This article provides an insight into the health benefits of turmeric (haldi) spice. Like how turmeric can be useful in treatment of wounds, bruises and sprains. Turmeric is also good for skin care and also acts as a digestive aid.

Biological Name:
Curcuma longa

Other Names:
English - Turmeric, Hindi - Haldi, Assamese - Halodhi, Bengali - Halud, Gujarati - Halad or Haldar, Kannad - Arishina, Malayalam - Manjal, Marathi - Halad, Punjabi - Haldi, Tamil - Manjal,
Telugu - Haridra

Description:
Turmeric is dried root that grows about 2 feet in length. The turmeric plant is about 3 feet long with funnel-shaped yellow flowers. Turmeric is bright yellow in color. It has an earthy aromatic and spicy fragrance with slightly bitter flavor. Turmeric is an important spice in India having great religious significance.

Uses:
1) Kitchen Use
Turmeric is used as coloring agent. It is used to color as well as flavor prepared pickles, relish, chutneys and rice dishes. Turmeric is combined with almost every dish in India. It is also combined in rice dishes. It is a very important ingredient of curry powders. It is also used in stews and curries.

2) Medicinal use
Turmeric is used as remedy for the following common problems:

WOUND, BRUISES and SPRAIN:
1. Apply bit of turmeric on cuts and scrapes after washing them with cold water.
2. Take 1 tsp turmeric powder with hot milk.
3. Make a bandage of the following things and apply on the wound: mix 4 tsp flour, 2 tsp turmeric powder, 1tsp pur ghee, 1/2 tsp sendha namak (non refined salt) with water.
4. Take 500ml of water and boil it with 1 tsp sendha namak and 1 tsp turmeric powder. Give fomentation to the bruised part with a cloth soaked in this water. This will help get rid of pain and swelling in that region.
5. Dusting turmeric powder on wounds also helps in relieving the pain and swelling.

SKIN PROBLEMS:
1. Apply the paste of turmeric and sesame oil on body to prevent eruptions.
2. To avoid any kind of skin problems apply turmeric paste before a bath.
3. To cure itching take roasted turmeric with jaggery.
4. To eliminate freckles and spots rub ground turmeric on stone with the help of water and then apply this paste on skin.
5. You can also make a paste of ground turmeric with milk of banyan or pipal and soak it overnight and then apply it for 1 hour before bath. This will help in removing freckles and also give glow to the face.
6. Make a pudding of 2 tsp flour with 1 tsp ghee and 1 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp sugar and 1 cup water and take this in the morning it will halp in curing Utricaria.

DIGESTIVE AID:
1. To get instant relief from acidity take turmeric powder and salt in equal quantity with warm water.
2. Taking curd or butter milk with turmeric after lunch cures digestive problems.
3. Grind 4 gms turmeric, 4 gms dried ginger, 2 gms black pepper and 2 gms cardomom and take this mixture after meals this will aid digestion and will eliminate flatulence.

LIVER PROTECTION: Turmeric help in minimizing liver damages caused by taking excess alcohol regularly or using pain-killer.

ARTHRITIS: Turmeric help relieve wound inflammation and in treating arthritis.

HEART PROTECTION: Turmeric helps in reducing cholesterol