#Turmeric(haldi,हल्दी)

Botanical Classification :

Botanical name:  Curcuma longa
Family:   Zingiberaceae 
Genus:   Curcuma

Species:   C. longa 

Names:
Turmeric (English)
Haridra (Sanskrit)
Haldi, halada (Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi)
Manjal (Tamil)
Pasapu (Telugu)
Arishina (Kannada).

Part Used:   Rhizome (Root)

 Habitat: 

Turmeric is thought to have come from South and Southeast Asia, probably India. The plants grow as an upright herb to about 1 m tall.

 Introduction:

A perennial plant with roots or tubers oblong, palmate, and deep orange inside; root-leaves about 2 feet long, lanceolate, long, petioled, tapering at each end, smooth, of a uniform green; petioles sheathing spike, erect, central, oblong, green; flowers dull yellow, three or five together surrounded by bracteolae.  It is propagated by cuttings from the root, which when dry is in curved cylindrical or oblong tubers 2 or 3 inches in length, and an inch in diameter, pointed or tapering at the end, 

Rhizome:
This is a sort of underground stem. It is thick and fleshy, ringed with the bases of old leaves. This is the part which is boiled, dried and ground to make the distinctive bright yellow spice, turmeric. Turmeric only reproduces via its rhizomes.

Leaves - large, oblong, up to 1 m long.

Flowers:
 these appear on a spike-like stalk. The flowers are yellow-white. They are sterile and do not produce viable seed.

Health Benefits of Turmeric

Turmeric has been used for over 2500 years in India, where it was most likely first used as a dye.

The medicinal properties of this spice have been slowly revealing themselves over the centuries. Long known for its anti-inflammatory properties, recent research has revealed that turmeric is a natural wonder, proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer to Alzheimer's disease.

Here are 20 health benefits of turmeric:

•  It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.
•  Prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.
•  May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to commit suicide.
•  Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.
•  Is a natural liver detoxify. 
•  May prevent metastases from occurring in many different forms of cancer.
• It is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.
•  Is a natural painkiller and cox-2 inhibitor.
•  May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.
• Has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.
• Promising studies are underway on the effects of turmeric on pancreatic cancer.
• Studies are ongoing in the positive effects of turmeric on multiple field.
• Has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.
• Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.