I've always touted the health benefits of spices. Now a new and exciting study indicates that turmeric is indeed packed full of them. It's being evaluated for its ability to soothe skin disorders like psoriasis, calm the nervous system and PMS, and even fight cancer because of its active ingredient, curcumin, which works as a powerful anti-inflammatory.
So how can you get more of it into your daily diet? Turmeric has a stringent tart flavor and it's the spice that gives curry powder its characteristic bright yellow color. However, using it in small amounts in your favorite recipes is easy since it comes in powder form. Add a teaspoon the next time you make chili or sprinkle some on a fresh mango with a squeeze of lime, then throw it it on the grill. Or, this weekend, have a movie night and served spiced popcorn.
Get Jennifer's Spiced Popcorn recipe after the jump.
Some of the herbs are well known to have medicinal uses, like turmeric and cloves, but did you know that onions (and other vegetables related to onions) have been used for centuries as medicines? Apparently they have anti-inflammatory properties. Also, rosemary, cinnamon, and parsley (great for detoxifying carcinogens from cigarette smoke) are just some of the surprising (to me) herbs on the list.
There is no way this list can be complete, though. If you study a natural product long enough, you're sure to find lots of healthy qualities. Does anyone have any herbs they'd like to add? If you disagree with this list, I'd love to read about that, too.
I've been in an Indian state of mind all day, having picked up some tasty-looking tandoori naan at the store today, and trying to figure out what I want to make with it. Unfortunately, I haven't made too many Indian dishes from scratch, save butter chicken long ago and some recent tasty pakora. Luckily, there's a cooking show that details all sorts of Indian dishes -- Show Me the Curry.
In this episode, Anuja and Hetal make Aloo Matar, a simple dish of spices, potatoes, and peas. This is a recipe that they consider to be one of the easiest Indian dishes to make -- and it's definitely a great way to get into the wonders of ingredients like turmeric and chaat masala.
Also be sure to check out their guides for stocking your pantry, as well as their tasty-looking raita recipes.
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And when there is any news of the health benefits of eating curry, I rejoice. Nick has posted before about curry's anti-Alzheimer's properties, and we've speculated about curry's benefits against cancer, but now, there is a small US study that has shown that curcumin, a compound found in the curry spice turmeric, and quercetin, an antioxidant found in onions may help prevent colon cancer in those at risk.
According to Dr Francis M. Giardiello, of The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD, "this is the first proof of principle that these substances have significant effects in patients with FAP [familial adenomatous polyposis]," which is an inherited disorder that leads to the development of colorectal polyps and, eventually, colon cancer.
Curry and onions? Bring me some chicken tikka masala and another order of onion bhaji!
Some of you may recall earlier posts about the possible health benefits of curry, specifically curcumin, a polyphenol found in turmeric. There have been studies suggesting that curcumin may help fight cancer and a host of other ailments. The New Scientist and the Daily Mail have recently reported on a new study linking the antioxidants in turmeric to healthy cognitive function in a group of over 1,000 elderly Asians. The study, from researchers at the National University of Singapore, found that curcumin may lower the build up of amyloid plaque and inflammation associated with Alzheimer's. Researchers call the evidence tentative in the study's abstract, saying that further investigation is required.
Junk food for productivity, soda for memory, sake for your skin, and now, curry and cauliflower
for cancer? New research from Rutgers
suggests that turmeric and phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), a chemical that occurs in cruciferous vegetables like
broccoli, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and turnips, may help treat and prevent prostate cancer. Researchers
examined mice injected with human prostate cancer cells and found that injections of turmeric and PEITC each slowed the
growth of cancer cells and that when the two were used together, the anti-cancer effects were even stronger. When
turmeric and PEITC were used separately on mice with existing tumors, there was little effect, but once again, when
they were used together, tumor growth slowed.
Turmeric, which gives many curries their bright yellow color,
has also shown promise in protecting the
skin during radiation therapy.
Oh, how 
Some of you may recall earlier posts about the possible health benefits of curry, specifically 
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