By now you’ve probably noticed the Internet’s massive obsession with turmeric. If you’re just catching up, turmeric is a root (much like ginger) that’s a staple in Indian cuisine—in curries, specifically—and has been utilized in holistic medicine for thousands of years.
Turmeric’s power player is an antioxidant called curcumin. Research has explored its ability to both promote healthy immune responses and ease digestive issues. One clinical study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, for example, found that a daily dose of 144 milligrams of turmeric provided a significant benefit to individuals with digestive health-related issues.
Interested in making this bright spice a part of your life? You can get turmeric fresh in the produce aisle and grate it yourself, or buy the spice in dried powder form.
Here are 12 Pinterest-inspired and nutritionist-approved ways to add turmeric to your diet:
- Mix a few dashes of turmeric into ginger tea for an extra kick of warm spice.
- Toss cubed butternut squash in turmeric, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper before roasting.
- Sprinkle turmeric into chicken noodle soup for extra flavor.
- Mix turmeric into your favorite mustard dressing. (We love this Arugula Harvest Salad with Turmeric Dressing from Vega.)
- Stir turmeric into rice before serving.
- Add turmeric to your go-to taco seasoning.
- Toss cauliflower with turmeric and oil before roasting to spice up the often bland veggie.
- Simmer turmeric, milk, and honey for a cozy latte-style bedtime drink. Known as ‘golden milk,’ you’ve probably seen this trend all over the web.
- Toss chick peas in turmeric, salt, and pepper before roasting. Eat as a snack or use as garnish in salads or creamy soups.
- Season chicken with honey, garlic, cayenne pepper, and turmeric before roasting.
- Add turmeric to shakes along with vanilla protein, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
- Bake into fall-flavored muffins—or try this Cinnamon Turmeric Muffin recipe from the Viand blog.
Tips From The Experts
#1: “When possible, pair turmeric with black pepper. Black pepper increases the bio-availability of the antioxidant curcumin in turmeric, which means your body is better able to absorb it,” explains sports nutrition specialist Kim McDevitt, M.P.H., R.D.
#2: “Because turmeric has a distinctive pungent flavor, start with just a pinch of it when you’re trying it in a new recipe,” says culinary nutritionist Jackie Newgent, R.D.N.
Sources: Sports nutrition specialist Kim McDevitt, M.P.H., R.D., Jaclyn Jacobsen, R.D., culinary nutritionist Jackie Newgent, R.D.N.