Adding Turmeric

mylittlerainbow

I am trying so hard to work turmeric into my eating plan every day. I have added it to my Greek yogurt & fruit, added it to my oatmeal & kefir, added it to my crockpot veggies and to my salads - it can be tasted strongly everywhere I try to include it. I'm not sure I even WANT to add it to a smoothie! (To me, it tastes like very strong paprika - something I would want for color but don't enjoy the flavor, so paprika only gets sprinkled on from time to time.) What are suggestions for working turmeric into the diet so that it doesn't spoil the flavor of food you normally would enjoy?

MelaniaTrump

Did you know it comes in pill form?
http://www.costco.com/youtheory-Turmeric-Advanced-Formula,-180-Tablets.product.100140468.html
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Spring-Valley-Turmeric-Herbal-Supplement-Capsules-500mg-90-count/11047686
* Just in case you were not aware. Stick to reputable brands.
Other foods I like anti-inflamatories, fish oil, leafy greens, blueberries, green tea, garlic.

tincanonastring

Why are you so concerned with getting a turmeric serving every day? It's just a spice; it had no magical properties. Eat it in dishes where you enjoy the flavor.

MelaniaTrump

@ tincanon - She may have a medical inflamatory condition.
Turmeric works for my plantar fascists (foot pain). When I add turmeric, I do not feel pain as bad.
For this effect, I have to add a 1/2 teaspoon, which can rob the taste of many foods.
The only thing I really like it on is baked sweet potatoes.

CassidyScaglione

1) add it early in the cooking process, cooking it longer gets rid of the bitterness.

2) Consider using it with cilantro, cumin, and/or some other curry spices (Garam Masala, black peppercorns, black mustard, etc). These spices compliment each other well, which is why they are used together so frequently in Indian cooking.

My partner is Nepalese, and about 75% of what we eat has these spices in it in some combo or another, so I'm pretty used to working with it. To the degree that all of my bamboo cookware is now permanently yellow...

CassidyScaglione

JanetYellen wrote: »

For this effect, I have to add a 1/2 teaspoon, which can rob the taste of many foods.

Try a combo of turmeric with other curry spaces. If you are using them correctly, spices should be enriching the taste of your food, not the reverse.

gunrock1970

Turmeric is best used as an additive to cooking. My wife is from the old British colonies in India, so turmeric is a staple in our diet. It's is used mostly as part of a marinade for meat and fish dishes and at the time of cooking (oven baking or shallow frying) of meat and fish/prawn dishes.

Can't imagine what it would taste like added plain to veg or greek yoghurt - sounds revolting!

For rice, add to a small amount of oil (a couple of tablespoons) to a saucepan, heat it up on a low to medium heat, add some (two - three teaspoons) of turmeric and a couple of sliced green chillies (de-seeded if you don't like heat), then when they've cooked for about two minutes, add in your (drained or better yet, leftover basmati rice) and fold the rice over (not stir; you don't want a porridge) for a few mins, so it picks up an orange colour and is warmed through. Turn off the heat and add a few dashes of lemon juice and a pinch or two of salt (to taste) and fold over again - the rice will change colour to yellow (bleached by the lemon juice). Remove from the heat and serve.You now have a nice lemon rice to go with a meat or fish dish or even with a salad. You'll need to experiment for taste, the ingredients amounts I've detailed depending on how much rice you want to make.

My advice is, if none of that sounds enticing and Indian cooking has no interest to you, then add the turmeric (a few teaspoons is enough) to any marinades you might normally make like Cajun, West-Indian jerky or even BBQ and get the benefits that way. If you batter or breadcrumb anything, add it to the flour. If you do like Indian food then there are lots of South Indian, Portuguese-Indian and Anglo-Indian dishes that use turmeric during cooking and/or marinading, so a good book on the subject should do you nicely.

Best of luck, let us know how you get on.

Alatariel75

gunrock1970 wrote: »

Turmeric is best used as an additive to cooking. My wife is from the old British colonies in India, so turmeric is a staple in our diet. It's is used mostly as part of a marinade for meat and fish dishes and at the time of cooking (oven baking or shallow frying) of meat and fish/prawn dishes.

Can't imagine what it would taste like added plain to veg or greek yoghurt - sounds revolting!

For rice, add to a small amount of oil (a couple of tablespoons) to a saucepan, heat it up on a low to medium heat, add some (two - three teaspoons) of turmeric and a couple of sliced green chillies (de-seeded if you don't like heat), then when they've cooked for about two minutes, add in your (drained or better yet, leftover basmati rice) and fold the rice over (not stir; you don't want a porridge) for a few mins, so it picks up an orange colour and is warmed through. Turn off the heat and add a few dashes of lemon juice and a pinch or two of salt (to taste) and fold over again - the rice will change colour to yellow (bleached by the lemon juice). Remove from the heat and serve.There you have a nice lemon rice to go with a meat or fish dish or even with a salad.

My advice is, if none of that sounds enticing and Indian cooking has no interest to you, then add the turmeric (a few teaspoons is enough) to any marinades you might normally make like Cajun, West-Indian jerky or even BBQ and get the benefits that way. If you batter or breadcrumb anything, add it to the flour. If you do like Indian food then there are lots of South Indian, Portuguese-Indian and Anglo-Indian dishes that use turmeric during cooking and/or marinading, so a good book on the subject should do you nicely.

Best of luck, let us know how you get on.

That rice sounds amazing. It will happen this weekend, possibly as a lunch side.

gunrock1970

Cool. Go easy on the portions, rice is nearly all carbs and starch!

JoRocka

What's the big need to get it into your diet every day?

It mixes well with ginger- and other curry spices- and don't get me wrong- I'm all about adding spices to random things (I put chili powder in my apple sauce and sriracha/pepper flakes into my eggs) I take spicy seriously- but if it doesn't taste good- stop doing it.

There are no special additive properties to make it worth adding daily- it's like that whole cinnamon thing. Yeah its' good and tastes good and stuff and can be beneficial but it's not some special cure all.

Sabine_Stroehm

I also have it daily. Great stuff!

WalkingAlong

Some cultures drink it in warm milk or tea daily. I've bought the pill form before.

Sabine_Stroehm

WalkingAlong wrote: »

Some cultures drink it in warm milk or tea daily. I've bought the pill form before.

Yes, a chai variation. YUM.

gunrock1970

JoRocka wrote: »

What's the big need to get it into your diet every day?

There are no special additive properties to make it worth adding daily- it's like that whole cinnamon thing. Yeah its' good and tastes good and stuff and can be beneficial but it's not some special cure all.

There is some limited evidence that it has cancer slowing or stopping properties:
cancerresearchuk.org

It also has supposed antimicrobial properties (which is one of the suggested reasons for it's use for marinades and cooking in places like India - where refrigeration may be scant):
cen.acs.org

Expatmommy79

We make a really nice warm milk with turmeric when we are sick. Boil milk with turmeric, add cloves, Cinammon and cardamom, and a tablespoon of honey.

Yummy and full of good things.

WalkingAlong

I think it's in mustard, too, if that helps you get more in your diet.

mylittlerainbow

Wow, came back after only a brief time and found all of these answers! Thank you all! I do LOVE Indian cooking and have done a fair amount of it in recent years, but my cooking has been more limited since embarking on this diet because I'm counting the calories of everything I make/eat. The tip about using it IN the cooking process, not as an after-the-fact additive, was a great one. I do want to use the spice and not take it as a capsule because I just think food is a better way to try to get nutrients. And as to why I take it, it's an anti-inflammatory and is supposed to help with my hip & knee pain along with occasional shoulder/elbow pain. (I'm old, so I wake up every day wondering what will hurt today!) (Oh, and as for cinnamon, that's EASY to add - some goes in my steel-cut oatmeal every morning and more goes in my Greek yogurt and fruit later on in the day!)

Expatmommy79

Otherwise in curry. Only in curry. Or in a chicken tikka on the bbq.

Oh_Cat

Make "Golden Milk" before bed! It's delicious, and it helps you sleep

Here's how I do it (there are lots of variations out there!)

+ 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (any milk is fine, I just like almond!)
+ 2 tsp turmeric
+ 1 tsp ginger
+ 1 tsp cinnamon
+ 4 cardamon pods, cracked
+ pinch of fresh black pepper
+ stevia / honey to taste

Warm everything together in a pan, whisking to incorporate all the spices (I use a milk frother for this!) Leave to cool a little, remove the cardamon pods and enjoy in your prettiest mug

I usually take mine with a magnesium supplement about an hour before I go to bed.

WalkingAlong

I add cinnamon to my coffee and homemade almond butter. I love it, plus it's full of antioxidants.

I have an elderly aunt who has found huge relief from joint pain from turmeric pills.

janejellyroll

Oh_Cat wrote: »

Make "Golden Milk" before bed! It's delicious, and it helps you sleep

Here's how I do it (there are lots of variations out there!)

+ 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (any milk is fine, I just like almond!)
+ 2 tsp turmeric
+ 1 tsp ginger
+ 1 tsp cinnamon
+ 4 cardamon pods, cracked
+ pinch of fresh black pepper
+ stevia / honey to taste

Warm everything together in a pan, whisking to incorporate all the spices (I use a milk frother for this!) Leave to cool a little, remove the cardamon pods and enjoy in your prettiest mug

I usually take mine with a magnesium supplement about an hour before I go to bed.

I came in here to suggest tumeric milk also -- I've been having it in the mornings and I love it.

I make mine like this:

2 cups milk (I use oat milk)
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
2 dates

Blend until smooth, then heat (but I often drink it cold).