Featuring Andy De Santis, RD, MPH, Registered Dietician

Duration: 1 minute, 36 seconds

Turmeric, Curcuma Longa, is a flowering plant from the ginger family which is native to India and south east Asia.

It is generally most well known as a vibrant yellow/orange spice and has a rich history of use in Ayurvedic medicine, owing in large part to its extremely high anti-inflammatory potential. This is particularly true of its primary bioactive ingredient, curcumin, which is often sold in supplemental form and is considered by the dietary inflammatory index to be the most anti-inflammatory food component in our food system.

Turmeric in spice form is a common ingredient in many cultural dishes and may be used in niche creations like scrambled tofu to give it that yellow egg colour.

When used as a spice, turmeric can meaningfully influence the anti-inflammatory capacity of a meal and has the potential to reduce bodily inflammatory markers with regular use over time– but it is in supplemental form where it is most likely to more acutely, positively affect outcomes related to: - Rheumatoid & osteoarthritis - PCOS - Mental Health - Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Turmeric is home to a wide array of beneficial phytochemicals including various types of polyphenols and a family of unique compounds known as curcuminoids which aren’t readily accessible from other foods or spices.

Presenter: Andy De Santis, Registered Dietitian, Toronto, ON

Local Practitioners: Registered Dietitian