1. Brew Turmeric tea: Dr. Andrew Weil recommends this simple way to use turmeric – Just bring 1 cup of water to a boil and then stir in ¼ teaspoon of ground turmeric or 2 drops of
liquid turmeric. Allow it to simmer for 10 minutes and strain before drinking. You can stir in honey or fresh lemon juice for added flavor.
2. Stir up a curry powder: When you’re cooking with turmeric, it’s a good idea to mix it with some black pepper or oil (or both!) as this has been shown to increase the bioavailability of curcumin so that your body can use it. That’s why one of the best ways to eat turmeric is in dishes with some fat, plenty of black pepper and curry powder. A basic curry powder can be made with 8 parts ground coriander, 4 parts ground cumin and 1 part each of turmeric and cayenne or paprika. You can decrease the cayenne and use paprika instead if you don’t want it spicy, and store this in a glass container in your pantry for up to 6 months. Try using this curry powder to make these Chickpea Curry Wraps, or in this Coconut Split Pea Soup! Those are both very simple recipes taken from the Food Babe Membership Program. If you want to make a more elaborate curry, you’ve got to try this Balinese Curry Sauce that I learned to make in Bali a few years ago – it’s amazing.
3. Blend it into a smoothie or juice it: You can add a pinch or two of ground turmeric or one to two inches of raw fresh turmeric or 2 drops from the
best quality turmeric supplement to a flavorful smoothie, like this Sunrise Green Smoothie, and you won’t even taste it! Granted… it may change the color of your smoothie, since it’s got such a strong pigment. 🙂 To increase the bioavailability, dissolve the turmeric in a bit of warm coconut oil before blending it in, or blend in ½ an avocado for some fat. You can also juice Turmeric, check out this recipe.
4. Season roasted veggies: Toss some fresh vegetables (like diced potatoes, cauliflower, or brussel sprouts) with a dash of olive oil and turmeric, along with any other seasonings you like. Roast at 400 degrees, tossing once until done, usually about 30-40 minutes.
5. Brush your teeth with it: When I first heard this I thought it was ridiculous… because who wants yellow teeth! That’s until I read that for some reason it doesn’t stain teeth yellow, and instead whitens them up naturally. But be warned that your toothbrush will get stained yellow! Simply dip your wet toothbrush in a pinch of turmeric, brush your teeth with it, and allow it to sit on your teeth for about 3-5 minutes. Make sure to rinse your mouth (and sink!) thoroughly and then brush with your regular toothpaste afterwards. This isn’t a daily ritual, just do this occasionally to brighten up your smile.
6. Add color to boring dishes: Stir a dash of turmeric into plain basmati rice, quinoa, mashed potatoes, or eggs for added color. It doesn’t add much flavor, and changes things up a bit.
7. Drink Golden Milk: This is an ancient Ayurvedic recipe that can be made a number of ways. It is essentially just a turmeric paste mixed with warm milk and oil or ghee. You can use any kind of milk for this recipe (dairy, goat, nut, oat). To make the paste, simply bring ½ cup filtered water to a low simmer and then mix in ¼ cup of ground turmeric, stirring constantly until it makes a thick paste (this can take 5-10 minutes) adding more water as needed. To make the golden milk, mix 1/2 teaspoon of paste with 1 cup of milk in a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in about 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil or ghee before drinking (you can also add other spices like cinnamon, ginger, or black pepper, and honey or maple syrup for some sweetness). Store the remaining turmeric paste in your fridge for 2 weeks. This is fabulous before bedtime! …zzzzzzz!
8. Make homemade mustard: You can mix up a basic mustard with ½ cup ground mustard, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, 1 teaspoon each of turmeric and salt. Store in a glass jar in the fridge.
9. Fortify your soup: A few dashes of turmeric can be added to most soups without changing the flavor, it adds a nice color to brothy soups and may help you fight a cold.
10. Mix up a cold remedy: Since turmeric has been shown to boost immunity and fight viruses like the common cold, it can be used to make a variety of home remedies. One way to do it is by mixing 1 tablespoon of powdered turmeric with 7 tablespoons of raw honey (this is known as Golden Honey). Whenever you want to boost your immunity or are fighting a cold, dissolve a 1/2 teaspoon of this mixture in your mouth every couple hours. You can also make some turmeric gummy bears (like these from The Cook’s Pajamas). Just make sure you choose the right kind of gelatin to make these (grass-fed, organic). Since gelatin is an animal product, it’s crucial that you carefully choose your gelatin and that it doesn’t come from factory-farmed animals that were subjected to antibiotics, artificial hormones and GMO feed.
Before you run out and buy some turmeric…try out this
turmeric supplement brand
