Where Does Turmeric Come From?
Turmeric is a spice best known for its use in curries and other Indian cuisine. It also serves as a nontoxic natural food coloring and a versatile medicine employed in India, China and other Eastern countries against a variety of illnesses and conditions. In recent years, Western medicine has taken an interest in turmeric's healing properties. Does this Spark an idea?
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The Turmeric Plant
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Turmeric (scientific name Curcuma longa) is a member of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). Like ginger, turmeric has a thick, horizontal underground stem, or rhizome, that is often miscalled a root.
Appearance
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Turmeric rhizomes look something like slim fingers of ginger from the outside. Inside, the flesh ranges from bright yellow to carrot-orange.
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Natural Range
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Curcuma longa and related species grow naturally throughout high-rainfall areas of South and Southeast Asia and Asia. India is the world's largest producer of turmeric.
Other Producers
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Growers have raised turmeric successfully in other hot, humid regions, including Central and South America, East and West Africa and the Caribbean islands.
Spice Production
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After harvesting and washing, turmeric rhizomes are typically boiled in a slightly alkaline solution of water with sodium bicarbonate or sodium carbonate. After a drying period of several days to a few weeks, the rhizomes are ground into powder.
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