In its raw form, turmeric looks a bit like ginger and for cooking it’s usually boiled up, dried in the sun and then ground down into a fine powder. The turmeric plant itself is called ‘Curcuma Longa’ and is mainly found growing in Southeast Asia and India. It’s the root of the plant that is ground up to make the bright yellow turmeric powder that we all recognise. The flavour is warm and it carries a mild aroma ideal for curries, but as well as cooking, turmeric was traditionally used for colouring fabric, medicinal purposes and hair and skin care. Despite its use in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years, the western world are only now catching up with preliminary clinical trials showing astonishing results. In terms of beauty, turmeric proves to be both effective, versatile and dynamic which ties in well with Avedas belief that nature is our best asset, with natural ingredients creating effective results that stay in harmony with the body.
What is turmeric ?