Turmeric is the International Herb Association’s Herb of the Year for 2026, and for good reason. Turmeric fits into all three categories: medicinal, culinary and decorative.
When you think of turmeric, what comes to mind? Bright yellow powder? Curry? Indian cuisine? This native Indian and tropical Asian plant is all that and more. Did you know that turmeric is often used to color the bright yellow mustard that we Americans often see as a seasoning? Did you know that this herb has been used by healers for thousands of years to treat inflammation?
Curcuma longa is a lush tropical plant that grows in the Zingiberaceae family. Turmeric is a perennial plant with lush green foliage, thick rhizomes that resemble ginger on the outside and bright yellowish-orange on the inside, and beautiful flowers that can range from white to pale yellow.
Turmeric on the left, Ginger on the right
Turmeric is a beautiful golden dye for fabrics and will dye virtually anything it comes into contact with. The resulting colors can be varied somewhat by adding different mordants (dye fixatives such as baking soda, vinegar, rust and alum).
Quickly grab some Turmeric from the kitchen and do a taste test. What do you feel? Warm-up? Drying? How does it taste? Do you taste bitterness? Spiciness? Sharpness? So many flavors in that one bit, right? Most people describe turmeric as warming, drying, bitter and pungent.
Turmeric contains many components, including curcumin, essential oils such as artumeron, zingberene, borneol and turmeron; valepotriates, polysaccharides, alkaloids and proteins.
Also looking for a herb packed with nutrition? You may be surprised to learn that turmeric is extremely high in magnesium and silicon, high in iron, manganese, niacin, potassium, selenium and sodium, and also contains moderate to reasonable amounts of phosphorus, protein, vitamins A, C, E, zinc, calcium, chromium and cobalt.
However, the healing effect of turmeric does not stop there. Turmeric is considered an alternative, analgesic, antiarthritic, antifibrotic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antimutagenic, antioxidant, antiparasitic, antiseptic, aromatic, astringent, cardioprotective, carminative, cholagogic, choleretic, circulatory stimulant, emmenagogue, hepatoprotective, hepatotonic, hypoglycemic, neuroprotective, stimulant, stomachic, and a vulnerable person.
What does that all mean? Well, I have already briefly mentioned that the anti-inflammatory properties of this herb have been used for thousands of years. Let’s start there…studies have shown that turmeric is just as effective as ibuprofen for relieving inflammation, but without the side effects. That alone makes me use it instead of ibuprofen. Turmeric can be used to relieve inflammatory problems such as colic, crampy menstrual cramps, inflammatory bowel disease and hepatitis. It works best on the digestive and reproductive systems, although it is also well used in arthritic conditions. The anti-inflammatory effect also works on skin infections such as acne. The next time you are struggling with acne, make a paste of turmeric and water and dab it on before going to bed. See what results you get when you wake up in the morning.
As an anti-arthritis, this herb helps people suffering from gout, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Combining its anti-inflammatory effects with antioxidants, turmeric is one of the best herbs to use for arthritic conditions.
This amazing rhizome is high in antioxidants that provide much of turmeric’s healing power. Vitamins C and E, various carotenoids, curcumin and curcuminoids are all found in turmeric. Curcumin is the main component of turmeric and gives turmeric its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. It is also what makes turmeric rhizomes bright yellow.
But turmeric’s healing properties don’t stop there. The antiseptic and antibacterial properties make this herb ideal for fighting infections. I have found that a sore throat of any kind can be quickly overcome if I use a paste of turmeric and honey. This concoction tastes a little strange, but once you get used to the taste, it will be the first thing you mix up the next time you feel a scratchy throat coming on.
As an antifungal agent, turmeric provides great relief for athlete’s foot. Be careful though. Anyone who uses it will have bright yellow feet for a while.
Turmeric is also great for your liver. As a hepatoprotective and hepatonic agent, turmeric works to promote and maintain a healthy liver. According to Dr. James Duke, those exposed to environmental toxins such as DDT, 4-nonylphenol and 4-octylphenol should add turmeric to their daily diet. He states that turmeric increases the production of three enzymes that break down potentially harmful substances in the liver. He also suggests it provides similar protection to those undergoing chemotherapy metabolized by the liver.
And turmeric isn’t just great as a cancer treatment aid. There are studies that show that it also helps prevent cancers such as colon, lung, breast cancer and melanoma.
In Indian households, turmeric is just as common in their medicine cabinet. Instead of reaching for a band-aid, they turn to turmeric to treat cuts and wounds. Its antiseptic properties kill all germs to prevent infection. Its anti-inflammatory properties also play a role in preventing the skin from becoming inflamed and swelling, which helps speed healing.
Turmeric milk is also commonly used for digestive problems and other internal injuries. It is suggested that turmeric may help increase bile flow and help gallstones disintegrate.
Now let’s get back to the energetic properties of turmeric. Remember that heating function? You should remember that even more from Turmeric’s cousin Ginger. That spicy, warm taste/feeling gives Turmeric its blood circulation properties. This same property gives turmeric the ability to prevent the formation of clots in the blood, so caution is advised in people taking blood-thinning medications or those who already have problems with their blood clotting.
What about that drying feeling? Did your mouth twitch up a little, as if you were eating an unripe banana? That’s bitterness for you.
Be warned that people with a history of stomach ulcers may react negatively to taking turmeric and should act cautiously and under the supervision of a doctor, as should people with a blood clotting disorder.
One of my favorite ways to use turmeric is to make a paste that mixes turmeric with honey. When eaten at the first sign of a sore throat, this paste can help ward off disease. Try it the next time you have a sore throat.
Want to know more about Turmeric? Check out number 25 – Great turmeric. It has recently been revised and now contains 58 pages packed with information and activities to learn all about turmeric.
