Turmeric
Plant used as spice / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Turmeric (/ˈtɜːrmərɪk, ˈtjuː-/)[2][3] or Curcuma longa (/ˈkɜːrkjʊmə ˈlɒŋɡə/),[4][5] is a flowering plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that requires temperatures between 20 and 30 °C (68 and 86 °F) and high annual rainfall to thrive. Plants are gathered each year for their rhizomes, some for propagation in the following season and some for consumption.
Turmeric | |
---|---|
Inflorescence of Curcuma longa | |
Turmeric rhizome and powder | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Clade: | Commelinids |
Order: | Zingiberales |
Family: | Zingiberaceae |
Genus: | Curcuma |
Species: | C. longa |
Binomial name | |
Curcuma longa | |
Synonyms | |
Curcuma domestica Valeton |
The rhizomes are used fresh or boiled in water and dried, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a coloring and flavoring agent in many Asian cuisines, especially for curries, as well as for the dyeing characteristics imparted by the principal turmeric constituent, curcumin.[6]
Turmeric powder has a warm, bitter, black pepper-like flavor and earthy, mustard-like aroma.[7][8]
Curcumin, a bright yellow chemical produced by the turmeric plant, is approved as a food additive by the World Health Organization, European Parliament, and United States Food and Drug Administration.[6]
Although long used in Ayurvedic medicine, there is no high-quality clinical evidence that consuming turmeric or curcumin is effective for treating any disease.[9][10]