Turmeric

7 spices that heal

Besides imparting complex flavours into food, some spices also have medicinal properties. Here are 7 spices that can be used to minimize symptoms and even treat some basic health problems.

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Turmeric

India has one of the lowest rates of bowel cancer in the world and that’s believed to be partly due to turmeric. Recent years have seen an explosion of research into curcumin, an antioxidant found in turmeric. Studies have shown it has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and anticancer activities.

Turmeric has been used in traditional Indian, Thai and Chinese medicines for a huge variety of health problems. Closer to home, it’s worth including more turmeric in your diet for its antioxidants.

You can up your turmeric intake by adding some to rice: use ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric to 1 cup of rice and 1½ cups water. Bring to boil, then simmer until the water has disappeared.