Growing up in a Malayali family, I bear in mind my grandfather harvesting turmeric in his yard to make contemporary selfmade powder. We by no means had to purchase it from the market, as a result of a single harvest would final sufficient for a yr. No curries or dishes had been made with out including a pinch of this yellow spice.

Though it’s an important ingredient in each Indian kitchen, the utilization and advantages of this marvel spice don’t finish right here. Other than enhancing the flavour and including color to the meals, there are limitless methods during which the spice can be utilized to leverage all of the goodness it holds.

Turmeric has been used the world over for hundreds of years, particularly in India, each as a spice and for its medicinal properties. This golden spice is loaded with a number of elements which have the potential to assist preserve completely different points like cough, coronary heart illness and even most cancers at bay. The major active component in turmeric, named curcumin, is a pure antioxidant that has anti-inflammatory advantages.

As we gear up for the winter, we now have to get able to battle these well being discomforts that include the season just like the widespread chilly and flu to joint pains and aches.

Therefore, it’s time to embrace this highly effective spice in your day by day life. Here are a number of methods in which you’ll leverage the goodness of turmeric throughout winter:

1. Turmeric milk

The good previous turmeric milk or haldi ka doodh is an all-time wholesome drink which our mothers and grandmothers have passed on to us. Including this golden milk in your winter food regimen helps you retain heat and keep good well being. The anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties of turmeric shield us from a wide range of infections together with the widespread chilly, flu and different respiratory sicknesses. It additionally helps to cut back ache and enhance the functioning of joints, thereby offering reduction to physique aches throughout the chilly season.

Daily consumption of turmeric helps to forestall and management diabetes. Besides, it additionally helps to help wholesome digestion due to its antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties.

2. Turmeric for pores and skin

Turmeric is thought to do wonders for the pores and skin. From therapeutic wounds to lowering pimples and breakout, there are numerous advantages of utilizing turmeric on the pores and skin. During winters, the pores and skin is extra liable to lose moisture leading to dry and cracked pores and skin.

As a treatment, turmeric can be utilized to exfoliate dry pores and skin by mixing it with some honey and milk. Turmeric can be utilized as a face pack to rehydrate the pores and skin and produce some glow. For acne-prone pores and skin, it may well both be blended with heat water and honey or with aloe vera gel.

3. Turmeric oil for winter dandruff

The chilly and dry climate throughout winter makes the pores and skin and scalp tough and dry, leading to itchy and flaky dandruff. Several research level out that turmeric acts as a hair tonic that aids in treating dandruff and boosts hair progress. Therefore turmeric can be included in your hair care routine.

To do away with dandruff, combine a pinch of turmeric with olive, coconut or jojoba oil and therapeutic massage it onto the scalp. Leave it for 10-Quarter-hour and wash it off utilizing shampoo. Another means is to combine two spoons of turmeric powder with one spoon of honey and a few milk to make a easy paste. Gently therapeutic massage it onto the scalp and preserve it for 15-20 minutes. Then wash it off.

4. Turmeric tea

Everyone loves sipping on a scorching cup of tea throughout winter. What whether it is made extra wholesome? Replacing your regular tea with turmeric tea could be a good winter treatment for potential illnesses. It additionally helps in boosting immunity.

To make this tea, add turmeric powder or fresh pieces of turmeric to boiling water. After brewing it, you’ll be able to add a spoonful of honey or lemon to boost the style.

5. Turmeric pickle

Turmeric is used to make a scrumptious Gujarati pickle, which could possibly be a wholesome add-on to your meals. Using contemporary turmeric and substances helps to boost its goodness.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked turmeric (peeled and chopped or grated)
• One tsp salt, half tsp crimson chilli powder, one tsp ginger powder, half tsp asafoetida or hing, two tsp mustard oil
• Juice from three giant lemons

How to make:

• Heat the oil in a pan and add asafoetida, chilli powder, ginger powder, and salt.
• Cook it for a couple of minutes and swap off the flame.
• Then put aside to chill.
• Once it cools down, combine the turmeric and lemon juice into the spice combine in a clear bowl.
• Transfer the pickle combine to an air-tight jar and preserve it within the fridge for six days.
• Take out the jar as soon as every single day and shake it.
• The pickle shall be prepared after six days.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

Sources:

Winter Munchies: 3 haldi (turmeric) recipes that are as warming as tasty, by Shreya Goswani; revealed by India Today on 9 December 2016.

10 Proven Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin, by Healthline.

Curcumin: A Review of Its’ Effects on Human Health, by Susan J. Hewlings and Douglas S. Kalman; revealed by National Centre for Biotechnology Information on 22 October 2017.

Golden Milk: Are There Health Benefits?, by Dan Brennan; revealed by WebMD on 24 September 2020.

Curcumin and CancerPotential of Curcumin in Skin Disorders, revealed by National Centre for Biotechnology Information on 10 September 2019.

Effects of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) on Skin Health: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Evidence, revealed by National Centre for Biotechnology Information on August 2016.

Curcumin and Diabetes: A Systematic Review, revealed by National Centre for Biotechnology Information on 24 November 2013.

Turmeric tonic as a treatment in scalp psoriasis: A randomized placebo-control clinical trial, revealed by National Centre for Biotechnology Information on in June 2018.

Curcuma aeruginosa, a novel botanically derived 5α-reductase inhibitor in the treatment of male-pattern baldness: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, revealed by National Centre for Biotechnology Information on 14 July 2011.