Category: Food and Nutrition

Commonly used as a spice for most Asian cuisine, turmeric is also known as a medicinal food because of its anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants. Here are the different ways you can use turmeric at home and in your recipes.

Turmeric Face Mask

You can make an all-natural face mask with only a few ingredients such as turmeric, unsweetened yogurt, and honey to soothe and cool skin.

Instructions: Combine 1 teaspoon of honey, 2 tablespoons of unsweetened yogurt, and ½ teaspoon of turmeric in a bowl. Apply on the face and leave for about 5 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. The mask can leave a stain, so don’t use your brand new towels.

Turmeric Tea to Calm Nerves

Substitute this fragrant tea for your usual cup in the morning to start your day right.

Ingredients: Turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1-2 cups water, milk, honey, ground black pepper, clove, and nutmeg

Preparation: In a pot, simmer all the herbs in water for about 10 minutes. Then strain the tea before adding milk and honey.

Turmeric Poultice

This simple homemade poultice can help soothe inflamed skin especially if you have eczema or psoriasis.

Instructions: In a saucepan, mix 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of castor oil, water, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of flour. This should form a paste. Warm the paste on low heat and drops of water to prevent it from sticking on the pan. Let the poultice cool before applying it on the skin. Wrap it on the skin with a cotton flannel then secure with a safety pin. Remove after 2 to 3 hours.

Turmeric Tonic for Colds

Staying at home because of a cold? Relieve the symptoms with this simple and fragrant tonic.

Ingredients: 1 teaspoon dried turmeric powder, 1 ½ cups hot water, ½ teaspoon cardamom seeds, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, 1 tablespoon goji berries, 1 tablespoons coconut oil, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons hemp seeds, black pepper, and cayenne

Preparation: Combine all the ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Pour mixture through a sieve to strain it. Serve while warm.

Turmeric and Garlic Marinade

You can use this for a variety of meat recipes instead of your usual marinade.

Ingredients: 2 teaspoons ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 tablespoon macadamia nut oil, ½ up apple cider vinegar, and 4 minced garlic cloves

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and use as a marinade.

Turmeric Teeth Whitener

Why spend hundreds on teeth whiteners when you can use turmeric instead?

Instructions: First, wet your toothbrush then dip it in 1/8 teaspoon of turmeric powder. Brush your teeth then allow turmeric to sit for not more than 5 minutes. Rinse thoroughly then brush with your regular toothpaste.

Turmeric Broth

This is a calming treat for lazy rainy days at home.

Ingredients: 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 4 cups broth, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon cumin, and ½ teaspoon salt

Preparation: Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, the cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool slightly then puree in an immersion blender.

Want to start a new diet but you don’t have the motivation to do it? Why not start by choosing food that can help you fight off diseases?

Green Leafy Vegetables

These are loaded not only with fiber to help your digestion, but they also have antioxidants and various nutrients and vitamins. Adults who are busy must have at least three cups of dark green veggies every week; these include kale, collard greens, turnip greens, swiss chard, spinach, mustard greens, broccoli, rapini, romaine lettuce (both red and green leaf), cabbage, bok choy, arugula, and watercress.

Citrus Fruits

These are natural and tasty sources for vitamin C, plus they are also cheaper than most fruits as they come in different varieties. These include orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, tangerine, clementine, grapefruit, mandarin orange, bergamot orange, pomelo, kaffir lime, citron, bitter orange, and many more. You will never run out of choices in markets in Singapore.

Garlic, Ginger, and Turmeric

Luckily, you will find garlic in most types of dishes, so you’ll have no shortage of sulfur compounds that will help you boost your immune system. Ginger, like garlic, is also valued for its medicinal properties especially when it comes to inflammation and inflammatory diseases. Turmeric, too, is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and it’s sometimes even recommended to patients with rheumatoid arthritis as a relief.

Yogurt

You can alternate your citrus desserts with a cup of yogurt after meals. Plain yogurt in particular is rich with vitamin D which help your body absorb calcium for your bones and regulate your immune system.

Chicken and Turkey

Poultry is also good for you because they contain vitamin B-6 which help your body form red blood cells. You should also use chicken broth or stock in some of your recipes to get your daily intake of protein and vitamins. Who says no to a steaming cup of chicken soup on a lazy day?

Green and Black Tea

A cup of green tea daily can help you fight diseases because it contains antioxidants and amino acids. Just make sure to pick authentic green or black tea. Green tea specifically packs more antioxidants than black tea because it undergoes a different technique. You can also substitute them with ginger, ginseng or turmeric tea.

Mushrooms

Incorporate mushrooms in some of your dishes to get your dose of antiviral, anti-tumor, and antibacterial nutrients. There are a lot of edible mushrooms to choose from that you can mix with soup, pasta, and other savory recipes.

Dark Chocolate

Now you have an excuse to eat more chocolate because cocoa contains antioxidants to help fight off disease. However, you should probably stick to dark chocolate which has less sweeteners and other ingredients.

Whole Grains and Nuts

If you like bread, you should switch to healthier whole wheat bread that has anti-inflammatory properties and is more filling than white bread. Nuts are also healthy sources for fats, vitamin E, zinc, and antioxidants. Plus, you can create a variety of dishes with them.