What is turmeric?

Turmeric is a bright yellow spice made from the root of the Curcuma longa plant. It has a distinct bitter, peppery flavor.

Turmeric is made from the ground-up root of the Curcuma longa plant. It helps relieve many ailments such as jaundice, toothaches, chest pains and bruises. Turmeric helps relieve inflammation and has been used for many year in Chinese medicine for this purpose. It is also known as Indian Saffron because of its bright mustard yellow color. In addition, this spice is used as clothing dye and a condiment. One dish that is known for its use of turmeric is the popular Asian dish, curry.