Turmeric is highly praised and daily used spice. It is easily found, a cheaper and healthy spice which is used in daily routine for cooking and health care. It is great for hair as it contains anti-fungal and antibacterial properties and helps in treating dandruff.
The major differences between turmeric powder and oil include: Turmeric powder is the best choice as it enhances the taste and aroma of the dish. Compared to turmeric oil, it is added in, which takes lots of processing.
The turmeric powder is easily available and is cheaper in price as compared to the oil. Turmeric powder is versatile and used not only for cooking but in cosmetics and medicines. Turmeric oil has the upper hand in one spec, utilizing it in aromatherapy.
Some of the health benefits, nutritional facts, usage and interesting facts about turmeric oil and powder are mentioned below.
Table of Contents
Turmeric
Turmeric is known as the root, which is similar to ginger but has a smaller size. The inner layer of the turmeric is orange, and the color stains everything coming in contact with it. There is an active substance present in turmeric’s root, which is known as curcumin.
Surprisingly turmeric is from the family of ginger but is far different in taste and appearance. In Indian food, turmeric is added to enhance taste and color. Turmeric is also used as a home remedy, and studies have shown that it has medicinal properties.
Indian have some values attached to turmeric as the color is related to Hindu’s deity, and in Buddhism, it is related to generosity. Turmeric is considered a fertility symbol. Pregnant women are gifted turmeric for the purpose of luck.
Turmeric Powder
The most common form in which turmeric is utilized is powdered form. The powder of turmeric is almost present in every household. The powder is made once the root is dried, and later it is ground and placed in powder form.
Turmeric powder is used as an everyday usage spice, and it is convenient to blend the powder into spices and curry to make the food delicious. There exist organic and inorganic turmeric powders, and one can buy any form they like.
Turmeric Oil
Yes, you might not this, but turmeric oil also exists. The essential oil of turmeric is made from the roots of turmeric. The turmeric is steamed, and the extracted fluid is used to separate the oil from water. Water is evaporated, and extracted fluid that remains is oil.
For preparing the soil, the roots are cold-pressed, and later alcohol is added to isolate the oil completely from the mixture. The consistency of the oil is thin so that it can be used for cooking and medical purposes. It is also used for aromatherapy.
Health Benefits
There is an apparently ceaseless rundown of potential medical advantages connected to turmeric, one of the most well-informed normal cures on the planet. Remarkably, it’s viewed as quite possibly the most calming compound at present known to clinical science. Irritation is a marker of practically every constant sickness, including coronary illness, malignant growth, joint inflammation, immune system infections and some more.
On the more uncommon side of normal cures, turmeric is frequently utilized in the field of psychological wellness, too, considered exceptionally successful at calming pessimistic feelings and burdensome manifestations.
Indeed, in controlled examinations, turmeric is similarly as successful at overseeing melancholy as the main drug, however with no of the secondary effects. Turmeric is likewise used to lessen the danger of blood clumps.
While it actually should be concentrated on the additional inside and out before it could at any point turn into a suggested treatment, it is critical to take note of the possibility to communicate with or perhaps slow down any blood-diminishing or coagulating drugs.
One last, extremely fascinating advantage of turmeric is its known capacity to decrease torment normally. The best part is that not exclusively does a portion of turmeric assist with lessening torment manifestations with no danger of long-haul enslavement or incidental negative effects. It really recuperates the injury, consumes or provocative reaction causing the aggravation simultaneously.
Role Of Turmeric in Cosmetics
Many individuals use turmeric for an assortment of corrective purposes, including skin-easing up, recuperating skin conditions like psoriasis, and empowering hair development and sparkle. Various applications call for either a natural balm or powder for corrective purposes.
For instance, a glue of turmeric powder and separated water or natural coconut oil can be applied to a fix of aggravated skin, covered cautiously with a cloth so as not to smudge your whole bed, and left for the time being.
This has been displayed to calm psoriasis, dermatitis, and general dry skin, even out complexion, lessen the impacts of sun harm and assist with mending wounds, conceivably in any event, diminishing the presence of scars.
A couple of drops of natural ointment can be added to your everyday saturating routine to shield you from sun harm and light up your energetic gleam. There are numerous other comparative normal, DIY arrangements yet consistently test a little region of your skin for any response before taking a stab at a novel, new thing.
Nutritional Facts
One tablespoon of turmeric powder contains:
- 29 Kcal total calories
- 91 grams protein
- 31 g fat
- 31 g carbohydrates
- 1 g fiber
- 3 g sugar
So, What Is the Difference Between Turmeric Powder and Oil?
Well, it’s hard to decide which one is better, turmeric powder vs. oil, as both have different usage. Concluding the article as mentioned above into key points:
- Turmeric powder is the best choice as it enhances the taste and aroma of the dish; it is added as compared to turmeric oil which takes lots of processing.
- The turmeric powder is easily available and is cheaper in price as compared to the oil.
- Turmeric powder is versatile and used not only for cooking but in cosmetics and medicines.
- Turmeric oil has the upper hand in one spec, utilizing it in aromatherapy.
Turmeric is a spice that is as common as salt and pepper. This spice is used by everyone worldwide. You will hardly find someone that does not know about this exceptional spice. Turmeric is produced from the flowering plant. This plant is called Curcuma Longa, and it belongs to the ginger family, known as Zingiberaceae in the botanical language.
Turmeric has a wide range of health benefits and an exceptional taste, making it a perfect spice for various cuisines. Turmeric has more than a thousand years of usage history in Asia. It has been used there since ancient times. Due to the color-producing properties of turmeric, it is also used for dying and food coloring purposes since the old times. But its use for culinary purposes is also nonnegligible. And in this article, our main focus will be on its culinary uses, which are discussed in the coming paragraphs.
What does Turmeric Look Like?
Turmeric has a bright yellow color. It is normally found in its powder-like appearance, and that’s its commonly used form. You will hardly find its whole form in food recipes, but it is easily available in store.
However, its whole form, also called the fresh turmeric roots, looks like ginger. That’s also because both of them belong to the same family. However, the fresh turmeric has a bright and vibrant orange color.
Where does Turmeric Come From?
Turmeric comes from Indonesia and southern India. Its history is around 1000 years old. It is widely used for different purposes since ancient times. Due to its high aroma, in the older days, this spice was used for making perfumes. The use of turmeric spread from Southeast Asia when people started using turmeric for dying, the clothes the Buddhist and Hindu priests and monks used.
And with time, people also started cultivating it in other regions and began using it for culinary reasons. Currently, a major portion of turmeric comes from the Indian Ocean islands and the mainland. Besides, it is also produced in Thailand and other tropical Asian countries.
How is Turmeric Made?
In the first method, you should clean and peel the turmeric roots. Make sure to wear gloves; otherwise, your hand will turn orange. After peeling the roots, you should cut them into thin pieces and then leave them until it dries. For drying, you can use an oven or dehydrator. Once it dries, you can use a grinder or food processor to transform the slices into powdered form.
Afterward, you can use any sieve to separate the bigger chunks from the smaller ones. And then, grind the bigger chunks again. Follow this process unless it completely transforms into ground form. Then, place the turmeric powder in any jar or container.
What Does Turmeric Taste Like?
Turmeric gives various flavors in a single spice. It has a very sharp and earthy flavor. Its taste combines the flavor of bitter and peppery flavor that resembles the flavor of horseradish and mustard. People mostly use this herb more for its color than its flavor; that’s why they use turmeric to replace saffron, ignoring its bitter taste.
How is Turmeric Used in Cooking?
Turmeric roots give a better aroma and flavor to the food than the powdered form. You can add this spice to any recipe with other spices. It is better to saute the powder form of turmeric in oil and then add other ingredients. It will make the spice well-cooked and give it adequate time to release color and flavor.
What Types of Cuisines Use Turmeric?
Turmeric is largely used in South Asian cuisines. Especially in Nepali and Indian cuisines, turmeric has high use. It is used in sweet dishes and savory items like stir-fry cuisines, cakes, and even soups. This spice is also used in Persian cuisines.
What is a Turmeric Substitute?
Turmeric has around 10 substitutes, and all of them work well to replace this spice. The list contains various ingredients such as annatto seeds, ginger powder, saffron, yellow mustard seeds, galangal powder, turmeric paste, madras curry powder, fresh turmeric roots, smoked and mace paprika, and cumin seeds.
Where to Buy Turmeric?
Turmeric is as common as salt. So, you won’t face any trouble in finding this spice. However, the presence of so many brands makes selecting a single product a little difficult. Especially when you do not know which brand promises the best quality. But we have done the work for you. We have listed few best turmeric products.
- Organic Turmeric Root Powder w/ Curcumin | Lab Tested for Purity | 100% Raw from India | 8oz/226g Resealable Kraft Bag | by FGO
- Anthony’s Organic Turmeric Root Powder, 2 lb, Curcumin Powder, Gluten-Free & Non-GMO
- HQOExpress | Organic Turmeric Powder w/natural Curcumin | USDA Certified & Lab Tested | 21 oz. Chef Jar
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