Are You Using Turmeric All Wrong?

Turmeric is, without a doubt, an ingredient having a "moment." A spice most commonly used in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines, it is now finding its way into everything from Chicken Noodle Soup to Chia Pudding.

Most of us don't really know much about turmeric other than that it's sold as a powdered spice and that it gives food a golden hue. Turmeric originated on the Indian sub-continent and Southeast Asia. And it is a member of the ginger family. (The part we eat is the root.)

Turmeric has been used as both food and medicine throughout history. It was also historically used as a dye for fabrics, as those who have experience with using it in cooking will probably not be surprised to learn. In the kitchen, turmeric will turn everything from fingertips to dish towels a brilliant shade of gold if one is not careful.

Some of the first recorded uses of turmeric as a healing agent are found in Ayurvedic medicine. It was used in different formulations to treat everything from congestion to small pox. It was also mentioned in the Kama Sutra as an aphrodisiac.

The recent resurgence of turmeric is largely due to its potential to heal, or at least aid in healing for a large variety of ailments. However, many recipes recommending turmeric as the flavoring of a "healing tonic" or curative soup, dressing, tea or porridge are using it all wrong. That's not to say that you can't use turmeric in any sort of dish for flavoring and color. But if you're trying to use turmeric as a health aid, there's something very important you need to know:

To use cooking as a nutritional supplement, health experts recommend combining turmeric with black pepper. Why? Because black pepper contains a compound called piperine. The active ingredient in turmeric with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects is called curcumin. This chemical is believed to be able to relieve symptoms of inflammatory and metabolic conditions. It is also considered a powerful agent in fighting anxiety, digestive disorders and even cancer. But curcumin is, unfortunately, poorly absorbed into the bloodstream. However, when it's combined with the piperine in black pepper, the absorbency increases by about 2,000%.

If you can't stomach black pepper, you can try combining your turmeric with fat. Some studies have suggested that, because turmeric is fat-soluable, it will be better absorbed with a healthy fat. A lot of research on turmeric is still inconclusive and for now the results on whether or not, and in what ratio, turmeric should be combine with fats is still a bit cloudy. (According to Science Translational Medicine, there were 135 registered studies on the health benefits of turmeric between 2001 and 2017, and more since that date. So I expect the answers to how to combine turmeric effectively with healthy fats will become clear someday soon.)

Among the more interesting (and conclusive) of those studies was one published in 2016 in The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. It offers some compelling research on turmeric's potential role in fighting one other ailment that plagues our modern society: sexual dysfunction. According to the study, which used male rats as test subjects, the curcumin in turmeric can cause significant increase in testosterone serum totals. A subsequent study involving humans revealed that even a small dose of curcumin causes a significant increase in good cholesterol. Which means it can greatly impact heart health. And as any good cardiologist will tell you, what's good for the heart is great for the sex life.

There have been additional studies on turmeric, proving pretty conclusively that curcumin can increase testosterone. Which means that turmeric has the potential to be a potent natural aphrodisiac for men. But many questions remain, including how much curcumin is enough? And what impact does it have on women's sexual health?

Of course, before you can start using turmeric to your benefit, be it as a sexual aid or to simply alleviate some symptoms of arthritis, you need to be able to cook with it effectively. The other key to using turmeric is to use it in a way that it enhances the flavor of the dish. All too often, when they hear that turmeric can benefit health, home cooks add it by the tablespoon to their soups, teas, dressings and desserts. Bad idea.

Turmeric has an incredibly distinctive odor and flavor and it's one that isn't the most appealing. Used in small amounts, its earthy, herbal, slightly feral flavor brings depth to a dish, along with that healing power studies have revealed. It also streaks anything it touches with gold. It's practically bionic power of color can brighten even the most sluggishly beige dish. If you've ever tasted a dish overloaded with turmeric, you probably understand the effect of overloading a dish with this potent spice. If you haven't, go to your kitchen and sprinkle a pinch onto your tongue.

Culinary instructor Nandita Godbole, author of Crack the Code: cook any Indian meal with confidence offers some advice on the best ways to use turmeric in cooking for both health and flavor. Her first note on using turmeric in cooking is to use it sparingly but frequently. Instead of trying to load a pot of soup each week with turmeric, no matter what effect it has on flavor, you'll get the benefits and the pleasure of the spice if you use a pinch in your cooking each day.

Nandita uses turmeric in a fairly traditional manner, the way her parents did and their parents before them. That's because Indian cooking focuses much more on tailoring your food to your body's needs, not your cravings or desires to impress others. She will use turmeric in a milk-based concoction to treat coughs. She also makes an immunity-boosting relish in late winter and spring made from fresh turmeric sliced with lemon juice. (It is believed that the curcumin in fresh turmeric may be better absorbed by the body than in dried turmeric because of the healthy fats naturally found in the root.)

Since it's believed that the best way to absorb the curcumin in turmeric is to combine it in your cooking with black pepper, yellow curry might be the perfect dish for consuming the healing benefits of turmeric in a delicious meal.

A store-bought curry powder will typically contain turmeric, coriander, cumin and black pepper–along with another spice or two. However, if you actually want to use the spices to benefit your health and well-being, Nandita recommends making your own spice blend each time you prepare a dish and tailor to your body's specific needs on that particular occasion. In winter, you can make a turmeric-based spice blend to ward off the flu, warm up when there's a chill in the air, cure congestion, reduce swelling or improve heart–and sexual–health.

For the tastiest dish, Nandita recommends using powdered turmeric in vegetable dishes. She also recommends its use with fish but maintains that the spice's flavor profile tends to fight the flavors of red meat. And since our purpose for cooking with turmeric is to both reap turmeric's health-boosting rewards and indulge in the pleasures of the table, that's sound advice.

For an example of how to cook with turmeric the right way, Nandita offers this recipe for Lemon Rice with Peas and Cashews from her cookbook, A Dozen Ways to Celebrate: Twelve Decadent Indian Feasts for the Culinary Indulgent.

Lemon Rice with Peas and Cashews

Diet: Vegan adaptable, Vegetarian, Gluten-free
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time, Ease: 40 minutes, Moderately easy

Ingredients

2 tbsp ghee
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 large onion, slivered
2" fresh ginger, julienned

5-10 fresh curry leaves (recommended)
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 Indian bay leaf (optional)
1 star anise (optional)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 cup shelled peas, parboiled and drained**
15-20 raw unsalted cashew halves
2 cups raw basmati or long grain rice, rinsed out with water and set aside
4 cups water, boiling hot
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt, to taste

Method

In a large, heavy-bottom pan, heat the ghee. When it begins to melt, add the cumin seeds and allow them to release their flavors into the ghee. Add the slivered onions and stir. Cook until the onions have softened a little but not changed into a golden brown, for ½-1 minute, and then add the julienned ginger and curry leaves. Follow with the black peppercorns, bay leaf and star anise, if using, and allow them to release their flavors. After this has been cooking for 1 minute, add turmeric powder, peas and cashew halves, and stir well so that they are fully coated in the flavored ghee. Cook on a low heat for 1-2 minutes. Slowly add the washed and drained rice to the pot. Using a long-handled spatula, stir the rice and the peas carefully to not break the grains. Ensure that the rice is coated in the ghee and spices and the peas are well incorporated into the rice. Cook for 1 minute and then slowly add the boiling water from the side of the pan. Stir the water in gently making certain that no rice sticks to the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and add the salt. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 10 minutes. When the water has reduced to the same level as the rice, add the lemon juice evenly without stirring in, and cover the pot again. Keep the heat on low; check for doneness in 15 minutes. If it is not done, add a few tablespoons of hot water, cover, and continue to cook on low until done. Serve warm or at room temperature.

**For a one pot meal, finely cut carrots and steamed edamame also make a great nutrient rich addition. Par-boil these, and add when adding peas.