleimani V et al. (2018) Turmeric (Curcuma Longa) and its Major Constituent (Curcumin) as Nontoxic and Safe Substances: Review. Phytother Res 32:985-995.

4. Zeng L et al. (2022) Curcumin and Curcuma longa Extract in the Treatment of 10 Types of Autoimmune Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 31 Randomized Controlled Trials. Front Immunol 13:896476.