Ginger – Zingiberaceae.
Parts used: rhizome.
Pharmacy name: turmeric rhizome – Curcumae longae rhizoma (formerly: Rhizoma Curcumae longae).
Botanical description. Not entirely reliable, but still the East Indies (the territory of India and some other countries of South and Southeast Asia) should be considered the birthplace of this plant. It is not found in the wild state, since this type of turmeric has been cultivated for a very long time (in India, China and other tropical and subtropical areas). Turmeric is similar to ginger. The plant has a height of up to 1 m. A bunch of leaves and a shoot extend from the rhizome, carrying a long, up to 20 cm, inflorescence. Long roots originate from it, on which tuberous thickenings appear.
Collection and preparation. The underground part is dug out when the above-ground organs wither (in December-January). The rhizome and branches from it are cleaned of roots, immersed in boiling water and immediately dried in the sun. Dried rhizome sometimes takes the form of horns. When scalding, the coloring matter from special cells is distributed throughout the mass, which gives the raw material a yellow color. The pear-shaped tubers are called Rhizoma Curcumae rotundas, the long processes of the rhizome are called Rhizoma Curcumae longae.
Active ingredients: essential oil, bitterness, chicken-cumin (yellow coloring matter), starch.
Healing action and application. The yellow coloring substance curcumin promotes the emptying of the gallbladder. The essential oil increases the formation of bile in the liver. Based on this, turmeric should be used for those diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the cause of which is reduced bile secretion. Despite this, official medicine uses turmeric very little. Turmeric tea is not consumed at all, only rhizome powder is taken at a dosage of 0.5 to 1.0 g per 1 dose. I advise taking 0.5 g of powder in a wafer 3 times daily. The German National Health Service testifies to the anti-inflammatory, choleretic and bile-enhancing effects of turmeric rhizomes in the liver.
Use in homeopathy. The homeopathic product Curcuma is given to stimulate the formation of bile in a dilution of D 1 -D 1 no 5 drops 3-5 times each day.
Use as a condiment. In the form of a pure seasoning, turmeric does not appear, but in mixtures it plays a significant role, since it has a very beneficial effect on digestion. The most important of these mixtures is curry, which is also found in Worcestershire sauce.
My special advice. I would recommend that you pay more attention to turmeric as a seasoning in its own right, as its digestive benefits cannot be overestimated. To boiled eggs and to a variety of sauces containing eggs, salad dressings for crabs, oysters, snails and lobsters, add a good pinch of turmeric powder. They will acquire a refined sharpness and a pleasant look. Side effects are not to be feared, but overdose must still be avoided, as, in fact, with all plants containing essential oils. In case of blockage of the biliary tract or gallstone disease, turmeric should be discarded.