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Turmeric, or Curcuma longa, is a flowering plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that requires temperatures between 20 and 30 °C and high annual rainfall to thrive. Wikipedia
Turmeric (/ˈtɜːrmərɪk, ˈtjuː-/),[2][3] or Curcuma longa (/ˈkɜːrkjʊmə ˈlɒŋɡə/),[4][5] is a flowering plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that requires temperatures between 20 and 30 °C (68 and 86 °F) and high annual rainfall to thrive. Plants are gathered each year for their rhizomes, some for propagation in the following season and some for consumption or dyeing.[6]
The rhizomes can be used fresh, but they are often boiled in water and dried, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow shelf-stable spice powder commonly used as a coloring and flavoring agent in many Asian cuisines, especially for curries (curry powder). Turmeric powder has a warm, bitter, black pepper-like flavor and earthy, mustard-like aroma.[7]
Although long used in Ayurvedic medicine, there is no high-quality clinical evidence that consuming turmeric or the principal turmeric constituent, curcumin, is effective for treating any disease.[8][9] Curcumin, a bright yellow chemical produced by the turmeric plant, is approved as a food additive by the World Health Organization, European Parliament, and United States Food and Drug Administration.[6] Turmeric supplements have been an increasing cause of herb-induced liver injury, leading to government regulation.
Macro Mondays "Remedy"
Life is a Rainbow - One year in colours
Orange - 43/52 weeks
Add turmeric to dishes -
Turmeric, the yellow spice common in Indian dishes, contains a chemical called curcumin that may help to reduce arthritis pain. The secret is its anti-inflammatory properties.
Because ginger contains chemicals that work similarly to some anti–inflammatory medications, the benefits of ginger for arthritis pain are not surprising. Get creative: grate fresh ginger into stir fries, steep ginger with tea, or bake healthy ginger muffins.
Thank you everyone for your visits, faves, and kind comments❤️
Curcumas are sometimes referred to as the `hidden ginger lily` primarily because of the lush, dense foliage that surrounds the blooms. The blooms come in a wide array of color and sizes and make for excellent cut flowers as they can last as long as two weeks. The most common variety is Curcuma Alismatifolia ‘Siam Tulip’ which is a wonderful pinky mauve that blooms all summer long.
Curcumas bloom spring, summer or fall depending on variety. This beautiful attractive dwarf species is a native of Thailand. It has long narrow pale green/blue stiff leaves and produces a pale purple/pink inflorescence on terminal spike, which can be used as cut flower. Curcumas are herbaceous perennials from Indochina, South East Asia, the Pacific Islands and northern Australia. They have broad, veined leaves, and small, brightly colored flowers which emerge from large bracts. The flowers range in color from white to pink, orange and shades of violet. The flower spikes last for several weeks. Curcumas die down in winter and re-emerge in spring, much like bulbs do.
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL
Made some new paints, Carbon from my willow with glycerin and Arabic gun (also nut and curcumin)
Tanks for the visit ,have a nice day
SmileOnSaturday theme this week: Sprinkles
Found these in the cupboard and photographed on a mirror in windowlight.
"Sugar spots, strands and flowers, these Dr. Oetker Ultimate Unicorn Sprinkles are ideal for insta-worthy bakes. With a fun and playful pastel colourscheme, these fun sprinkles are great for unicorn kids baking, or adding to Springtime bakes. Add to almost-set icing for the best results, and get creative with the kids.
Ready to eat: Great sprinkled on cupcakes and whole cakes. Apply to buttercream and icing just before it sets or onto ice cream just before serving. For a more dramatic result why not try covering the icing completely with sprinkles."
The ingredients dont make quite such good reading:
"Sugar, modified maize starch, vegetable fat (palm), starches, rice flour, glucose syrup, cocoa butter, colouring foods (concentrates from (spirulina, safflower, lemon, radish, sweet potato, beetroot juice)), colours (riboflavins, curcumin, carotenes, copper complexes of chlorophylls and chlorophyllins, brilliant blue FCF, anthocyanins), thickener (tragacanth), acidity regulator (citric acid), anti-caking agent (talc), flavouring."
& some music if you like
The Lightning Seeds - Sugar Coated Iceberg
In self made watercolors( curcumin ,black elder and a chinese ink bar) on a 3 moleskin underground gesso, Thanks for the visit have a nice Sunday
Body aches are often described to just “getting old.” However, pain relief is not just for older adults. Many young adults experience body aches as they have experienced some sort of injury or long term health conditions that cause them discomfort.
Lumen - Love Your Health turmeric curcumin supplement was scientifically formulated to combat inflammation and joint pain with proven and natural ingredients, including organic turmeric and BioPerine®, a patented black pepper extract for 2000% increased absorption.
This product contains pure turmeric curcumin and vegetable cellulose in the form of a veggie capsule, it's 100% vegan.
A doodle fantasy of a unknown insect (with a surreal touch)of my self made mix of watercolors, Curcumin, black elder and black Chinese ink and graphite of pencils and a light texture with the gesso.With a quotes of Buddha after reading a story . Thanks for the visit.
Newly published cell research performed by at the Zheijian Provincial People's Hospital in Zheijiang China indicates that the key compound in turmeric known as curcumin is capable of inducing programmed cell death in triple-negative breast cancer cells, the most feared and prognosis-poor type of breast cancer currently recognized. The information sheds light on how turmeric, a substance even recognized by Cancer.gov as a potential cancer fighter, could play an active role in the inhibition of breast cancer.
photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120202/PH46512LOGO
just for a little humor ~ an excerpt from a past comedy show called SOAP
textures are my own and the lovely and talented lenabem-anna
From my Grandfather's photos. Taken in the Middle East in 1959 - I often wonder if some of these children are still alive.
Suez Canal Crisis -
UNEF I - 1959
Eating Dates Produces Powerful Health Benefits
By Sayer Ji •
Originally posted on GreenMedInfo.com
Since biblical times, dates were believed to possess profound healing properties, but only now is science catching up to confirm our distant ancestors knew exactly what they were talking about.
If you go by the Nutrition Facts panel of an ordinary package of dates, they look more like sugar bombs than a healthy snack. Check this one out:
But are they really as nutritionally vapid as these label claims make them seem?
Not by a long shot.
When we apply the complementary lenses of modern scientific investigation and ancient wisdom, dates begin to look like both a holy- and a super-food of immense value.
Here’s a neat example.
From the Koran to Clinical Trials: Dates for Better Birthing
In the Koran, the central holy book of Islam, Allah instructs the Virgin Mary to consume dates when she gives birth to Jesus.[1] And so, not surprisingly, dates are commonly referred to within the Islamic tradition as beneficial to pregnant women. We might chalk this up as “pre-scientific” magical thinking without basis in medical fact, were it not for a remarkable human clinical study that confirmed their value in pregnancy…
Published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2011 and titled, “The effect of late pregnancy consumption of date fruit on labour and delivery“, researchers set out to investigate the effect of date fruit consumption on labor parameters and birth outcomes. Over the course of 11 months at Jordan University of Science and Technology, two groups of women were enrolled in a prospective study where 69 women consumed six date fruits per day for 4 weeks prior to their estimated date of delivery, versus 45 women who consumed none. These women were matched so there was no significant difference in gestational age, age and parity (the number of times a woman has brought a pregnancy to viable gestational age) between the two groups.
The results of the date intervention were reported as follows:
•Improved Cervical Dilation: “The women who consumed date fruit had significantly higher mean cervical dilatation upon admission compared with the non-date fruit consumers (3.52 cm vs 2.02 cm, p < 0.0005).”
•Less Damage to Membranes: “[The intervention group had] a significantly higher proportion of intact membranes (83% vs 60%, p = 0.007).”
•More Natural (Spontaneous) Labor: “Spontaneous labour occurred in 96% of those who consumed dates, compared with 79% women in the non-date fruit consumers (p = 0.024).”
•Less Drugs Required: “Use of prostin/oxytocin was significantly lower in women who consumed dates (28%), compared with the non-date fruit consumers (47%) (p = 0.036).”
•Shorter Labor: “The mean latent phase of the first stage of labour was shorter in women who consumed date fruit compared with the non-date fruit consumers (510 min vs 906 min, p = 0.044).”
The researchers concluded:
“It is concluded that the consumption of date fruit in the last 4 weeks before labour significantly reduced the need for induction and augmentation of labour, and produced a more favourable, but non-significant, delivery outcome. The results warrant a randomised controlled trial.”[2]
Thanks to research like this we can see how the mythological and scientific ways of understanding now converge and confirm one another. I believe that rather than contradict and/or negate one another, the mythos and logos are beginning to assume a far more productive complementary relationship as we move into a new era of understanding where the profane and sacred are perceived as intimately entwined in our direct experience. The field of nutrition, as you can see, is no exception.
Dates Contain Nourishing Information
Dates, of course, are in the palm tree family, and along with coconut and red palm, are some of the oldest cultivated plants known in the historical record; in fact, they are so old we don’t know where they first originated. They have provided life-sustaining nutrition in regions that are often sparse in edible resources, and are increasingly being researched as a powerful medicinal food that could reduce much suffering in malnourished and disease prone populations, especially in underdeveloped countries.
Even while scientific analysis of dates are beginning to reveal that they are actually densely packed with a wide range of minerals, vitamins, amino acids and fatty acids, it should be emphasized that they are not just sources of energy and material building blocks for our body. We must acknowledge that they are also sources of biologically valuable (perhaps indispensably so) information. We can not analytically decompose a food into the minerals, vitamins, and macronutrients (e.g. lipids, fats, and protein), that we believe are responsible for its nourishing and life-sustaining properties, without losing quite a lot in the process. Foods contain hundreds, if not thousands, of physiologically important biomolecules, together which modulate the expression of thousands of genes in our body, as well as affecting our microbiome. In fact, our microbiome works on the foods we ingest, and together produce an intermediary layer of biomolecules known as the metabolome, many of which may be indispensable to our health.
This is why when we say food is medicine, we are not simply using a metaphor. We now know that food is capable, on a molecular level, of positively modulating a wide range of biological pathways simultaneously, in a manner that drugs simply can not replicate. In fact, I believe food contains an immense, if not infinite, amount of information which our bodies draw from to realize optimal gene expression, especially in times of stress or imbalance. Looking at it granularly, I believe food contains discrete units or packets of gene-regulatory energy and information. This can be inferred by the way curcumin, for instance, which is only one of hundreds of biomolecules found in the spice turmeric, is capable of modulating over 2,000 genes simultaneously within a cancer cell line, with a positive end result. Both the specificity and broadness through which these food compounds are capable of correcting imbalances is simply astounding and speaks to an intelligence within certain plants of particular food and medicinal purpose that can not be exhaustively explained through terms and methods of the reductionistic sciences that still form the backbone of our understanding of conventional nutrition.
So if my theory holds true, and dates, which are a food type (namely, fruit) we co-evolved with for quite some time, are more than just a package of mainly simple carbohydrate (half fructose/half glucose) and mineral quantities of alphabetic vitamins and minerals, but also possess gene-regulatory energy and information, shouldn’t it perform a number of therapeutic effects? Indeed, the research now bears testimony to exactly this fact.
I took the liberty of doing a cursory meta-analysis of the extant research on dates available through the National Library of Medicine’s biomedical database MEDLINE, accessible of course through the google-like search engine pubmed.gov. And to my pleasant surprise the research on dates as a whole (including the fruit, pollen and seed extract) reveals approximately 19 specific beneficial modes of action, and a preventive and/or therapeutic role in about 40 different health conditions.
Consider for a moment that most of the blockbuster drugs on the marketplace only have one therapeutic mode of action and one condition they are approved to treat. Additionally, there are on average 75 adverse health effects for each drug. The fact that it is classified and sold as a food and not a drug should not delude us into thinking it is not as powerful as a pharmaceutical. In fact, it should be clear that foods are actually far more powerful in affecting root cause resolution of health conditions by nourishing us deeply, nutritionally, and again, informationally (literally: to put form into).
To gain greater familiarity with the literature demonstrating the various therapeutic properties of dates, view our Date research page. You will notice that one of the potential therapeutic properties of dates are its beneficial properties in diabetes – which underscores our original point, that if you go by nutrition facts panels alone you are bound to miss out on a number of healthy foods include fruits like dates.
________________________________________
Notes
[1] The Holy Koran, Chapter 12 – verses 22-25, retrieved on Feb. 28 2015, “So she [Virgin Mary] conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. she cried (in her anguish): ‘Ah! would that I had died before this! would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!’ But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the (palm-tree): ‘Grieve not! for thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee; And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree; it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee.'”
[2] [Note: “non-significant” here means insignificant in statistics, which is often due to insufficient numbers of subjects enrolled to draw results with adequate statistical power]
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A culinary experiment: a vegan Sauce Hollandaise made of lupin yoghurt, soy lecithin, lemon juice, mustard, sugar, apple vinegar, Xanthan gum, salt, pepper and some curcumin for color.
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The tradition in the tribal villages in Orissa is to is to wash the little ones with Turmeric.
Turmeric is widely used as a food coloring and gives Indian curry its distinctive flavor and yellow color. It is also used in mustard and to color butter and cheese. Turmeric has been used in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory, to treat digestive and liver problems, skin diseases, and wounds.
Lessons in Turmeric
Most often it is the simple things in life that are taken for granted. I have been cooking with turmeric for years now tossing it into nearly every dish. Turmeric is used liberally in Indian cooking and forms the base of most curries.
"I have had vague notions about its antiseptic properties. I have watched fishing communities throughout the country dress fresh fish with salt and turmeric to preserve the meat in absence of refrigeration. Even families with access to refrigeration persist with this process."
And I have witnessed Tamil ladies apply turmeric paste to their faces to achieve not only a warm glow but to keep the skin cool and clear from blemishes. I have personally been privy to a turmeric ‘mud-pack’ and can confirm a resultant smoothness of the skin.
Turmeric is also known as ‘poor man’s saffron’ as it shares a similar hue and subtle flavour at a fraction of saffron’s cost.
Visiting a sustainable development project from one of our affiliates PREM (Peoples Rural Education Movement) I had the opportunity to learn more about this extraordinary everyday spice.
Our visit took us to Kandhamal district where 50% of the population (some 300,000 people) are turmeric cultivators. The cultivation begins in the summer months of May and June and is harvested in December through to February. We joined in the harvest that would collectively reap no less than 9,000 tonnes and is worth more than 300 million.
Many of the turmeric cultivators here belong to indigenous communities who have practiced traditional farming techniques from time immemorial. This means no synthetic chemical fertilizers have ever touched the soil and ensures the plant is wholly organic.
The result is the finest turmeric in the world, not only because of its organic certification but because it has the highest concentrate of curcumin the active ingredient that produces therapeutic benefits. Curcumin is well known for its anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-amyloid and anti-inflammatory properties.
In the mid 1990’s the US patented turmeric raising global concerns of intellectual property rights and indigenous knowledge. The patent was eventually revoked in the face of indisputable evidence that turmeric has been used in India as early as 3000 B.C. The Harappan civilization is believed to be the earliest cultivators of turmeric and Sanskrit texts recount the numerous uses turmeric has found throughout the ages.
Indeed turmeric permeates everyday life in India and aided by some cultivators I have come up with some further examples of how this golden spice has become part of life throughout the subcontinent:
• Aid to digestion and immunity.
• Drunk with warm milk, turmeric stems coughs, cures colds and comforts throats.
• Turmeric powder heals open wounds, detoxifies the liver and balances cholesterol levels.
• Its decoction is a stubborn dye used to produce natural textiles.
• Some indigenous communities in Orissa paint their doorways with turmeric paste as an insecticide.
• The women of South India use turmeric to enhance complexion and make a depilatory cream.
• Turmeric forms the base of the vermilion used to mark married Hindu women and throughout temples in India.
Needless to say I will never take this humble spice for granted again!
Text by Claire Prest
grassroutesjourneys.blogspot.com/
Dhuruba_Bhumia_Villages_Gupteshwar_India
© Ingetje Tadros
just watching, and waiting,
outside my sequestered door. As the oldest in the house... for whom the bell tolls... I prefer the plaintive coos of the nesting owls in the neighboring tree.
Once I accepted the inevitability of exposure, I focused on resistance: boosting my immune system and antivirals. I’ll share what I take daily, and if anyone is aware of any reason to *not* take these in the context of coronavirus, please let me know and I’ll update. I have not had a sick day for decades, and perhaps this helped, but remember that my personal journey is not prescriptive and that none of these have been properly studied to reach any conclusions on efficacy, yet:
1) Vitamin D (+ K2 for better absorption): “Studies have indicated that there is a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency worldwide. Vitamin D deficiency may affect the immune system as vitamin D plays an immunomodulation role, enhancing innate immunity by up-regulating the expression and secretion of antimicrobial peptides, which boosts mucosal defenses. Furthermore, recent meta-analyses have reported a protective effect of vitamin D supplementation on respiratory tract infections” — WHO and an apparently biased site, but some links: Vitamin D Wiki
2) Magical mushroom powder of Shitake + Maitake: “We found significant stimulation of defense reaction. In all cases, the most active was the Maitake-Shiitake combination” — NIH
3) Coconut oil: “Several in vitro, animal, and human studies support the potential of coconut oil, lauric acid and its derivatives as effective and safe agents against a virus like nCoV-2019. Mechanistic studies on other viruses show that at least three mechanisms may be operating. Given the safety and broad availability of virgin coconut oil (VCO), we recommend that VCO be considered as a general prophylactic against viral and microbial infection.” — Ateneo University
4) Zinc, short term use: “In this study we demonstrate that the combination of Zn(2+) and PT at low concentrations (2 µM Zn(2+) and 2 µM PT) inhibits the replication of SARS-coronavirus (SARS-CoV)” — Researchgate And some warnings about prolonged use: Oregon State
5) Oregano oil capsules: “Mexican oregano oil and its main component, carvacrol, are able to inhibit different human and animal viruses in vitro.” — NIH
And then found to be helpful with other viruses, like norovirus and herpes: “This study provides novel findings on the antiviral properties of oregano oil” — sfamjournals
6) Vitamin C: “2019-nCoV infected pneumonia, namely severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) has caused global concern and emergency. We hypothesize that Vitamin C infusion can help improve the prognosis of patients with SARI. Therefore, it is necessary to study the clinical efficacy” — Clinicaltrials
These are all inexpensive on Amazon, but if you want an even stronger placebo effect, find the most expensive version, as that is proven to work better :) ScienceDaily
7) Update: I have added Quercetin. Its impact on Covid-19 has not yet been properly researched, but the basic mechanism could be similar to Chloroquine, and is an over-the-counter supplement even if you don’t have symptoms. Best with Zinc. From molecular simulation studies: "Liu et al. (2020) successfully crystallised the COVID-19 main protease (Mpro), which is a potential drug target. Quercetin... and curcumin [among others] appeared to have the best potential to act as COVID-19 Mpro inhibitors."
8) I also take NMN + TMG and have been discussing possible downstream NAD+ / sirtuin effects on COVID-19 with David Sinclair of Harvard Medical School. As with all of these, nothing is proven; it's just a fascinating hypothesis. The observed age effect on mortality is stark — the younger a person is, across the spectrum, the lower the death rate and hospitalization rate. Looking to NAD+ depletion as we age, and exacerbated by inflammation, perhaps it's ultimately an energy crisis and a loss of NAD + ATP that does us in.
Snips from his recent book Lifespan:
“NAD boosts the activity of all seven sirtuins. And because NAD is used by over 500 different enzymes, without any NAD, we’d be dead in 30 seconds. NAD acts as a fuel for sirtuins. NAD levels decrease with age throughout the body. Human studies with NAD boosters (NMN and NR) are ongoing. So far, there has been no toxicity, not even a hint of it.” (p.134)
Also: "Most antiviral drugs target specific viral proteins. Consequently, they often work for only one virus, and their efficacy can be compromised by the rapid evolution of resistant variants. There is a need for the identification of host proteins with broad-spectrum antiviral functions, which provide effective targets for therapeutic treatments that limit the evolution of viral resistance. Here, we report that sirtuins present such an opportunity for the development of broad-spectrum antiviral treatments, since our findings highlight these enzymes as ancient defense factors that protect against a variety of viral pathogens." — Researchgate
Sinclair added trimethylglycine (TMG) in a recent podcast. He also mentions not to take NMN or NR at night as they interfere with sleep.
H/T Nova Spivack for the corona-relevant links. He is maintaining a more complete list here.
“Ah, distinctly I remember
it was in the bleak December
And each separate dying ember
wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl
to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning—
little relevancy bore
For we cannot help agreeing
that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing
bird above his chamber door
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt,
and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking ‘Nevermore.’”
— Edgar Allan Poe
Fresh Turmeric (Curcuma longa) contains curcumin, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
(C)2011 PKG Photography, all rights reserved
Cumin Seeds (Zeera)
Cumin is the dried seed of the herb Cuminum cyminum, a member of the parsley family. The cumin plant grows to 30–50 cm (0.98–1.6 ft) tall and is harvested by hand. It is an herbaceous annual plant, with a slender branched stem 20–30 cm tall. The leaves are 5–10 cm long, pinnate or bipinnate, thread-like leaflets. The flowers are small, white or pink, and borne in umbels. The fruit is a lateral fusiform or ovoid achene 4–5 mm long, containing a single seed. Cumin seeds resemble caraway seeds, being oblong in shape, longitudinally ridged, and yellow-brown in color, like other members of the Umbelliferae family such as caraway, parsley and dill.
Turmeric (Haldi)
It is native to tropical South Asia and needs temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive.Plants are gathered annually for their rhizomes, and propagated from some of those rhizomes in the following season.
When not used fresh, the rhizomes are boiled for several hours and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a spice in curries and other South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine, for dyeing, and to impart color to mustard condiments. Its active ingredient is curcumin and it has a distinctly earthy, slightly bitter, slightly hot peppery flavor and a mustardy smell.
In medieval Europe, turmeric became known as Indian saffron, since it was widely used as an alternative to the far more expensive saffron spice.
Erode, a city in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is the world's largest producer and most important trading center of turmeric in Asia. For these reasons, Erode in history is also known as "Yellow City" or "Turmeric City".Sangli, a town in the southern part of the Indian western state of Maharashtra, is the second largest and most important trading center for turmeric in Asia. Turmeric is commonly called haridra or haldi in India.
Coriander seeds (Dhaniya)
In India they are called dhania. The word coriander in food preparation may refer solely to these seeds (as a spice), rather than to the plant itself. The seeds have a lemony citrus flavour when crushed, due to terpenes linalool and pinene. It is described as warm, nutty, spicy, and orange-flavored.
The variety vulgare or macrocarpum has a fruit diameter of 3–5 mm while var. microcarpum fruits have a diameter of 1.5–3 mm. Large fruited types are grown mainly by tropical and subtropical countries, e.g. Morocco, India and Australia and contain a low volatile oil content (0.1-0.4%). They are used extensively for grinding and blending purposes in the spice trade. Types with smaller fruit are produced in temperate regions and usually have a volatile oil content of around 0.4-1.8%, and are therefore highly valued as a raw material for the preparation of essential oil.
It is commonly found both as whole dried seeds and in ground form. Seeds can be roasted or heated on a dry pan briefly before grinding to enhance and alter the aroma. Ground coriander seed loses flavor quickly in storage and is best ground fresh.
Coriander seed is a spice in garam masala and Indian curries, which often employ the ground fruits in generous amounts together with cumin. It acts as a thickener. Roasted coriander seeds, called dhana dal, are eaten as a snack. It is the main ingredient of the two south Indian dishes: sambhar and rasam. Coriander seeds are boiled with water and drunk as indigenous medicine for colds.
Outside of Asia, coriander seed is used for pickling vegetables, and making sausages in Germany and South Africa . In Russia and Central Europe coriander seed is an occasional ingredient in rye bread as an alternative to caraway. Coriander seeds are used in European cuisine today, though they were more important in former centuries.
Coriander seeds are used in brewing certain styles of beer, particularly some Belgian wheat beers. The coriander seeds are used with orange peel to add a citrus character.
Using natrual colors to get yellow eggs (curcumin)m green eggs (chlorophyll) and red/purple eggs (carmine). I've used commercial dye. The ones I have made on my own were very pale in color.
You can read more about colored easter eggs on my blog My2Penn'orth
Using natrual colors to get yellow eggs (curcumin)m green eggs (chlorophyll) and red/purple eggs (carmine). I've used commercial dye. The ones I have made on my own were very pale in color.
You can read more about colored easter eggs on my blog My2Penn'orth
Various small items and a paper cutout supplied by my daughter are the subject of this first attempt at an anthotype. Created using paper coated with curcumin extracted into acetone from turmeric powder. Treated with borax solution after exposure to convert curcumin into rosocyanine.
E' possibile dimagrire mangiando?
Vuoi dimagrire? Chi non lo vorrebbe? Come prima cosa, se pensi che qui ci siano consigli miracolosi, ti dico subito che non li troverai. Quello che leggerai qui è una lista utilissima di consigli che ti aiuterà a dimagrire.
Quello che non troverai è la promessa che perderai peso senza sforzo, pianificazione e un po' di determinazione. Se perdere peso fosse facile saremmo tutti in splendida forma. Ma se vuoi dimagrire davvero, devi lottare per farcela, sia che tu intenda utilizzare dei dimagranti o no. Anche se gli integratori dimagranti possono rendere più facile il tuo percorso di dimagrimento, non esistono prodotti dimagranti naturali che eseguano magie su i tuoi kg di troppo.
Regola 1: non affamarti
Perchè dovresti volerlo fare? Ha funzionato a qualcuno? Hai già provato? Se ha funzionato, non c'è bisogno che ci provi dinuovo, la verità è che sei sempre diventato più grasso di quando avevi iniziato.
Ma non buttarti giù per questo, non è colpa tua. Il corpo si è evoluto in maniera intelligente, ed ecco perchè esiste un meccanismo che ti protegge dalla carenza di cibo.
Questo meccanismo evolutivo scatta quando il corpo non ottiene abbastanza nutrienti (meno di 1200 Kcal per le donne), per evitare di morire se la fase di carestia durasse molto. Il corpo rallenta la perdita di grasso e innesca la perdita di massa muscolare. Questi 2 punti da soli producono un cambio sfavorevole nella composizione corporea, e il corpo si svuota dei muscoli ma ha una percentuale elevata di massa grassa.
Tenerti affamato è stressante per il corpo. Lo stress aumenta il cortisolo e il cortisolo aumenta il grasso addominale. Dopotutto il corpo come fa a sapere che stai digiunando di proposito e che, volendo, sotto casa tua esistono ristoranti e supermercati?
Per quello che ne sa il tuo corpo questa mancanza di calorie potrebbe essere causata da una carestia, e dato che non sa quando sarà nuovamente disponibile il cibo mette al minimo tutti i processi meno importanti per risparmiare energia, e quindi rallenta il metabolismo. Risparmiare energia si traduce in meno calorie bruciate.
Le carenze nutrizionali a cui vai incontro non solo potrebbero portarti problemi di salute, ma anche rendere più difficile la tua perdita di peso.
Il risultato finale è che raggiungi un plateau col peso, e una volta che interrompi la tua dieta restrittiva riprendi tutti i Kg persi. Perchè? Perchè una volta che ricominci a mangiare normalmente il metabolismo è ancora rallentato. Questo significa che dopo la dieta hai bisogno di ancora meno calorie. Per perdere peso, massa grassa, è fondamentale non solo mantenere il tuo metabolismo, ma addirittura aumentarlo. Per ingannare questo meccanismo di protezione che ha il corpo, devi calcolare attentamente le calorie che ingerisci, fare esercizio fisico per aumentare il dispendio calorico e la massa muscolare.
Comunque, se queste parole vi sono entrate da un orecchio e uscite dall'altro, se proprio dovete, ci sono modi più o meno sbagliati di seguire una dieta da 1000 calorie (non andare mai sotto le 1000) vedi il prossimo punto.
Qualità non quantità. Nutrienti vs calorie.
Ci sono molti modi per consumare, come dicevamo, 1000 calorie. Oltre alle calorie, il tuo corpo necessita di nutrienti. Certamente le calorie sono importanti, ma è la mancanza di nutrienti che crea i problemi maggiori. Pur restando sulle 1000 calorie cerca almeno di introdurre i nutrienti di cui hai bisogno. Devi considerare attentamente quali cibi scegli, molto più del solito. Devi fare in modo che ogni caloria conti. Per esempio, c'è una differenza enorme fra prendere 1000 calorie da cibo da fast food o 1000 calorie da cibi ricchi di fibre e nutrienti. Se hai intenzione di diminuire così tanto le calorie devi fare un piano e seguirlo. Per perdere peso in fretta (e in maniera più sana) è importante che i cibi che mangi siano:
Ricchi di fibre: aumentano il senso di sazietà. Gli studi indicano che consumare più di 14 g di fibre al giorno è associato con una diminuzione del 10% di calorie e la perdita di 1 kg a settimana.
Ricchi di proteine: gli studi indicano che a parità di calorie le proteine danno un maggior senso di sazietà rispetto ai grassi e carboidrati. Mangiare abbastanza proteine ti aiuterà a controllare la fame. In altre parole, ti sentirai più sazio anche se assumi meno calorie. Inoltre le diete a basso contenuto proteico sono particolarmente rischiose. Per perdere peso in fretta focalizza la tua attenzione sull'albume d'uovo, petto di pollo, pesce, latticini magri e prodotti a base di soia.
Bassa densità energetica: il contenuto energetico del cibo, grammo per grammo, ha un grande impatto sulla perdita di peso. Il contenuto energetico si riferisce alle calorie contenute in un grammo di cibo. Generalmente, più è alto il contenuto di acqua in un cibo, meno calorie contiene. Pensa al sedano che ha un alto contenuto di acqua e poche calorie (10 Kcal) e confrontalo con le noccioline (circa 300 Kcal), che sono per la maggior parte composte da grassi.
Alta densità di nutrienti: una ragione importante per cui le persone falliscono nel tentativo di perdere peso è il contenuto di nutrienti nella dieta. La densità di nutrienti è troppo spesso sottostimata. Non devi pensare solo al contenuto di nutrienti di quello che stai mangiando, ma a quello che fa il tuo corpo. Se diminuisci l'apporto di calorie, senza garantire al tuo corpo i nutrienti adeguati, il tuo corpo attua dei meccanismi per assicurarsi di avere il suo fabbisogno nutrizionale facendo fallire i tuoi tentativi di dimagrire. La frutta e la verdura hanno un alto contenuto di nutrienti, così come la fibra, e dovrebbero diventare parte centrale della tua dieta per perdere peso in fretta.
Integratori: dovresti assumere un integratore multivitaminico e di sali minerali quando segui un piano alimentare con poche calorie.
Non è una questione di quantità di cibo, bensì di qualità per assicurarti di assumere in nutrienti adeguati. Puoi anche diminuire le calorie, ma devi assicurarti di avere gli apporti nutrizionali corretti. Una rapida perdita di peso non deve sacrificare la tua salute e il tuo aspetto. Diminuire l'assunzione di calorie in modo da bruciare le riserve di grassi non significa che devi privare il tuo corpo di vitamine e minerali. Le diete in cui si mangia un solo tipo di alimento causano effetti collaterali perchè ti privano dei nutrienti di cui il corpo ha bisogno per sopravvivere.
Ridurre lentamente le calorie introdotte
Sì, sei desiderosa di farlo, ma se tagli le calorie all'osso, cosa farai quando arriverai all'inevitabile plateau? Inizia lentamente e ogni volta che la perdita di peso diminuisce potrai tagliare le calorie un po' di più, o ancor meglio, aumentare il tuo fabbisogno calorico facendo esercizio fisico.
In ogni caso: non mangiare troppo
Distingui tra fame, ghiottoneria e noia. Mangia solo quando hai fame.
Colazione da campione
Sei continuamente a correggere e aggiustare quello che fai per perdere peso. Perchè? Perchè il tuo corpo si adatta di volta in volta per cercare di bruciare meno calorie possibile (come strategia di sopravvivenza) ed evitare la perdita di peso. Il tuo obiettivo è non dar tempo al tuo corpo di accorgersi di quello che sta succedendo. In questo modo il tuo corpo continuerà a bruciare il massimo di calorie e continuerai a perdere peso. In sostanza, evita che il tuo corpo si accorga di quello che sta sccedendo, altrimenti la tua perdita di peso si arresterà. Devi cambiare periodicamente il tuo piano di allenamento e la tua dieta.
Minimizza la perdita di massa muscolare
Quando perdi peso-non importa quanto tu sia brava- non sarà mai 100% grasso, una parte sarà senz'altro muscolo. Ma ecco cosa puoi fare per minimizzare la perdita di massa muscolare. Questo si traduce nell'introdurre l'allenamento con pesi in palestra. Infatti con un buon programma in sala pesi puoi aumentare la massa muscolare. In questo modo prendi due piccioni con una fava: bruci calorie e aumenti la massa muscolare, dando forma e definizione al tuo corpo. Questo ti darà un'ottima salute e un aspetto molto migliore di chi ha ridotto bruscamente le calorie e ora è stanco, irritabile, soffre di insonnia, di debolezza muscolare e di carenze vitaminiche. In sostanza, ti accorgi di seguire un corretto piano alimentare quando ti senti in splendida forma, pieno di energie e di voglia di fare. La tua forza aumenterà, vedrai un miglioramento nei tuoi allenamenti, ti sentirai più forte, la tua pelle risplenderà e, grazie alla perdita di peso, la tua respirazione notturna migliorerà. E la lista dei benefici sarebbe ancora lunga... Questo è l'unico modo per raggiungere una perdita di peso sana e duratura, devi cambiare il tuo stile di vita,non fare una dieta di 2 settimane.
Dimagrire mangiando
Come dimagrire: mangia questi cibi
Bevi acqua e dimenticati di tutto il resto
Se vuoi perdere peso, a parte tè caffè e tisane, elimina tutte le altre bevande. Bibite gassate e succhi di frutta hanno un contenuto di zuccheri estremamente elevato, sono pieni di calorie e non ti riempiono. In altre parole, hai ingerito calorie e non te ne sei nemmeno accorto. Puoi fare dei centrifugati con le verdure, ma la frutta devi cercare di masticarla, non frullarla. In merito alle bibite light, sì, hanno poche calorie, ma conosci tutti gli ingredienti contenuti in una lattina? Anche se potrebbe non essere dannosa per il tuo girovita, chi ti dice che non lo sia per la tua salute?
Opta per cibi poveri di grassi
Sostituisci il latte e lo yogurt interi con quelli magri, e consuma solo formaggi magri. I grassi hanno molte calorie, considera che ogni grammo di grasso che ingerisci contiene 9 calorie, contro le 4 di carboidrati e proteine. Per quanto riguarda il gusto, dopo qualche volta che hai bevuto il latte magro ti sarai dimenticato del sapore di quello intero, ma apprezzerai la differenza del tuo girovita.
Cambia il tipo di formaggio
Sostituisci il formaggio fatto con latte vaccino con quello di capra. Le calorie dei formaggi sono molto variabili, e i formaggi di capra contengono il 40% in meno di calorie rispetto ai formaggi di mucca.
Modifica leggermente i tuoi cibi preferiti
Trova un'alternativa sana, con poche calorie, del tuo piatto preferito. Sì, il sapore sarà un po' diverso, ma vuol dire che se non ti piace tantissimo non dovrai finirlo tutto. Vedrai come è facile perdere peso tagliando calorie.
Se non riesci a pronunciare (o non capisci) cosa è scritto nella lista degli ingredienti, non lo mangiare
Scegli cibi naturali. Inizia con l'eliminare il fast food, i cibi pronti, e cibi con ingredienti che non si trovano in natura. In pratica, torna alle origini, non solo taglierai le calorie, ma risparmierai sulla spesa. Invece di una barretta di cioccolata, fai il tuo mix prendendo qualche mandorla e poca uvetta.
Mangia più proteine
Le proteine riempiono molto, ma sono relativamente povere di calorie. In questo modo riesci a tagliare le calorie senza patire la fame.
Cucina delle omelette con gli albumi per colazione
Gli albumi hanno molte proteine, ma pochi grassi e calorie. Ti sentirai più pieno rispetto a una colazione con lo stesso numero di calorie.
Non riempirti
Durante i pasti non aspettare di sentirti pieno, mangia solo per far passare la fame. Le due cose sono diverse. Il tuo stomaco è relativamente piccolo -circa le dimensioni di un pugno- questo significa che non devi mangiare molto per sentirti sazio in modo confortevole. E soprattutto il tuo corpo riesce a digerire una limitata quantità di cibo per volta. Inoltre se mangi troppo ogni volta, il tuo stomaco si dilaterà e dovrai mangiare sempre di più per sentirti sazio. Se ti senti stanco, letargico, gonfio, stai probabilmente mangiando in un momento sbagliato o stai consumando troppo cibo. Imponiti di non consumare più di 600 Kcal per pasto per massimizzare il consumo dei grassi.
Mangia solo da un piatto
Mangia solo da un piatto e siediti a tavola, non mangiare in piedi o mentre cammini.
No all'alcol
Sì, ti vuoi divertire, ma è necessario bere alcol? Se la risposta è sì, forse dovresti smettere di bere per un po'. In ogni caso, un Mojito equivale a 160Kcal, ed è un cocktail leggero! Il numero di calorie aumenta velocemente, e in una sera puoi vanificare gli sforzi di una settimana in palestra. In più l'alcol aumenta i livelli di cortisolo e il cortisolo incrementa il grasso addominale e può rallentare il metabolismo fino al 70%. Ne vale la pena? Io credo di no. Se vuoi davvero perdere peso, taglia l'alcol completamente.
Segui lo stile mediterraneo
Mangia cibi ricchi di acidi grassi monoinsaturi (MUFA), come olio di oliva e noci, non solo aiutano a perdere peso, ma anche a eliminare il grasso addominale.
Non versare l'olio ma spruzzalo
Considerando che un cucchiaio di olio contiene 120 calorie, invece di versare l'olio dalla bottiglia spruzzalo! Ogni spray contiene solo 1 caloria e riuscirai a distribuire il condimento in modo più omogeneo e non concentrato su una sola pietanza. Questo piccolo cambiamento fatto solo una volta al giorno ti porta a risparmiare più di 40000 calorie all'anno, o una perdita di peso di circa 6 Kg.
Prendi integratori di omega 3
Questi integratori ti possono aiutare a perdere peso ed hanno molti altri effetti benefici sulla salute.
I ricercatori suggeriscono che abbiano effetti anti-cancerogeni, (soprattutto per il tumore al seno, colon e prostata), che diminuiscano il rischio di depressione e suicidio e che abbiano un effetto neuro-protettivo contro l'Alzheimer e il Parkinson. Inoltre molti studi hanno dimostrato che l'olio di pesce è in grado di ridurre i crampi mestruali.
Integra la dieta con la vitamina D
Ci sono evidenze che la vitamina D possa aiutare nella perdita di peso. Uno studio del 2010 pubblicato sull' "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition", suggerisce che aumentare i livelli di vitamina D (e l'apporto di calcio) può aumentare la perdita di peso quando si segue un regime dietetico ipocalorico. Uno studio del 2007 su "Archives of Internal Medicine" ha trovato che l'assunzione di vitamina D può prevenire l'accumulo adiposo che si verifica nelle donne di mezza età. Inoltre, un'integrazione di vitamina D in inverno, ci può salvare dal consueto aumento di peso tipico della stagione.
Assumi integratori di Vitamina C
Un deficit di vitamina C può interferire con la perdita di peso. Uno studio dell'"Arizona State University" ha trovato che chi consuma sufficienti quantità di vitamina C brucia il 30% di grassi in più durante l'esercizio moderato rispetto a chi ne consuma modeste quantità. Inoltre, livelli di vitamina C insufficienti sono associati con aumentato grasso corporeo e maggiore circonferenza addominale.
Caffeina
Bevi caffè o ancora meglio- il tè verde ricco di antiossidanti. I ricercatori dimostrano che bere 5 tazze di tè verde aumenta il metabolismo fino al 20% in più, aiutandoti a bruciare grassi e dimagrire. Se invece preferisci il caffè, anche 2 tazze di questa bevanda ti aiuteranno ad aumentare il metabolismo. Inoltre, alcune evidenze suggeriscono che il consumo di caffè giornaliero protegga contro la malattia di Alzheimer.
Non ti torturare
Non tenere snack e dolcetti ipercalorici in casa, sennò avrai sempre il rischio di cadere in tentazione. Per prima cosa, combattere continuamente è stancante. Secondariamente, hai la possibilità di cedere. Terzo, ti sentiresti in colpa subito dopo e potresti abbandonare la dieta vanificando tutti gli sforzi fatti. Quindi, renditi semplice la perdita di peso, tieni il posto per qualche sfizio quando sei fuori con gli amici, o nel tuo locale preferito.
Utilizza la senape
Gli scienziati della Oxford Brookes University credono che semplicemente aggiungendo un cucchiaino di senape ai tuoi pasti possa ridurre la circonferenza addominale del 20%.
Aggiungi il rafano al tuo sandwich
Questo ingrediente, come dicono i ricercatori dell'Università di Copenhagen, aiuta a bruciare i grassi e ridurre il senso di fame.
Aggiungi la scorza di limone ai tuoi pasti
In accordo con uno studio pubblicato sul "Journal of Nutrition", la scorza di limone può prevenire la voglia di mangiare, perchè una volta nello stomaco la pectina fibrosa si trasforma in un gel appiccicoso che rallenta l'assorbimento degli zuccheri. E diminuire la fame significa perdere peso più facilmente.
Spezia i tuoi cibi con la curcuma
L'ingrediente attivo della curcuma è la curcumina, che secondo il "Journal of Nutrition", aumenta il consumo dei grassi. I ricercatori della Columbia University credono che consumare circa 1 cucchiaio di curcuma al giorno possa aiutarti a raggiungere una significativa perdita di peso, anche se non segui una dieta.
Aumenta la termogenesi con il peperoncino
I ricercatori suggeriscono che consumare una piccola quantità di peperoncino piccante mezzora prima dei pasti diminuisce il senso di fame e aumenta il dispendio calorico del 10%, aiutando il dimagrimento.
Prova i funghi
Uno studio dimostra che le persone che mangiano un antipasto a base di funghi si sentono soddisfatte come se avessero mangiato la carne, ma assumono molti meno grassi e calorie.
Uova per colazione
I ricercatori dimostrano che le persone che mangiano uova a colazione si sentono piene più a lungo. Uno studio pubblicato su "International Journal of Obesity " ha dimostrato che le persone a dieta che mangiano uova a colazione perdono due volte più peso di quelle che mangiano bagels con le stesse calorie. Quello che vale per la colazione vale anche per gli altri pasti, dato che le uova sono ricche di proteine che saziano a lungo.
Avena prima dell'esercizio fisico per bruciare più grassi
Una ricerca pubblicata sul "Journal of Nutrition" suggerisce che consumare un pasto a base di carboidrati a "lento rilascio" (es. avena, muesli o cereali integrali) prima dell'esercizio fisico ti aiuta a bruciare più grassi. Lo studio ha mostrato che le calorie bruciate durante l'esercizio erano quasi il doppio di quelle bruciate dopo un pasto a base di carboidrati semplici (es. cornflakes, pane bianco, marmellata). Come dice il nome "a lento rilascio", questo tipo di carboidrati è digerito più lentamente, in modo che non si creino picchi glicemici e non si innalzi troppo il livello di insulina. Dal momento che l'insulina è l'ormone per l'accumulo di grasso, livelli più bassi di insulina ti possono aiutare a perdere peso.
Mastica attentamente ogni boccone
In uno studio pubblicato sull' "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" si chiese ai partecipanti di masticare una porzione di mandorle 10, 25 o 40 volte. I partecipanti che si sono sentiti pieni più a lungo sono stati quelli che hanno masticato di più.
Sostituisci le farine raffinate con quelle integrali
Uno studio su "Journal of Nutrition" ha trovato che questo semplice cambiamento può aiutare a ridurre il grasso corporeo e aiutarti a ridurre il grasso addominale. I ricercatori hanno scoperto che gli adulti che consumavano almeno 3 porzioni di cereali integrali al giorno avevano meno grasso corporeo e meno grasso viscerale delle persone che mangiavano meno di 1/4 di questa quantità. Le farine integrali aiutano a perdere peso perchè promuovono il senso di sazietà; le fibre che contengono ti aiutano a sentirti più sazio anche se hai introdotto meno calorie. Il frumento integrale rallenta digestione e assorbimento, portando a più bassi livelli di glucosio nel sangue e insulina, in favore del consumo dei grassi anzichè dello stoccaggio. Poniti l'obiettivo di mangiare almeno 3 porzioni al giorno di cereali integrali.
Non bandire i dolci
Semplicemente sostituisci i dolci ipercalorici con le loro versioni più leggere e nutrienti. Secondo uno studio pubblicato su "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences", proibirsi completamente i cibi zuccherati può portare a mangiare di più. Si pensa che eliminare completamente i cibi dolci stimoli il rilascio di un ormone e neurotrasmettitore chiamato fattore-rilasciante le corticotropine (CRF), che è collegato con alti livelli di stress e può far diminuire la tua motivazione a mangiare in modo più sano, aumentando la voglia di cedere al cibo spazzatura.
Inizia il pasto con una minestra
Secondo uno studio pubblicato su "Journal Appetite", le persone che iniziano il loro pasto con una minestra vegetale consumano il 20% di calorie in meno durante il resto del pasto.
Ogni allenamento è meglio di niente! www.b2s.pm/NH51Rj
Ingrédients :
Sucre, sirop de glucose, eau, gélatine, acide citrique, arômes naturels (vanille et banane), colorants (curcumine et curaçao)
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Ingredients:
Sugar, glucose syrup from wheat, water, gelatine, citric acid, natural flavourings (banana and vanilla), natural colours (curcumin and curaçao)
Voir sur fond noir / View On Black
Explore Oct 13, 2009 #297
Neurosurgeon Keith Black at Google's Solve for X:
“We are facing a healthcare tsunami because of cognitive decline. A child born in the U.S. today has a 1 in 3 chance of living to 100. But without a cure, Alzheimer’s alone will bankrupt the healthcare system.”
“Alzheimer’s silently starts developing 20 years before the diagnosis. We wait for symptoms, and by then 50% of the brain cells are lost. But the Beta Amyloid protein develops in the brain 20 years before we become symptomatic. How can we detect that? PET scans are low resolution, expensive and radioactive. Spinal taps to get CNS fluid are invasive and unlikely to be a standard screen. What about the retina? It’s an extension of the brain embryonically. “
“Turmeric is an Indian spice rich in the protein curcumin. Curcumin binds to the toxic beta amyloid AB42 protein, and it is brightly fluorescent.”
And it works! He showed cadaver, then animal, then human trials.
“We should give this 20 minute non-invasive test to everyone over 50. Imagine you did not treat diabetes until you had kidney failure. It would be too late. We could start treatments earlier, and study the progression in clinical trials. Perhaps the GRAS (Generally Accepted as Safe) practices could make a difference if started earlier: turmeric, green tea, coffee, physical and mental exercises. Turmeric may be good as a therapy as well as a diagnostic. There is an lower incidence of Alzheimer’s in India, and so it warrants some study. If we can just slow the progression enough, perhaps the aging population could miss the clinical phase of the disease altogether.”
unterwegs in der Oberstadt von Neunkirchen
- Langenstrichstraße / Cennet Markt
> Warenpräsentation / Kurkuma
Vosges (Chicago) truffles with amaretto, angelica, caraway, ceylon cinnamon, chamomile, chestnut, curcumin, damiana liquor, guajillo chili, mugo pine, nutmeg, olive oil, orange, pea tendrils, reishi mushroom, rose, rum, yuzu, ylang ylang flower, etc.
Spices That Cure
Asian food, generically, is perceived to be spicier than its western counterpart. Though this was true for a long time, the reason does not happen to be taste or color alone.
In the tropical climates, the presence of various types of bacteria and other micro-organisms makes it necessary to set up a food system that, while nourishing the body, takes care of its defense system too. Cooking methods play an important role and so do condiments and spices. There are various spices that are used across Asia, indeed, in other tropical countries too.
In Indian food, the basic spices that one can find in every main course, across the length and breadth of the country are turmeric and cumin seeds. The influence of Central Asian invasions is seen in the foods but by and large turmeric based (or at least using) cuisine is pan Indian.
Turmeric is one of the strongest Antiseptics known to man. Its healing properties are beyond belief. In India, it is used in cooking without even a second thought to its medicinal properties.
Turmeric is a rhizome of the biological family Zingiberaceae. In fact its close relation to the ginger family is reflected in its Chinese name – jianghuang, which literally means ‘yellow ginger’.
Though it is a produce of South East Asia, it traveled to China before the seventh century and also spread across Polynesian islands as far as Hawaii and even Easter islands. It has been mentioned in the Vedas, carries a Sanskrit name and was commonly used as a medicine in ancient India and China.
It s brilliant golden yellow color is because of the presence of the curcumin chemical that also makes it a brilliant and active dye. It is aromatic and is considered to be a stimulant for body systems. Apart from having excellent antiseptic and antibacterial properties, it has been, since time immemorial, considered good for strengthening the stomach and as a blood purifier.
Traditionally, it has been considered good as an expectorant for children’s irritating cough, dissolved in milk. Grandmas across Asia recommend a glassful of milk with two teaspoonfuls of turmeric to asthmatic and bronchitic children. It is said to have the ability to clear phlegm and reduce spasms of asthma also. Turmeric powder combined with caraway seeds or bishop’s weed is considered an effective cure for colds in children.
For people suffering from skin disorders like spots, acne, dryness or discoloration of any kind, turmeric is a God-send. A paste of turmeric, fresh cream and sandalwood powder makes for an excellent rejuvenating cream, especially for dry, discolored or ageing skin. The turmeric gives a glow to the skin, while cream keeps it soft. In fact this was one of the best kept secrets of ancient Indian cosmetic knowledge, and royal ladies as well as commoners have been using it for centuries. Even today, in India, turmeric is considered an essential part of a rejuvenating face mask, that needs nothing but natural ingredients, usually off the kitchen shelf.
In aid of beauty, turmeric also helps remove adipose tissue and cuts through cellulite from the body. In fact, mixed with honey in equal proportions and taken twice a week works wonders for reducing body weight, by cleansing the toxins and water retention, making the body look slimmer and toned.
When mixed with buttermilk or diluted yoghurt, it is an excellent cure for stomach disorders and when made into a paste, it rejuvenates the liver. For expelling intestinal worms, turmeric juice (of raw rhizomes), taken daily, is very effective.
The list of its uses is endless, it would seem. But today, its best and most recognized use is as an essential part of curry powders, and is responsible for their strong colors. Usually, curry powder contains 24% of ginger by weight. It also forms an intrinsic part of Indian preservative foods like pickles and wafers. Indeed, it is hard to imagine an Indian dish without turmeric.
Ayurveda, the oldest documented science of food systems as diagnostic and thereuptic, specifies turmeric as a cooling spice, essential for a pitta diet ----people with pitta diet are said to develop a good amount of determination, energy and determination. Ancients consider this to be a good state to be in. It has been prescribed as an essential part of food to cure flatulence and remove toxins from the blood.
Turmeric , most associated with hot, pungent, dark colored curries, is more of a medicine than a taste enhancer, and we need to learn this from the forefathers of medicinal sciences in Asia, particularly India and China.
By Kanika Goswami
Published: 2/18/2004
www.buzzle.com/editorials/2-17-2004-50655.asp
The little cumin was born in Western Asia, a couple of thousand years ago. It belongs to the corriander family.It has found mention in Biblical works, Isaiah xxvii. 25 and 27, and Matthew xxiii. 23, and in the works of Hippocrates and Dioscorides. It finds mention in the list of medicinal plants that were in use in Egypt in 1550 BC. The ancient Egyptians used it both to flavor their meats and to mummify their dead. Pliny has also mentioned the qualities of the cumin in his writings and he has called it the best of condiments. So we can gather it was cultivated not only in West Asia but also the Eastern and Southern European areas, specially the warm temperate climate zones. Today it is cultivated across India, Iran, Indonesia, China and the South Mediterranean. Cumin is frequently used in Mexican dishes such as chili con carne and hot tamales.
The word Cumin in English is derived from the Latin cuminum, which itself was dervived from Greek kyminon. An interesting fact is that in most Morthen European cusiines, cumin is not given any place at alone, let alone a place of homour thought it addas life to the flavour of meats and even vegetables. It was long considered some form of twisted relative of the caraway seed and this can be traced to the different names it has got in different languages. Countries that use caraway consider it a foreign form of cumin and the countries that prefer cumin call a foreign form of caraway. In every cuisine, thus, it is a foreigner, mostly considered to be of exotic origins, and this name is affixed to it in most languages-- Roman caraway, Eastern caraway, Egyptian caraway, and Turkish caraway to name a few. It is not a very regular part of Italian cuisien yet the rest of Europe insists it is Roman caraway. In fact Charlemange was responsible for making it known in Northen Europe, whatever little, because of his herb edicts..so in these areas cuimin is viewed as an Italian (Or Mediterranean )type of caraway seed. Talk of mistaken idnetities!!!.
But in medevial Erope, a lot of myths were attached to the cumin seed, the most important being that it would stop cattle from wondering away…and by some stretch of imagination, prevent a spouse from wandering too. This was the reason why Germans carried dill, cumin and salt in there pockets during wedding ceremonies. Among ancients Greeks, the cumin symbolized cupidity.
It was also used in native medicine in Southern European cultures, Indian as well as Chinese traditional medicine. However, it’s most common use today is as a flavoring in cuisine, an essential part of curry powder and it is now imported from Indian cities like Mumbai and Calcutta, Morocco, Sicily and even Malta (where it is called Hot Cumin because they call anise sweet cumin).
The seed itself is largely used in centenary medicine. The main composition is a mixture of cymol or cymene and cuminic aldehyde. The seed is useful as a stimulant, especially digestive stimulant and when eaten with curd, helps clear the system of accumulated waste materials. Its carminative qualities are traditionally considered superior to that of fennel or anise. However, it does not have a very agreeable taste, unlike fennel, so is now used mostly as a carminative in animal medicine.
In traditional Eastern medicine systems, cumin seeds are used extensively to stop morning sickness, jaundice, nausea, vomiting, colic. It can cure diarrhea and dysentery, in addition to being a calming food, to induce sleep. Scientists in Israel and India are also studying its anti-caricenogenic properties, it has been fund, in some cases, to block the growth of a cancerous chromosome by up to 83%.
In addition to all these, it is a powerful anti-bacterial and a cumin decoction protects against hookworm infections too.
An old wives tale is that cumin seeds mixed with milk and honey, taken once daily during pregnancy eases childbirth, helps in development of the baby and even increases lactation. In traditional medicine, it has also found great favor as a corrective for flatulence and indigestion. It is supposed to increase lactation and reduce nausea in pregnancy.
It enjoys wide culinary uses, In addition to being an inseparable part of the Indian curry masala, it is also used as a part of the marinade for meats in Eastern, Middle Eastern Mexican, Portuguese and Spanish cuisine. It finds a lot of use in stews, especially of lamb and chicken dishes. Since it has a very strong and sharp taste, it can be used to flavor steamed rice, toss aubergines, beans and cakes. In some things like Portuguese sausages it is an essential spice but in Central Europe it is mostly used to spice cheese. It is used as a pickling ingredient in cabbage and sauerkraut. In the Middle East it is used in fish dishes, grills and stews. Cumin together with caraway flavors Kummel, the famous German liquer.
By Kanika Goswami
Published: 5/13/2004
Winter warmth 🍲 Just when the tulips began to push the tips of their leaves up, we awakened to another 30cm of snow, it seems winter isn’t ready to let go quite yet, and so another pot of warming soup is on the stove. Doukhobor Borscht is a decadent, creamy affair of sweet braised cabbage, an abundance of shredded vegetables, a delicate vegetable broth, satisfying texture- the complete opposite of traditional Polish Barszcz I grew up on, the latter a clear, deep purple broth on a base of fermented beet Kvass. Both my girls always have seconds when this is on the table, dipping thick wedges of crusty homemade buttered sourdough into their bowls. Every meal is an opportunity for conscious nutrition, for feeding the microbiome, for incorporating essential minerals and anti inflammatory foods. Some staple additions to soups for us are 1) Some kind of wild foraged seaweed for minerals, cancer fighting compounds, and a myriad of other benefits. This is usually Kelp, today it was Sea grapes (from Feather Boa Kelp) and some purple Nori. 2) Crushed garlic left to rest for 10 minutes post crushing to activate the allicin compounds (if it is chopped & heated without rest, the potent health benefits are lost) 3) Turmeric grated fresh with fresh ground pepper (piperine enhances curcumin absorption in the body by up to 2000%, combining the spices magnifies the health benefits & makes them bioavailable for absorption) 4) adding every allium I have on hand (in this case there are onions, leeks, garlic and scallion) 5) Making all soups on a foundation of nourishing homemade bone broth, which I keep on hand in the freezer and use in lieu of water when cooking grains like rice as well. 6) Medicinal wild mushrooms that I have harvested & dried are also frequently added, a chunk of Chaga with bone broth, powdered Chicken of the Woods or Turkey Tail, all are easily incorporated into daily meals. These simple but conscious changes don’t contribute much to flavour (the taste doesn’t really change) but these seemingly simple swaps tremendously increase the nutritional value of each meal. #consciousnutrition #slowfood #wildharvest #eatyourmedicine #nourishingtraditions #nourish #earth
Another life goes along with our world
(added)
I like the paste of saffron or curcumin he put on his face too, though the color was melt together with his robe : D
Its a big stair to the temple and people were sitting there... There were another people sitting above him.. I couldnot find the angle that get rid of this... Anyway..its real life
Kathmandu Durbar
Nepal
(C)2011 PKG Photography, all rights reserved
Cumin Seeds (Zeera)
Cumin is the dried seed of the herb Cuminum cyminum, a member of the parsley family. The cumin plant grows to 30–50 cm (0.98–1.6 ft) tall and is harvested by hand. It is an herbaceous annual plant, with a slender branched stem 20–30 cm tall. The leaves are 5–10 cm long, pinnate or bipinnate, thread-like leaflets. The flowers are small, white or pink, and borne in umbels. The fruit is a lateral fusiform or ovoid achene 4–5 mm long, containing a single seed. Cumin seeds resemble caraway seeds, being oblong in shape, longitudinally ridged, and yellow-brown in color, like other members of the Umbelliferae family such as caraway, parsley and dill.
Turmeric (Haldi)
It is native to tropical South Asia and needs temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive.Plants are gathered annually for their rhizomes, and propagated from some of those rhizomes in the following season.
When not used fresh, the rhizomes are boiled for several hours and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a spice in curries and other South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine, for dyeing, and to impart color to mustard condiments. Its active ingredient is curcumin and it has a distinctly earthy, slightly bitter, slightly hot peppery flavor and a mustardy smell.
In medieval Europe, turmeric became known as Indian saffron, since it was widely used as an alternative to the far more expensive saffron spice.
Erode, a city in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is the world's largest producer and most important trading center of turmeric in Asia. For these reasons, Erode in history is also known as "Yellow City" or "Turmeric City".Sangli, a town in the southern part of the Indian western state of Maharashtra, is the second largest and most important trading center for turmeric in Asia. Turmeric is commonly called haridra or haldi in India.
Coriander seeds (Dhaniya)
In India they are called dhania. The word coriander in food preparation may refer solely to these seeds (as a spice), rather than to the plant itself. The seeds have a lemony citrus flavour when crushed, due to terpenes linalool and pinene. It is described as warm, nutty, spicy, and orange-flavored.
The variety vulgare or macrocarpum has a fruit diameter of 3–5 mm while var. microcarpum fruits have a diameter of 1.5–3 mm. Large fruited types are grown mainly by tropical and subtropical countries, e.g. Morocco, India and Australia and contain a low volatile oil content (0.1-0.4%). They are used extensively for grinding and blending purposes in the spice trade. Types with smaller fruit are produced in temperate regions and usually have a volatile oil content of around 0.4-1.8%, and are therefore highly valued as a raw material for the preparation of essential oil.
It is commonly found both as whole dried seeds and in ground form. Seeds can be roasted or heated on a dry pan briefly before grinding to enhance and alter the aroma. Ground coriander seed loses flavor quickly in storage and is best ground fresh.
Coriander seed is a spice in garam masala and Indian curries, which often employ the ground fruits in generous amounts together with cumin. It acts as a thickener. Roasted coriander seeds, called dhana dal, are eaten as a snack. It is the main ingredient of the two south Indian dishes: sambhar and rasam. Coriander seeds are boiled with water and drunk as indigenous medicine for colds.
Outside of Asia, coriander seed is used for pickling vegetables, and making sausages in Germany and South Africa . In Russia and Central Europe coriander seed is an occasional ingredient in rye bread as an alternative to caraway. Coriander seeds are used in European cuisine today, though they were more important in former centuries.
Coriander seeds are used in brewing certain styles of beer, particularly some Belgian wheat beers. The coriander seeds are used with orange peel to add a citrus character.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae which is native to tropical South Asia. It needs temperatures between 20 and 30 deg. C. and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive. Plants are gathered annually for their rhizomes, and re-seeded from some of those rhizomes in the following season.
It is also often misspelled (or pronounced) as tumeric. It is also known as kunyit (Indonesian and Malay) or haldi in some Asian countries.
Its rhizomes are boiled for several hours and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a spice in curries and other South Asian cuisine, for dyeing, and to impart color to mustard condiments. Its active ingredient is curcumin and it has an earthy, bitter, peppery flavor and has a mustardy smell.
Source : Wikipedia
© All rights reserved.
The Shaggy Inc Cap medicinal mushroom, Coprinus comatus (O.F.Mull.: Fr.) Pers.
(Agaricomycetideae) substances interfere with H2O2 induction of the NF-kappaB pathway through inhibition of Ikappaalpha phosphorylation in MCF7 breast cancer cells.
Abstract Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women. Currently, there is no effective therapy for malignant estrogen-independent breast cancer. In our study, we used hydrogen peroxide, a well-known strong oxidative reagent capable of activating the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) transcription factor. The IC50 value of the culinary-medicinal Shaggy Inc Cap mushroom Coprinus comatus culture liquid crude extract on MCF7 cell viability was found to be as low as 76 microg/mL, and the IC50 value of C. comatus ethyl acetate extract was only 32 microg/ mL. Our results also showed that both extracts significantly affected IkappaBalpha phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner. The effect of ethyl acetate extract was comparable to the effect of curcumin, a known NF-kappaB pathway inhibitor, and seemed to be the most active inhibitor of H2O2-dependent IkappaBalpha phosphorylation. In addition, the data obtained showed that only ethyl acetate extract inhibited the activity of IKK complex, at close to 90% as compared to the control of the untreated sample. These results suggest that C. comatus contains potent compounds capable of inhibiting NF-kappaB function and also possibly acts as an antitumor agent.
Curcumina naturale: integratore di curcuma
Curcumina ad alta biodisponibilità e coenzima Q10
Perchè utilizzare l' integratore di curcuma Brain Oil
Solo da noi : un integratore di curcumina ad alta disponibilità, (con brevetto depositato) grazie al burro di cacao e la piperina, integrato con coenziama Q10, Ashwagandha e Centella asiatica
Una cosa importante da controllare quando scegli un integratore a base di curcuma, è l'effettiva biodisponibilità della curcumina. Secondo uno studio l'ideale è assumere la curcuma in combinazione con un grasso (in Brain oil abbiamo usato il burro di cacao) e la piperina (costituente del pepe lungo e del pepe nero), quest'ultimo in rapporto 1:100 determina un aumento della biodisponibilità della curcumina di 20 volte. Questo effetto è attribuito alla capacità della piperina di inibire il metabolismo intestinale e la glucoronidazione epatica.
Il livello di protezione dipende dalla quantità di curcumina assunta giornalmente e dalla sua biodisponibilità. Per quanto riguarda la quantità, 4 capsule di Brainoil contengono ben 1.000 mg di curcuminoidi altamente biodisponibili. Come innanzi accennato, la biodisponibilità della curcumina viene ottenuta in parte con l'ausilio della piperina, su cui esiste una consolidata letteratura, ed in parte con una tecnologia produttiva esclusiva e con brevetto depositato, che consiste nell'unire a calore moderato la Curcumina e gli altri estratti di Brainoil al burro di cacao e granulare il composto così ottenuto. Tale granulato viene poi ripartito nelle capsule. Grazie a questo procedimento la curcumina si trova immersa in una matrice lipidica, rappresentata dal burro di cacao, che è solida dentro la capsula, ma torna liquida col calore del corpo umano. La curcumina ritrova così la sua ottimale stabilità ed è prontamente assorbita come nelle tradizionali formule ayurvediche in cui si usa il burro chiarificato (ghee), ottimo mezzo per l'assorbimento ma poco stabile e molto delicato.
Le benefiche proprietà della curcuma
La curcuma, la spezia che dà il colore giallo al curry, è la pianta più potente del pianeta nel combattere molte malattie. Ha talmente tante proprietà curative che sono stati pubblicati più di 6200 articoli che riguardano i benefici che apportano sia la curcuma che la curcumina, uno dei suoi componenti più rinomati.
Questo fa salire la curcuma in cima alla lista delle piante medicinali più menzionate di tutta la storia, accanto ad erbe molto popolari come aglio, cannella, ginseng, zenzero e cardo mariano.
Le scoperte più interessanti che sono state fatte grazie agli oltre 6000 studi che sono stati condotti, sono quelle che comparano i benefici della curcuma a quelli di farmaci usati comunemente.
Benefici della curcuma
Esaminando gli studi, i benefici della curcuma possono essere comparati a 10 categorie di farmaci:
Farmaci anti-infiammatori
Anti-depressivi
Chemioterapici
Anti-coagulanti
Antidolorifici
Anti-diabetici
Farmaci per l'artite
Farmaci contro la sindrome dell'intestino irritabile
Farmaci per abbassare il colesterolo
Steroidi
Neuroprotettivi
Ora andiamo più a fondo per capire come la curcuma possa essere un rimedio naturale a specifiche malattie.
Anche se la lista sarebbe molto più lunga, abbiamo selezionato 10 farmaci che possono essere confrontati con la curcuma, ma l'aspetto principale è che la curcuma non presenta effetti collaterali.
Azione Anti-coagulante
I medici generalmente prescrivono i farmaci anticoagulanti per rallentare e prevenire la formazione di coaguli di sangue, sfortunatamente per le persone con condizioni trattate con questi farmaci (es. trombosi venosa o embolia polmonare), questo approccio genera effetti collaterali come eccessivo sanguinamento ed emorragia si sommano ad altri come mal di testa e difficoltà respiratorie.
La curcuma al contrario non ha praticamente effetti collaterali, tranne nel caso in cui si assuma in grandissime quantità.
Grazie a svariati studi dalla metà degli anni '80 in poi , la curcumina è stata consigliata dai ricercatori come migliore opzione per le persone con trombosi.
Azione Anti-depressiva
Anche se sono stati condotti pochi studi sull'uomo, decine di ricerche su animali hanno dimostrato che la curcuma è molto efficace per migliorare i sintomi della depressione.
Riguardo a questo argomento, il "Journal Phytotherapy Research" ha pubblicato i risultati di uno studio innovativo. Allo studio hanno partecipato 60 volontari a cui è stata diagnosticata una depressione maggiore (MDD), come la depressione maniacale, ed hanno diviso il gruppo in 3 parti: i trattati con curcumina, con un noto antidepressivo (vedi bigliografia) e con una combinazione dei due.
Non solo è stato scoperto che per tutti i pazienti la curcumina era ben tollerata, ma che era efficace tanto quanto il farmaco antidepressivo nel trattare la depressione.
Secondo gli autori, "Lo studio fornisce la prima evidenza clinica che la curcumina può essere una terapia sicura ed efficace per il trattamento di pazienti con una leggera depressione. "
Azione Anti-infiammatoria
E' interessante sapere che l'aspetto più potente della curcumina è la sua capacità di controllare l'infiammazione.
La rivista medica Oncogene ha pubblicato i risultati di uno studio che ha valutato vari composti anti-infiammatori, e ha trovato che l'aspirina e l'ibuprofene sono meno efficaci, mentre la curcumina è fra i composti anti-infiammatori più potenti del mondo.
Questa notizia dovrebbe arrivare in tutte le case del mondo, perchè proprio l'infiammazione predispone le persone ad ammalarsi di varie patologie.
Malattie ad oggi molto diffuse come il cancro, la colite ulcerosa, l'artrite, il colesterolo alto e il dolore cronico possono essere il risultato dell'infiammazione.
Ricordatevi sempre che la curcuma, grazie alla sua attività anti-infiammatoria, è in grado di curare moltissime malattie che vi sono connesse.
Trattamento dell'artrite
Dal momento che la curcumina è conosciuta per i suoi effetti anti-infiammatorio e anti-dolorifico, è stato condotto uno studio su 45 pazienti affetti da artrite reumatoide per confrontare i benefici della curcumina a quelli di farmaci contro l'artrite, che mette a rischio di sviluppare permeabilità intestinale e malattie cardiache.
Nello studio i volontari sono stati divisi in 3 gruppi: quelli trattati solo con curcumina, quelli trattati solo con farmaci contro l'artrite e quelli trattati con una combinazione dei due. Il risultato dello studio è stato molto evidente:
Il gruppo trattato con curcumina ha mostrato la percentuale più alta di miglioramento su tutti i fronti rispetto al gruppo trattato con il farmaco contro l'artrite (vedi bibliografia). Cosa più importante, la curcumina è risultata sicura e non ha causato effetti avversi. Lo studio fornisce la prima evidenza di sicurezza e superiorità del trattamento con curcumina in pazienti con artrite reumatoide, e pone luce sulla necessità futura di condurre studi su larga scala per confermare questi risultati su molti altri pazienti.
I risultati di questo studio pubblicato su Phytotherapy Research nel 2012, incoraggiano a fare più studi sull'uomo per valutare il portentoso effetto della curcumina su persone che soffrono di diversi tipi di artrite.
Trattamento anti-tumorale
Di tutte le patologie che sono state trattate con curcumina, il cancro (di vari tipi), è una di quelle più studiate. Nel mondo, autorità come la Cancer Research UK, ha mostrato su cellule cancerose che la curcumina ha effetto anti-tumorale. Sembra in grado di uccidere le cellule tumorali e prevenirne la recidiva. L'effetto migliore lo esercita sui tumori al seno, all'intestino, allo stomaco e alla pelle.
In uno studio americano del 2007 i ricercatori hanno associato la chemioterapia all curcumina per trattare cellule prelevate da un tumore intestinale, ed hanno dimostrato che il trattamento combinato è più potente della sola chemioterapia. L' American Cancer Society lo conferma, studi di laboratorio hanno anche mostrato che la curcumina interferisce con lo sviluppo del cancro, crescita e diffusione. Recentemente, la curcumina ha ricevuto molta notorietà grazie alla sua capacità di ridurre la dimensione del tumore e uccidere cellule tumorali.
Trattamento del diabete
Per abbassare gli zuccheri nel sangue e curare l'insulino-resistenza non c'è trattamento migliore che introdurre la curcuma nella dieta.
Nel 2009 è stato condotto uno studio alla Auburn University che ha mostrato come assumere curcuma possa aiutare a curare il diabete.
Lo studio ha evidenziato che la curcumina è 400 volte più potente della metformina (un farmaco comunemente usato contro il diabete) nell'attivare l'AMPK che migliora la sensibilità all'insulina. In questo modo la curcuma può aiutare i pazienti che soffrono di diabete di tipo 2. Oltre a correggere le cause del diabete, è provato che la curcumina aiuta a migliorare molti aspetti correlati con l'insulino-resistenza e l'iperglicemia.
Prendete per esempio la neuropatia diabetica o la retinopatia. Una delle complicazioni più comuni del diabete è il danneggiamento dei vasi sanguigni che causa cecità.
Uno studio ha dimostrato che il trattamento con curcumina può posticipare questa terribile complicazione del diabete grazie alle sue proprietà antiinfiammatorie e antiossidanti.
Malattie gastrointestinali
Spesso, persone con problemi dell'apparato digerente come stomaco o intestino, diventano intolleranti a trattamenti farmacologici perchè la mucosa dello stomaco è già compromessa a causa dei numerosi interventi, e così la flora batterica intestinale.
Un'analisi approfondita di tutti gli studi che hanno valutato la capacità della curcumina di gestire l'infiammazione intestinale (IBS, malattia di Crohn e colite ulcerosa) ha trovato che molti pazienti potevano ridurre o sospendere i corticosteroidi che gli erano stati prescritti perchè la loro condizione era enormemente migliorata grazie alla curcumina!
Per molti pazienti con la sindrome dell'intestino irritabile (IBS) i corticosteroidi riducono i sintomi dolorosi, ma danneggiano il rivestimento intestinale e nel tempo peggiorano la situazione.
Comunque, l'assunzione di curcumina non ha questi effetti collaterali e, grazie ale sue proprietà anti-infiammatorie, aiuta l'intestino a guarire e supporta la crescita di una sana flora batterica intestinale (azione prebiotica).
Regolazione dei livelli di Colesterolo
Una delle ragioni per cui le malattie cardiovascolari sono un problema nel mondo occidentale, è che le persone sviluppano il pre-diabete (eccessivi zuccheri nel sangue) ad una velocità allarmante.
Sia nel caso di diabete che di pre-diabete, le persone soffrono di stress ossidativo, che danneggia l'interno dei vasi sanguigni. Proprio a causa di questo danno alle arterie il colesterolo si inizia ad attaccare alle aree danneggiate portando ad alti livelli di colesterolo LDL. I farmaci usati tradizionalmente come le statine, sono conosciute per danneggiare i reni e il fegato e causare molti effetti collaterali mortali.
Effettivamente abbassano il livello di colesterolo, ma non risolvono mai la causa dello stress ossidativo che è un alto livello di zuccheri e infiammazione. Fortunatamente, i medici stanno diventando sempre più consapevoli dei pericolosi effetti collaterali delle statine e prescrivono alternative naturali come curcumina e omega 3!
Uno studio condotto da Drugs in R & D ha trovato che la curcumina era ugualmente o più efficace che i farmaci per il diabete nel ridurre i livelli di stress ossidativo e infiammazione nel trattamento del colesterolo alto.
Studi come questi stanno facendo progettare alle case farmaceutiche una forma sintetica della curcumina, che sfortunamente, non funziona come quella naturale.
Anti-dolorifici
Una delle proprietà della curcumina più accettate universalmente è la capacità di controllare il dolore.
Negli ultimi anni l'European Journal of Pharmacology ha pubblicato uno studio che ha dimostrato che la curcumina attiva naturalmente il sistema oppioide in ratti diabetici. Questo processo naturale serve per lenire la risposta al dolore, ed è quello generalmente modulato dai farmaci.
L'uso della curcumina non è legato soltanto alla condizione di dolore legata al diabete, ma può essere usata in molte altre condizioni dolorose.
Prendete, per esempio, le gravi ustioni. Tipicamente, le vittime di ustioni sono trattate con pericolosi oppioidi e anti-infiammatori non steroidei. Lo U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research consiglia di usare la curcumina per trattare le bruciature anzichè le medicazioni convenzionali.
A questo punto inizia ad essere chiaro che l'uso della curcuma e suoi derivati inizia a spiazzare i trattamenti medici convenzionali anche come antidolorifico naturale.
10. Corticosteroidi
Come ultimo aspetto vediamo quali condizioni vengono normalmente trattate con i corticosteroidi:
Psoriasi
Lupus
Artrite reumatoide
Scleroderma
Dolore cronico
Nel 1999 è uscito uno studio in cui si dimostra che la curcumina ha la capacità di curare l'infiammazione cronica dell'occhio. Questa condizione è tipicamente trattata solo con steroidi, ma oggi è comune per i medici prescrivere curcumina al loro posto.
Anche se la funzione della curcumina è comparabile a quella degli steroidi, quello che non può essere paragonato è l'assenza di effetti collaterali.
Per darvi un'idea della quantità di sofferenza alleviata dalla curcumina, ecco un elenco di effetti collaterali dati dagli steroidi, presa dallo UK’s National Health Services (NHS):
Acne
Asma
Cancro
Cataratta
Ritardo nella guarigione delle ferite
Diabete
Glaucoma
Ipertensione (pressione alta)
Aumento dell'appetito (spesso associato con aumento di peso)
Indigestione
Insonnia
Problemi a reni e tiroide
Disturbi dell'umore (incluse aggressività, irritabilità, e repentini cambiamenti di umore)
Debolezza muscolare
Nausea
Rischio di contrarre infezioni
Rachitismo nei bambini
Tachicardia (rapido battito cardiaco)
Assottigliamento della pelle (che porta ad ecchimosi)
Come ultima cosa, quando considerate l'enorme quantità di complicazioni a cui ti sottopongono questi farmaci, è facile rendersi conto di come la curcumina sia superiore alla maggior parte delle medicine.
Se hai una delle malattie menzionate in questo articolo, parla con il tuo medico per sapere se puoi assumere la curcuma, e se non sei malato, assumere curcuma ti servirà come prevenzione.
Effetti collaterali della curcuma
Alcune persone hanno riportato reazioni allergiche alla curcuma, specialmente dopo l'esposizione al sole. Tipicamente si manifesta come un leggero rash cutaneo. Ad alte dosi di curcuma sono stati osservati i seguenti effetti collaterali:
Nausea
Diarrea
Aumentato rischio di sanguinamento
Aumento nel test di funzionalità epatica
Aumentate contrazioni della cistifellea
Ipotensione (pressione bassa)
Contrazioni uterine in donne in gravidanza
Aumentato flusso mestruale
Persone che assumono determinati farmaci devono stare attente quando mettono la curcuma nel cibo o assumono integratori naturali a base di curcuma. La curcuma può interferire con anti-coagulanti come l'aspirina, il clopidogrel e il warfarin. Può anche interagire con altri farmaci o integratori alimentari, quindi è sempre opportuno consultare il proprio medico prima di iniziare ad assumere la curcuma.
Se proprio non puoi fare a meno di assumere i farmaci, non scartare la possibilità di aggiungere la curcuma alla tua dieta, perchè ti aiuterà a controllare gli effetti collaterali delle medicine.
Uno studio pubblicato sul Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology descrive come combinare la curcuma a uno steroide (prednisolone), riduca efficacemente gli effetti collaterali di questo farmaco pericoloso.
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Sanmukhani J, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Curcumin in Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Phytother Res 2013; .
Sun J, et al. Preventive effects of curcumin and dexamethasone on lung transplantation-associated lung injury in rats. Crit Care Med 2008; 36(4): 1205-13.
Taylor RA, et al. Curcumin for inflammatory bowel disease: a review of human studies. Altern Med Rev 2011; 16(2): 152-6.
Teayoun K, et al. Curcumin activates AMPK and suppresses gluconeogenic gene expression in hepatoma cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2009; 388(2): 377-82.
Usharani P, et al. Effect of NCB-02, atorvastatin and placebo on endothelial function, oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, 8-week study. Drugs R D. 2008; 9(4): 243-50.
Yasunari Takada, et al. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents differ in their ability to suppress NF-kappaB activation, inhibition of expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and cyclin D1, and abrogation of tumor cell proliferation. Oncogene 2004; 23(57): 9247-58.
. . . in front we see Turmeric
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Turmeric (Curcuma longa) /ˈtɜːrmərɪk/ or /ˈtjuːmərɪk/ or /ˈtuːmərɪk/ is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native to southern Asia, requiring temperatures between 20 and 30 °C and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive. Plants are gathered annually for their rhizomes and propagated from some of those rhizomes in the following season.
When not used fresh, the rhizomes are boiled for about 30–45 minutes and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are ground into a deep-orange-yellow powder commonly used as a spice in Bangladeshi cuisine, Indian cuisine, Pakistani cuisine and curries, for dyeing, and to impart color to mustard condiments. One active ingredient is curcumin, which has a distinctly earthy, slightly bitter, slightly hot peppery flavor and a mustardy smell.
India, a significant producer of turmeric, has regional names based on language and state.
HISTORY AND ETYMOLOGY
Turmeric has been used in Asia for thousands of years and is a major part of Siddha medicine. It was first used as a dye, and then later for its medicinal properties.
The origin of the name is uncertain, possibly deriving from Middle English/early modern English as turmeryte or tarmaret. There was speculation that it may be of Latin origin, terra merita (merited earth).
The name of the genus, Curcuma, is from an Arabic name of both saffron and turmeric (see Crocus).
PRONUNCIATION
Turmeric is sometimes pronounced without the earlier "r". Many people pronounce it as (/juː/ ew or /uː/ oo rather than /ɜːr/ ur), as if it were spelled "tu-mer-ic".
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
APPEARANCE
Turmeric is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches up to 1 m tall. Highly branched, yellow to orange, cylindrical, aromatic rhizomes are found. The leaves are alternate and arranged in two rows. They are divided into leaf sheath, petiole, and leaf blade. From the leaf sheaths, a false stem is formed. The petiole is 50 to 115 cm long. The simple leaf blades are usually 76 to 115 cm long and rarely up to 230 cm. They have a width of 38 to 45 cm and are oblong to elliptic, narrowing at the tip.
INFLORESCENCE, FLOWER AND FRUIT
In China, the flowering time is usually in August. Terminally on the false stem is a 12 to 20 cm long inflorescence stem containing many flowers. The bracts are light green and ovate to oblong with a blunt upper end with a length of 3 to 5 cm.
At the top of the inflorescence, stem bracts are present on which no flowers occur; these are white to green and sometimes tinged reddish-purple and the upper ends are tapered.
The hermaphrodite flowers are zygomorphic and threefold. The three 0.8 to 1.2 cm long sepals are fused, white, have fluffy hairs and the three calyx teeth are unequal. The three bright-yellow petals are fused into a corolla tube up to 3 cm long. The three corolla lobes have a length of 1.0 to 1.5 cm, and are triangular with soft-spiny upper ends. While the average corolla lobe is larger than the two lateral, only the median stamen of the inner circle is fertile. The dust bag is spurred at its base. All other stamens are converted to staminodes. The outer staminodes are shorter than the labellum. The labellum is yellowish, with a yellow ribbon in its center and it is obovate, with a length from 1.2 to 2 cm. Three carpels are under a constant, trilobed ovary adherent, which is sparsely hairy. The fruit capsule opens with three compartments.
BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION
The most important chemical components of turmeric are a group of compounds called curcuminoids, which include curcumin (diferuloylmethane), demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin. The best-studied compound is curcumin, which constitutes 3.14% (on average) of powdered turmeric. However, there are big variations in curcumin content in the different lines of the species Curcuma longa (1–3189 mg/100g). In addition, other important volatile oils include turmerone, atlantone, and zingiberene. Some general constituents are sugars, proteins, and resins.
USES
CULINARY
Turmeric grows wild in the forests of South and Southeast Asia. It is one of the key ingredients in many Asian dishes. Indian traditional medicine, called Siddha, has recommended turmeric for medicine. Its use as a coloring agent is not of primary value in South Asian cuisine.
Turmeric is mostly used in savory dishes, but is used in some sweet dishes, such as the cake sfouf. In India, turmeric plant leaf is used to prepare special sweet dishes, patoleo, by layering rice flour and coconut-jaggery mixture on the leaf, then closing and steaming it in a special copper steamer (goa).
In recipes outside South Asia, turmeric is sometimes used as an agent to impart a rich, custard-like yellow color. It is used in canned beverages, baked products, dairy products, ice cream, yogurt, yellow cakes, orange juice, biscuits, popcorn color, cereals, sauces, gelatins, etc. It is a significant ingredient in most commercial curry powders.
Most turmeric is used in the form of rhizome powder. In some regions (especially in Maharashtra, Goa, Konkan, and Kanara), turmeric leaves are used to wrap and cook food. Turmeric leaves are mainly used in this way in areas where turmeric is grown locally, since the leaves used are freshly picked. Turmeric leaves impart a distinctive flavor.
Although typically used in its dried, powdered form, turmeric is also used fresh, like ginger. It has numerous uses in East Asian recipes, such as pickle that contains large chunks of soft turmeric, made from fresh turmeric.
Turmeric is widely used as a spice in South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking. Many Persian dishes use turmeric as a starter ingredient. Almost all Iranian khoresh dishes are started using onions caramelized in oil and turmeric, followed by other ingredients.
In India and Nepal, turmeric is widely grown and extensively used in many vegetable and meat dishes for its color; it is also used for its supposed value in traditional medicine.
In South Africa, turmeric is used to give boiled white rice a golden colour.
In Vietnamese cuisine, turmeric powder is used to color and enhance the flavors of certain dishes, such as bánh xèo, bánh khọt, and mi quang. The powder is used in many other Vietnamese stir-fried and soup dishes.
The staple Cambodian curry paste kroeung, used in many dishes including amok, typically contains fresh turmeric.
In Indonesia, turmeric leaves are used for Minangese or Padangese curry base of Sumatra, such as rendang, sate padang, and many other varieties.
In Thailand, fresh turmeric rhizomes are widely used in many dishes, in particular in the southern Thai cuisine, such as the yellow curry and turmeric soup.
In medieval Europe, turmeric became known as Indian saffron because it was widely used as an alternative to the far more expensive saffron spice.
TRADITIONAL USES
In Ayurvedic practices, turmeric has been used to treat a variety of internal disorders, such as indigestion, throat infections, common colds, or liver ailments, as well as topically to cleanse wounds or treat skin sores.
RESEARCH
Basic research shows extracts from turmeric may have antifungal and antibacterial properties.
Turmeric is under study for its potential to affect human diseases, including kidney and cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, cancer, irritable bowel disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and other clinical disorders.
DYE
Turmeric makes a poor fabric dye, as it is not very light fast, but is commonly used in Indian and Bangladeshi clothing, such as saris and Buddhist monks's robes. Turmeric (coded as E100 when used as a food additive) is used to protect food products from sunlight. The oleoresin is used for oil-containing products. A curcumin and polysorbate solution or curcumin powder dissolved in alcohol is used for water-containing products. Over-coloring, such as in pickles, relishes, and mustard, is sometimes used to compensate for fading.
In combination with annatto (E160b), turmeric has been used to color cheeses, yogurt, dry mixes, salad dressings, winter butter and margarine. Turmeric is also used to give a yellow color to some prepared mustards, canned chicken broths, and other foods (often as a much cheaper replacement for saffron).
INDICATOR
Turmeric paper, also called curcuma paper or in German literature Curcumapapier is paper steeped in a tincture of turmeric and allowed to dry. It is used in chemical analysis as an indicator for acidity and alkalinity. The paper is yellow in acidic and neutral solutions and turns brown to reddish-brown in alkaline solutions, with transition between pH of 7.4 and 9.2.
For pH detection, turmeric paper has been replaced in common use by litmus paper. Turmeric can be used as a substitute for phenolphthalein, as its color change pH range is similar.
CEREMONIAL USES AND MYTHS
Turmeric is considered auspicious and holy in India and has been used in various Hindu ceremonies for millennia. It remains popular in India for wedding and religious ceremonies.
Turmeric has played an important role in Hindu spiritualism. The robes of the Hindu monks were traditionally colored with a yellow dye made of turmeric. Because of its yellow-orange coloring, turmeric was associated with the sun or the Thirumal in the mythology of ancient Tamil religion. Yellow is the color of the solar plexus chakra which in traditional Tamil Siddha medicine is an energy center. Orange is the color of the sacral chakra.
The plant is used in Poosai (Tamil) to represent a form of the Tamil Goddess Kottravai. In Eastern India, the plant is used as one of the nine components of navapatrika along with young plantain or banana plant, taro leaves, barley (jayanti), wood apple (bilva), pomegranate (darimba), asoka, manaka or manakochu, and rice paddy. The Navaptrika worship is an important part of Durga festival rituals.
It is used in poosai to make a form of Ganesha. Yaanaimugathaan, the remover of obstacles, is invoked at the beginning of almost any ceremony and a form of Yaanaimugathaan for this purpose is made by mixing turmeric with water and forming it into a cone-like shape.
Haldi ceremony (called Gaye holud in Bengal) (literally "yellow on the body") is a ceremony observed during Hindu wedding celebrations in many parts of India including Bengal, Punjab, Maharashtra and Gujarat. The 'ceremony takes place one or two days before the religious and legal Bengali wedding ceremonies. The turmeric paste is applied by friends to the bodies of the couple. This is said to soften the skin, but also colors them with the distinctive yellow hue that gives its name to this ceremony. It may be a joint event for the bride and groom's families, or it may consist of separate events for the bride's family and the groom's family.
During the Tamil festival Pongal, a whole turmeric plant with fresh rhizomes is offered as a thanksgiving offering to Suryan, the sun god. Also, the fresh plant sometimes is tied around the sacred Pongal pot in which an offering of pongal is prepared.
In Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, as a part of the Tamil/Telugu marriage ritual, dried turmeric tuber tied with string is used to create a Thali necklace, the equivalent of marriage rings in western cultures. In western and coastal India, during weddings of the Marathi and Konkani people, Kannada Brahmins turmeric tubers are tied with strings by the couple to their wrists during a ceremony called Kankanabandhana.
Friedrich Ratzel in The History of Mankind reported in 1896 that in Micronesia, the preparation of turmeric powder for embellishment of body, clothing, and utensils had ceremonial character.
ADULTERATION
As turmeric and other spices are commonly sold by weight, the potential exists for powders of toxic, cheaper agents with a similar color to be added, such as lead(II,IV) oxide, giving turmeric an orange-red color instead of its native gold-yellow. Another common adulterant in turmeric, metanil yellow (also known as acid yellow 36), is considered an illegal dye for use in foods by the British Food Standards Agency.
WIKIPEDIA
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Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: During pregnancy and while breast-feeding, turmeric is LIKELY SAFE when taken by mouth in amounts commonly found in food. However, turmeric is LIKELY UNSAFE when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts during pregnancy. It might promote a menstrual period or stimulate the uterus, putting the pregnancy at risk. Do not take medicinal amounts of turmeric if you are pregnant. There is not enough information to rate the safety of medicinal amounts of turmeric during breast-feeding. It is best not to use it.
Surgery: Turmeric might slow blood clotting. It might cause extra bleeding during and after surgery. Stop using turmeric at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
Diabetes: Curcumin, a chemical in turmeric, might decrease blood sugar in people with diabetes. Use with caution in people with diabetes as it might make blood sugar too low.
A stomach disorder called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): Turmeric can cause stomach upset in some people. It might make stomach problems such as GERD worse. Do not take turmeric if it worsens symptoms of GERD.
Hormone-sensitive condition such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: Turmeric contains a chemical called curcumin, which might act like the hormone estrogen. In theory, turmeric might make hormone-sensitive conditions worse. However, some research shows that turmeric reduces the effects of estrogen in some hormone-sensitive cancer cells. Therefore, turmeric might have beneficial effects on hormone-sensitive conditions. Until more is known, use cautiously if you have a condition that might be made worse by exposure to hormones.
Infertility: Turmeric might lower testosterone levels and decrease sperm movement when taken by mouth by men. This might reduce fertility. Turmeric should be used cautiously by people trying to have a baby.
Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with TURMERIC
Turmeric might slow blood clotting. Taking turmeric along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.
Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.
webmd.com
The pictures shows that yellow angry bird againts some creatures...
Yellow represents as Turmeric ; and among angry bird, *yellow angry* bird can move fast whereas Turmeric acts quickly.
Nutrient agar contains nutrients that suitable to a wide range of microorganisms and makes it an excellent agar media to check on the purity before any biochemical or serological test. Besides, the addition of agar solidifies nutrient agar, which makes it suitable for the cultivation of microorganisms.
The turmeric bright yellow color of processed turmeric has inspired many cultures to use it as a dye. Ground turmeric is also a major ingredient in curry powder.
Capsules, teas, powders, and extracts are some of the turmeric products available commercially.
Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric, and it has powerful biological properties. Ayurvedic medicine, a traditional Indian system of treatment, recommends turmeric for a variety of health conditions. These include chronic pain and inflammation. Western medicine has begun to study turmeric as a pain reliever and healing agent.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database, one tablespoon (tbsp) of turmeric powder contains:
29 calories
0.91 grams (g) of protein
0.31 g of fat
6.31 g of carbohydrates
2.1 g of fiber
0.3 g of sugar
```That same 1-tbsp serving provide```
26 percent of daily manganese needs
16 percent of daily iron
5 percent of daily
potassium
3 percent of daily vitamin
Turmeric have been studied in numerous clinical trials for various human diseases and conditions, with evidence of any anti-disease effect or health benefit. reduces inflammation, evidence that turmeric acts as beneficial for relieving symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.
*Designation of turmeric*
Infectious diseases are ailments caused by pathogenic viruses and microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. Infections can spread directly from person to person and from animal to human, or indirectly via contaminated water and food. This can result in small local outbreaks and epidemics, like the plague, syphilis and SARS, or pandemics affecting several countries, of which the flu is one of the best-known examples. In times of globalization and climate change, infectious diseases are spreading more rapidly Natural compounds are a continuing source of new drugs. From 1940 to 2014, 49% of all small molecules approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were natural products or derivates directly linked to them (Newman and Cragg, 2016). One plant that has been extensively studied on that score is ```turmeric.```
# TURMERIC ( candy for Human beings and enemy for microorganisms)
AFRICA -Dr.C.K.Atal, United Nations consultant - Africa,1993
INTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS
41.INTERNATIONAL BASE – He has resided in USA (1954 to 1958) as a US resident (status green card), worked as Chairman/associate Professor grade at Nebraska, USA, and migrated to Indian citizenship, going against the trend of brain drain. He has worked for about 8 -9 years internationally as UN consultant (including 7 years in field south East Asia, base Vietnam, 1985 - 92). He has extensively travelled to 30-35 countries internationally as UN consultant, as CSIR consultant or mission consultant to major organizations in countries in Asia, SE Asia, Europe, USA, Africa etc.
42.INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANCIES-(Serial no 43-65, MISSION CONSULTANT to world organizations, also See countries traveled Serial no 68). The various scientific interactions are for Eli Lilly-USA, Polish Academy of Sciences, British Council, Organization Of African Unity (OAU), West Indies, Burma Government, Vietnam Government, Bangladesh Government, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), USFDA, Soviet Academy of Sciences, University of Texas, USA (lecture at Pharmaceutical Sciences department), UK University of Exeter (Commonwealth Foundation, Univ. Grants Commission), University of Munchen, Germany, SAARC scientific conference (Sri Lanka), France, Bulgaria etc.
43.UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANCIES- See details in mission consultant, UN Passport records (laissez passer).
A.WHO (Bangladesh), WHO (USA), FAO (non wood forest products), APPOINTED/SELECTED FOR UN PROJECT IN AFGHANISTAN (project postponed for technical/safety reasons due to instability in the region), UN HEADQUARTERS (VIENNA, AUSTRIA) for formulating UN projects in Vietnam,UNITED NATIONS -AFRICA (for identifying viable projects in Africa),
B.UNDP, UNIDO-VIETNAM - five United Nations projects costing approximately about 10 to 13 million US dollars.
•HERBAL-MEDICINES.
•ESSENTIAL-OILS.
•DYES-&-PIGMENTS.
•AROMA-CHEMICALS.
•HIGH VALUE ROSIN & TURPENTINE.
MISSION CONSULTANT TO MAJOR INTERNATIONAL WORLD ORGANISATIONS
CONSULTANCY, ADVISOR, PROJECT LEADER, IDENTIFYING AND IMPLEMENTING PROJECTS, TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION, SCIENTIFIC INTERACTION, FELLOWSHIP, LECTURES, CHAIRING INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES ETC
44.USA (1957-58,) - ELI LILLY SUMMER FELLOWSHIP, USA - on selection & development of high yield strains of Clavicaps purpurea and submerged culture of Clavicaps purpurea .Other visits in 1974, 1981, 1992, 2004.
45.USA,National science foundation,1974-two months
46.POLAND (Nov,1972) – POLISH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES/ INSTITUTE OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - headed by the Polish Director, Dr. Kocor (pronounced as kochur) invited Dr. Atal for lecture (Chemistry of Natural Products) & technology demonstration in several institutes of Poland in 1972. www.flickr.com/photos/13059662@N06/6506006811/
47.WEST INDIES- CARRIBEAN AREA (1979) - (expert on behalf of COMMON WEALTH RESEARCH COUNCIL-BRITISH COUNCIL, TRINIDAD TOBAGO)-, Distillation techniques & technology demonstration, lectures, introduction of lemon grass oils etc.
48.GERMANY (UNIVERSITY OF MUNCHEN /MUNICH)-(Nuclear research institute) invited Dr. Atal as a solar energy consultant, visited Germany in 1978 & 1985.
49.FRANCE (1980) - STRASBOURG INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH CONGRESS -to chair the international conference “International Research Congress on natural products as medicinal agents”, on July, 6-12, 1980.
50.BULGARIA (1981) - SOFIA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, -to chair a session on the international conference on “Chemistry and Biotechnology of biologically active natural products” and Rose oil, on 22 Sept, 1981.
51.GREECE-delivered a special lecture at international symposium on Aromatic plants.
52.BURMA (1981) – GOVERNMENT OF BURMA (Rangoon), (presently Myanmar): To set up Menthol distillation plant , transfer of technology for production of bold crystals of Menthol from Mentha arvensis, setting up a menthol pilot plant & demonstration unit (Menthol extraction plant) and training techniques. The Pharmaceutical research Department of Central Research Organization (CRO), Burma was provided Diosgenin – Progesteron plant at Hmaw-Bi, Rangoon. www.flickr.com/photos/13059662@N06/6824106944/in/photostr... www.flickr.com/photos/13059662@N06/6970421821/in/photostream
53.USA (Oct 1981) FOUR WEEKS –He was appointed as international consultant to USA in his capacity as one of the leading world authorities on Crotalaria.
A.WHO (WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION)- World Health Organization was the primary agency to appoint him as WHO expert consultant on toxicology, particularly on Crotalaria and its toxicity and sent him to USA as consultant to other agencies.
B.USFDA (BUREAU OF FOODS, US FOOD & DRUG ADMINISTRATION) – USFDA-Division Of Toxicology as consultant on toxicology, for division of chemistry and physics, & division of toxicology, bureau of foods, USFDA , regarding toxicity studies / human toxicity particularly by Crotalaria mixed in food chain/ Pyrrolizidine alkaloid containing seeds.
C.PAHO (PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION) - WHO appointed him as consultant on toxicology for PAHO as well as USFDA simultaneously.
54.RUSSIA AND TASHKENT, (1981) - Soviet academy of sciences: invited Dr. Atal for lecture and technology demonstration.
55.WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION
A.USA CONSULTANCY - as noted above.
B.BANGLADESH CSIR- as noted below.
56.SELECTED FOR UN PROJECT IN AFGHANISTAN (around 1983-84) –due to prevailing instability, project was suspended/postponed for safety reasons.
57.BANGLADESH GOVERNMENT (1984) - for helping Bangladesh CSIR, for technology demonstration to upgrade/modernize their Pharmaceutical formulations, like Chavanprash. (See NEXT HEADING-WHO below).
58.WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) 1984 – (Refer to Bangladesh Govt. Above) appointed him as consultant to help establish technology institutes for Bangladesh Govt. (CSIR). (See above topic).
59.UNITED KINGDOM (1984) -University of Exeter (Commonwealth Foundation / University Grants Commission) invited Dr. Atal for lecture tours. A Holland tour also was included in this tour.
60.UNITED NATIONS (VIENNA, AUSTRIA) (1984 /85) for identifying projects in developing countries like South East Asia, Vietnam. Project was handled by Mrs. Cheknovorian who offered Dr. Atal to implement these projects in Vietnam as UN chief consultant and which was soon accepted by Dr. Atal.
61.UNIDO/UNDP,VIETNAM ( BASE S. E. ASIA - seven years, 1985-1992)- For peer reviews on UN contributions by a distinguished international UN consultant, www.flickr.com/photos/13059662@N06/5737077185/in/photostream Dr. Atal was Chief technical advisor (Chemical Technologist in UN roster) for five projects funded by United Nations costing about 11-13 million US dollars implemented and commissioned in Vietnam ( field area South East Asia). He implemented the projects successfully, on time schedule and within budget.
•PROJECT-DP/VIE/80/032-HANOI-VIETNAM,(HERBAL-MEDICINES).
•PROJECT-DP/VIE/84/010-HANOI-VIETNAM,(ESSENTIAL-OILS).
•PROJECT-DP/VIE/85/001-HO CHI MINH CITY-VIETNAM(DYES & PIGMENTS).
•PROJECT-DP/VIE/86/033-HO CHI MINH CITY - VIETNAM(AROMA CHEMICALS).
•PROJECT-DP/VIE/TECHNOLOGY FOR HIGH VALUE ROSIN & TURPENTINE. This resulted in high quality production of several natural plant based products, with huge socioeconomic and industrial benefit. The projects were successful socioeconomically. For example, in the very first year of its production, the sales of Eucalyptus oil crossed the million dollar mark in international market due to its strict quality control. Other examples include Bixa orellana (butter yellow) Berberine factories, Curcumin/ turmeric factory, dyes, essential oils, aroma chemicals, cultivation techniques, field’s establishment, and many other projects. More projects were offered to him but he returned to India
62.VIETNAM GOVERNMENT (1985-1992) Institutes of Vietnam ,examples like Institute of Materia Medica (Hanoi) headed by Madam Knu were upgraded with latest technology and scientific infrastructure at both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, all funded by UN. (Serial no 42, UNIDO/UNDP 1985-1992). He developed large cultivation farms and factories for medicinal and aromatic plants at Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), for projects like berberine from Berberis, curcumin from rhizomes of Curcuma longa / haldi and many other projects for Vietnam government. . (See above topic).
63.USA-HOUSTON TEXAS UNIVERSITY (1992) - Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences for lecture on biologically active molecules at the University institute.
64.POLISH HERBAL PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY “HERBAPOL” (post 1992) for identifying joint ventures with India, complimentary task.
65.UN - AFRICA CONSULTANCY-- FOR UN PROJECTS (1993) –See OAU BELOW www.flickr.com/photos/13059662@N06/6506000399/
66.AFRICA-ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY (OAU-1993) - to help in development of Africa by formulation of United Nations funded developmental projects in Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland, and Maputo.(see above topic).
67.UNIDO / FAO (FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION) PROJECT - ON NON WOOD FOREST PRODUCTS - SIX MONTHS PROJECT FOR, UNITED NATIONS (1994) (FAO UN PROJECT TF/GLO/94/009/11-01) –assigned as international expert to prepare UN project lead paper /keynote address on non wood forest products for “International Symposium on Forestry” on occasion of World forestry day at Djakarta, Indonesia. The compilation is published by UN/FAO-Viale dells Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy. (International Expert Consultation on non wood forest products, 1995), article 4.2.1 (Processing, refinement and value addition of non wood forest products –T. De Silva and C.K. Atal)).
A.http://www.fao.org/docrep/v7540e/v7540e00.htm
B.http://www.fao.org/docrep/v7540e/V7540e18.htm
68.SAARC SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE (COLOMBO, SRI LANKA)–MEMBER OF INTERNATIONAL DELEGATION OF EXPERTS FROM SAARC COUNTRIES HELD AT SRI LANKA , 1995- international experts scientific conference of SAARC countries at SAARC Colombo scientific Conference held in 1995,third week of October.
OTHER SIGNIFICANT INTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS
69.WORLD AUTHORITY ON CROTALARIA –
A.Solving the outbreak of mysterious Phoolan bimari disease (epidemic of swelling of body in Sarguja district in Madhya Pradesh, India). Several teams investigated this baffling disease, including All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. It was being attributed to some new disease of infectious etiology. This was solved by Dr. Atal when the cause was suspected and subsequently found to be toxicity by crotalaria seeds as food adulterant .It was covered in the national news. A team under Dr. Prabhay Singh Jamwal was deputed to the affected area with the instructions to collect all weeds in the fields particularly focusing on suspect Crotalaria. The team returned with several specimens but was unable to find Crotalaria. However on closer scrutiny the rogue plant was identified by Dr. Atal based on examination of unusually tiny but typical seeds of the plant among the sample specimens brought. Further research confirmed the toxicity due to Crotalaria plant.
B.Numerous serial research publications on Crotalaria have been published.
C.On the basis of these numerous publications , WHO appointed Dr. Atal as expert on Crotalaria toxicity and deputed him as consultant to USA, (Oct, 1981) for division of Chemistry and Physics and Division of Toxicology, Bureau of Foods, Food & Drug Administration (FDA) USA / and Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO-USA). Dr. Atal then conducted several lecture tours all over USA (wherever Toxicology work was going on) for toxic plant residues and adulteration in foods and cereals, isolation, detection of hepatotoxins in food chain, especially Crotalaria toxin which had caused morbidity / mortality in USA.
70.INTERNATIONAL IMPACT OF WORK-. Dr. Atal, a student of internationally acclaimed Pharmacognosist Prof. A.E. Schwarting (USA), has been one of the leading International multidisciplinary Pharmacognosists. He was a based internationally as green card US resident and as UN consultant for several projects internationally for about 12-13 years. He served as international multidisciplinary consultant to numerous major international organizations, world bodies, several countries and several United Nations organizations. Multiple multimillion US dollars UN projects successfully implemented/formulated by him have resulted in significant international socioeconomic benefits for the developing world like Vietnam. His drug development projects (Serial no 92-104, drug discovery) include internationally marketed formulations like Sallaki by Gufic (India, Europe, other countries) and Debelysin by Herbapol (Ukraine, Byelorussia, Poland etc). He has several “first reporting’s in the world” and new pioneering concepts in science, like discovery of plant immunomodulators (from rasayanas) and concept of bioenhancers in medical science. It has led to official launching of world’s first bioenhanced TB drug Risorine on world TB day 2011, which was also presented to world dignitary Mr. Bill Gates (Chairman, Microsoft), by Government of India at Delhi. As a world authority on Crotalaria he was invited as consultant to USA (by USFDA, PAHO, WHO) on Crotalaria toxicity. He has also held many international patents. He has also taught internationally in department of biosciences, Nebraska, USA and U. Conn, USA. His international reference books are inevitably found in libraries globally in plant research institutes and extensively quoted internationally in research studies. These are also used in post graduate Pharmacy teaching institutes all over India (refer author writer). His numerous research articles in prominent international journals are also extensively quoted internationally as references. He has been on panel of the prestigious “International Journal of Ethno-Pharmacology”, by Elsevier, Ireland. (Serial no 184-211, author, writer).He has delivered lectures in several countries, chaired international conferences and his UN compilation was presented on world forest conference at Indonesia.
COUNTRIES TRAVELLED FOR INTERNATIONAL INTERACTIONS
71.COUNTRIES TRAVELLED- Conferences, Consultancies, Lectures, Advisory, Collaborations, Travel tourism –(about 30-35 countries travelled, in alphabetical order, passport data) are Austria /Vienna-(1983, 1984, 1986, and more visits), America (USA-1954-57, 1974, 1981, 1992, 2004), Africa, Mozambique , Swaziland, Maputo, Britain (1974,1984, 1979,1992), Bulgaria / Sophia-For Rose Oil,(Sep, 1981), Burma/Rangoon(Myanmar)-(1981), Bangladesh (1984), Belgium (1958) , Canada (1974, 2004), Czechoslovakia (1978, 1981, 1993??), Cambodia / Ankorwat (1992), Egypt /Cairo-Port Said-(1954), France (1980) , Greece (1981), Germany / Munchen, Deutschland-(1978, 1985), Hungary / Budapest (1972), Hong Kong (1986, 1988), Holland (1978, 1984, 1985),Italy, Indonesia / Bali, Djakarta , Jogjakarta(1992), Lebanon , Macau (Portugal Island 1988), Marseilles /Azure Blue Coast, Philippines /Manila – (1991), Poland (1972, 1978, 1981, 1993) Pakistan- (Place Of Birth), Rome, Sri Lanka (1995), Singapore (1987, 1992), Sudan, Switzerland (1993), Tashkent, Thailand - (Multiple Visits) ,USSR / Tashkent (1981), Vietnam (Multiple), West Indies (Trinidad And Tobago-1979),Andaman Nicobar islands(India).
72.INTERNATIONAL LECTURE TOURS, KEYNOTE ADRESSES Examples include lectures in five cities and various institutes of Hungary / Warsaw, Poland on invitation from Polish academy of Organic Chemistry headed by the Director Dr. Kocor, (pronounced kochur),lecture on biologically active molecules in 1992 in Houston University, Department of Pharmaceutical sciences, Houston, Texas, USA on invitation by Dr. Vishnu Das Gupta of same department, lectures in Vietnam (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh) and in 1991 he accompanied Vice Minister, Ministry of Health, Vietnam Government, on a trip to India on educational, scientific tours. On 7th Feb 1991, he was a resource speaker on fractional distillation of essential oils with Mr. Salvador Fanaga and Mrs. A. Punruckvong at the Second UNIDO workshop on essential oil industry at Manilla, Philippine. He conducted several lectures in USA, Germany, UK, USSR, France, and West Indies (on essential oil distillation technology and solar drying). SEMINARS – he has organized, attended, participated and lectured in national and international seminars. Dr. Atal’s compilation/monograph on non wood forest products under UN consultancy was presented as a key note address on the World Forestry conference at Indonesia (delivered by Silva). He delivered keynote address at RRL, Jammu on event of Workshop on Radioimmunoassay, silver jubilee celebrations of RRL, Jammu, Dec, 1-6, 1982, inaugurated by Prof. J. S. Bajaj, HOD (Medicine), AIIMS, Delhi, and delivered keynote address on the first National symposium on Survey and Cultivation of edible mushrooms in India, the welcome keynote address was delivered by him. Jamia Hamdard, 2003 - Delivered keynote address at ‘Pharmacy week’ in Nov 2003 at Jamia Hamdard (newsletter , Jamia Hamdard “spreadsheet” march 2004 issue) –Theme of the week was “Pharmacists for the promotion of future free of Tobacco(page 2 Para 2- flashback). www.jamiahamdard.edu/PDF/News Letter_JH.pdf He has delivered multiple lectures on History of India, particularly Punjab history.
INDIA-SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
INDIA- Tea, Hops, Rural Development Projects, Xanthotoxins, Essential Oil Industry, Mint, Agro Industries, Pharmaceutical industry, Calcium gluconaterutin, Solid herbal extracts, vanillin, liquor lignin, straw/mill board, trisodium orthophosphate, turpentine, cellulose derivatives, solar dryers, borax plant, fruit vegetable processing, chhang technology, Fisheries, aquaculture , Sericulture, Leather , Fur ,wool, suedes, chamois, Tanning, Chinchilla / rabbit farming , rabbit wool, fast growing tree species , mass forestation , large scale plantation of fast growing tree species, Willow, Cash crops, paper pulp/board technology, pine needle , pine wool, pine boards, Mushroom farming, ethnopharmacology studies, food technology, J&K Mountain Cheese (maash kalari), termite control , eradicating superstition.
In India, he has established new industries or helped transform the import dependency in some existing industries into mass production and export, leading to generation of wealth for the country, including rural society and rural based industry. This has been achieved through science and technology research and development, agro industries, drug discovery/drug development, essential oil industry, award winning work in economic transformation of rural masses, rural and industrial technology development, utilization of waste into viable useful industry with added ecological benefit, resultant benefit to the industries based on plant and rural sciences, discoveries, processes development, all plant sciences, breeding and propagation technology ,turnkey jobs etc. Rural development projects resulted in socioeconomic transformation of the rural masses which won recognition like the FICCI award presented by the honorable President of India, UN grants and several other awards. Several plant based drugs like Xanthotoxin and many others helped India become self sufficient in technology and saved the precious foreign exchange reserves, particularly in the financially stressful seventies and eighties and beyond till date. Research in Essential oils from plants particularly Mint, Ocimum, Cymbopogan, etc used in health formulations, food industry, and essential oil industry helped change the socioeconomic status of the industry as well as rural masses. Developing technology for bold crystals of mint for the first time in India and introducing high mint yielding plants resulted in a sort of green revolution in mint which is now a massive thriving industry today. Introducing and establishing expensive Hops successful in India for the first time changed the socioeconomic status of the rural people of the hills. Implementations of recommendations of Sadasivan committee, of which Dr. Atal was a core member, helped the struggling tea industry from international competition. Projects on submerged fermentation initiated in June 1975, won the Andhra Pradesh prize (Serial no 7, award section) at the import substitution competition for developing process for production of Gibberellic acid.
161.TECHNOLOGIST, SADASIVAN COMMITTEE FOR REVIVING THE INDIAN TEA INDUSTRY- appointed as a prominent member and Technologist of Sadasivan committee (1976), Ministry of Commerce, Government of India to prepare report and give recommendations for improving tea production cost effectively in the face of rising global competition (especially from countries like Kenya, Sri Lanka & Indonesia).Implemented recommendations had a very good boosting effect on the sagging tea industry, thereby rescuing the tea industry from international competition.(See Current science, Vol 81, No. 7, October 2001, page 845, last paragraph- T. S. Sadasivan - A tribute, www.iisc.ernet.in/currsci/oct102001/845.pdf www.flickr.com/photos/13059662@N06/6506102687/in/photostr... www.flickr.com/photos/13059662@N06/6970444265/in/photostream
162.ESTABLISHING NUMEROUS INDUSTRIES IN INDIA-Numerous pilot plant scale and commercial factory scale industries were established all over India based on the numerous technologies developed by RRL Jammu. (Serial no 152-159, processes developed).
163.CONSULTANCIES BY RRL ALL OVER INDIA -Examples include Calcium gluconate by fermentation (through NRDC-at Srinagar), plantation of rutin bearing Eucalyptus spp. at Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, manufacture of solid herbal extracts units (Delhi based Alok pharmaceuticals), vanillin from sawdust(Bombay), straw/mill board unit(Taran Taran, Punjab), cultivation of Clocimum and Jamrosa, downstream end products eugenol, geraniol (Jammu), cellulose derivatives esp. microcrystalline cellulose carboxymethyl cellulose (Amritsar and also Bombay), bolder crystals of menthol (Delhi), trisodium orthophosphate (Jammu), turpentine fractionating unit, liquor lignin waste from paper pulp industry (Madras), modification of resin refining kettle (Jammu).
164.INTRODUCTION OF TURN KEY SYSTEM FIRST TIME AT RRL, JAMMU -for processes developed, RRL adopted the turn key system, a useful tool to the end user (industry). www.flickr.com/photos/13059662@N06/6952344393/in/photostr... Examples are technology of Diosgenin, (Govt. of Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Burmese Government provided through govt. based organization NRDC), Menthol (Burma through NRDC), Hops (J&K and Himachal Pradesh), Pine needle board (Himachal Govt), etc. The turn-key process includes providing all the steps involved to establish a location including the site selection, space utilization, technology, construction, coordination and complete working installation
165.DEVELOPMENT OF FAR FLUNG REMOTE AREAS OF JAMMU KASHMIR, INDIA- difficult or inaccessible areas like Kargil and Ladakh were provided rural training, solar dryers, borax plant, fruit vegetable processing, chhang technology (Ladakh beer),etc. www.flickr.com/photos/13059662@N06/6970221243/in/photostr...
166.JAMMU , KASHMIR AND LADAKH, INDIA (FICCI AWARD,UN GRANTS AWARD)- Numerous projects like Fisheries, aquaculture , Sericulture, Leather , Fur ,wool, suedes, chamois, Tanning, Chinchilla / rabbit farming , rabbit wool, fast growing tree species , mass forestation , large scale plantation of fast growing tree species, Willow, Cash crops, paper pulp/board technology, pine needle & pine wool, Indian mint and Hops industry(a major socioeconomic breakthrough in brewery industry), Mushroom farming, solar drying technology especially in Ladakh and far flung areas of Kargil, extraction of Borax in Ladakh (PUGA valley) using geothermal energy, agro technology, ethnopharmacology studies, food technology, J&K Mountain Cheese (maash kalari), termite control , eradicating superstition - oham shikni in some areas of J&K), use of environment friendly alternate energy, forestation drives, environment pollution control (apple pomice was a pollutant , discarded / dumped in the river Jhelum in J&K as a waste which contributed to the environmental pollution. RRL in collaboration with the Army Horse and mule division designed and set up 20 foot tall silos for fermenting the Pomace to produce nitrogen rich feed for the mules and thereby preventing river pollution).For award of UN grants for rural work in J&K, Serial no 8, award section. www.flickr.com/photos/13059662@N06/6972288641/in/photostream www.flickr.com/photos/13059662@N06/6824267612/in/photostr...
167.ESTABLISHING AND DEVELOPING FIRST HOPS INDUSTRY SUCCESSFULLY IN INDIA (JAMMU, KASHMIR & HIMACHAL)-India developed the Hops technology and established Hops industry successfully for the first time in India. As a result there was a significant saving in foreign reserve (import substitution) which was earlier consumed in import of expensive Hops. See Prof. P. N. Mehra award. www.flickr.com/photos/13059662@N06/5782130675/sizes/l/in/... www.flickr.com/photos/13059662@N06/6506235095/in/photostream books.google.com/books?id=Y3Y_AAAAYAAJ&source=gbs_sim...
168.HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA- pine needles Fiber board factories (a first in the world), with turpentine as a parallel by product, establishing CSIR complex at Palampur (now called IHBT) in 1983, appointed as first head this institute , establishing first Hops industry in India, including Lahul area of Himachal Pradesh. Tea industry in Himachal and India was also greatly helped by the efforts of Dr. Atal (See Sadasivan committee).Rutin industry in Himachal Pradesh is mentioned in next point below.
169.BIOFLAVONOID “RUTIN INDUSTRY”- As more and more high yielding species of Eucalyptus as a source for Rutin were discovered in the world, the best raw material source came from dried E. macrorhynea leaves (10-12% w/w yield) primarily used in Australia. The Imported seeds of Eucalyptus macrorhynea were found to perform best in salubrious climate of Palampur in the state of Himachal Pradesh and the leaves were found to give higher yield of Rutin as compared to Australian raw material sources. This was a big commercial breakthrough as Indian species were very low in Rutin content and the high yielding imported variety performed equivalent or better in Indian climate .A factory for production of Rutin was set up at Dhanaulti / areas near Pathankot to supply Rutin to Pharmaceutical industry. Palampur branch of RRL played a leading role in popularizing cultivation of Eucalyptus macrorhynea for the very first time in India. (Serial no 105-112,first reporting in India). Dr. Atal also propagated the coppicing method (including Eucalyptus species) to increase the yield of plant raw material leaves tremendously contributing to further increasing the quantity of finished product.
170.SIKKIM , INDIA 1984-85, Dr. Atal was invited by the Sikkim State as a consultant to identify the raw materials, viable projects from the forest and the state with industrial potential. Several ideas and projects were identified and a project report was handed over to the Sikkim Government / Hon. Hon. Governor Shri Talae Yar Khan for implementation.
171.PIONEERING WORK IN ESSENTIAL OIL AND AROMA CHEMICAL INDUSTRY IN INDIA AND INTERNATIONALLY (AS UN CONSULTANT) - (Serial no 115,essential oils).
172.CONTRIBUTIONS IN SUCCESSFUL MINT INDUSTRY IN INDIA-( Serial no 115, Essential oils). Dr. Atal developed and promoted technology for manufacture of bold crystals of mint / mark into boards, a big boost to the mint industry in India. Japanese mint industry became “Rs 100 million” industry by the beginning of 1980’s, and the Tarai area of UP state alone was a 10 crore per annum industry in the mid eighties. India became self sufficient in mint in mid 1980’s. Today China and India are world leaders in mint after further boosting efforts put in by CIMAP in the nineteen nineties. Japanese mint has become the single largest essential oil crop of the country. He also was appointed as international consultant in mint technology in 1981(Burma).
173.DEVELOPMENT OF MINT INDUSTRY IN BURMA 1981–invited as CSIR consultant to the Burmese Government on the mint technology, Menthol distillation plant, transfer of technology for production of bold crystals of Menthol from Mentha arvensis, setting up a pilot plant / demonstration unit (Menthol extraction plant) and imparting training techniques to Burmese scientists.
174.DIOSGENIN INDUSTRY IN INDIA - Dioscorea deltoidea and solasodine as new source of production of Diosgenin, a steroidal compound which is the feed raw material for synthetic production a variety of many steroidal hormones. Diosgenin ex D. deltoida & D. mexicana for supply of diosgenin as a raw material to Pharmaceutical industry for manufacture of steroidal therapeutic agents –several factories were set up for commercial production of diosgenin with technical knowhow ,establishing turnkey projects with chemical engineering know how, particularly 16-DP technologies were transferred to government of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
175.DIOSGENIN TECHNOLOGY / INDUSTRY IN BURMA 1981- Pharmaceutical research Department of Central Research Organization, Burma was provided Diosgenin –Progesterone plant and technology at Hmaw-Bi, Rangoon. www.flickr.com/photos/13059662@N06/6970421821/in/photostr...
176.UN CONSULTANT TO BANGLADESH GOVERNMENT, 1984 - for helping Bangladesh CSIR, for technology demonstration, for upgrading/modernising their Pharmaceutical formulations, examples like chavanprash. repository.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/14829
177.PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY)- DRUGS IN THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MARKET– Sallaki (Gufic pharmaceutical company -India and international marketing), two Antitubercular formulations Risorine / Risorine kit (Cadila Pharma), Debelysin(Herbapol of Poland, international marketing),Livzone(Hind Chemicals),and others. (see details in drug discovery).
178.CONSULTANT TO UN HEAD OFFICE AT VIENNA, AUSTRIA- 1984 –for formulating projects for Vietnam.
179.CONSULTANT FOR UNDP, UNIDO AND VIETNAM GOVERNMENT –for implementing multiple multimillion US dollars projects in Vietnam.
180.UNITED NATIONS – RRL, JAMMU TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER-pilot plants based on technologies developed at RRL, Jammu under Dr. Atal for distillation and fractionation of Aroma chemicals and natural dyes were later fabricated, Installed and commissioned on turnkey basis under UNIDO projects implemented at Vietnam under Dr. Atal.
181.UN CONSULTANCY FOR PROJECTS IN AFRICA -1993 – for projects recommendations in African countries.
182.ANDAMAN NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA –Prepared a report on viability of large scale herbal farms (medicinal and aromatic) in Andaman Nicobar islands, Port Blair (1993), as a part of consultancy for Khaitan Industries.
183.INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES -many scientific exchange programmes were organized between Vietnam, United Nations, India and many other countries. Similarly these were also carried out in his capacity as director of RRL Jammu, like the Soviet delegation of Pharmaceutical experts under Mr. A. I. Vinogradov visited RRL in March 1982 and appreciated the work done at RRL.
184.SOME SIGNIFICANT TECHNOLOGIES DISCUSSED ELSEWHERE
A.Xanthotoxins from two plant sources – till early 1970s it was being imported into India. After technology was developed by Dr. Atal, it led to a significant savings in import and is being exported to European and other countries. See first reporting in India.
B.Submerged Culture, Gluconates, Giberellins Etc – Significant savings in import, See Award section.
C.Conversions of waste into viable utilizable Industry- Serial no 142-146, environment conservation, See first reporting in the world, See FICCI Award.
Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. When fresh and fully mature, it is about 5 mm in diameter and dark red, and contains a single seed, like all drupes. Peppercorns and the ground pepper derived from them may be described simply as pepper, or more precisely as black pepper (cooked and dried unripe fruit), green pepper (dried unripe fruit), or white pepper (ripe fruit seeds).
Black pepper is native to present-day Kerala in Southwestern India, and is extensively cultivated there and elsewhere in tropical regions. Vietnam is the world's largest producer and exporter of pepper, producing 34% of the world's crop, as of 2013.
Ground dried and cooked peppercorns have been used since antiquity, both for flavour and as a traditional medicine. Black pepper is the world's most traded spice, and is one of the most common spices added to cuisines around the world. Its spiciness is due to the chemical compound piperine, which is a different kind of spicy from the capsaicin characteristic of chili peppers. It is ubiquitous in the modern world as a seasoning, and is often paired with salt and available on dining tables in shakers.
ETYMOLOGY
The word pepper has roots in the Sanskrit word pippali for long pepper. Ancient Greek and Latin turned pippali into the Greek πέπερι peperi and then into the Latin piper, which the Romans used for both black pepper and long pepper, erroneously believing that both came from the same plant.
From its Sanskrit roots, today's "pepper" is derived from the Old English pipor and from Latin, which is the source of Romanian piper, Italian pepe, Dutch peper, German Pfeffer, French poivre, and other similar forms.
In the 16th century, people began using pepper to also mean the unrelated New World chili pepper (genus Capsicum). People have also used pepper in a figurative sense to mean "spirit" or "energy" at least as far back as the 1840s. In the early 20th century, this shortened to "pep".
VARIETIES
BLACK PEPPER
Black pepper is produced from the still-green, unripe drupes of the pepper plant. The drupes are cooked briefly in hot water, both to clean them and to prepare them for drying. The heat ruptures cell walls in the pepper, speeding the work of browning enzymes during drying. The drupes dry in the sun or by machine for several days, during which the pepper skin around the seed shrinks and darkens into a thin, wrinkled black layer. Once dry, the spice is called black peppercorn. On some estates, the berries are separated from the stem by hand and then sun-dried without the boiling process.
Once the peppercorns are dried, pepper spirit and oil can be extracted from the berries by crushing them. Pepper spirit is used in many medicinal and beauty products. Pepper oil is also used as an ayurvedic massage oil and in certain beauty and herbal treatments.
WHITE PEPPER
White pepper consists solely of the seed of the ripe fruit of the pepper plant, with the thin darker-coloured skin (flesh) of the fruit removed. This is usually accomplished by a process known as retting, where fully ripe red pepper berries are soaked in water for about a week so the flesh of the peppercorn softens and decomposes; rubbing then removes what remains of the fruit, and the naked seed is dried. Sometimes alternative processes are used for removing the outer pepper from the seed, including removing the outer layer through mechanical, chemical, or biological methods.
Ground white pepper is used in Chinese and Thai cuisine, but also in salads, cream sauces, light-coloured sauces, and mashed potatoes (as a substitute, because black pepper would visibly stand out). However, white pepper actually has a different flavour from black pepper; it lacks certain compounds present in the outer layer of the drupe
GREEN PEPPER
Green pepper, like black pepper, is made from unripe drupes. Dried green peppercorns are treated in a way that retains the green colour, such as with sulphur dioxide, canning, or freeze-drying. Pickled peppercorns, also green, are unripe drupes preserved in brine or vinegar.
Fresh, unpreserved green pepper drupes, largely unknown (and unavailable) in the West, are used in some Asian cuisines, particularly Thai cuisine. Their flavour has been described as "spicy and fresh", with a "bright aroma". They decay quickly if not dried or preserved, making them unsuitable for international shipping.
WILD PEPPER
Wild pepper grows in the Western Ghats region of India. Into the 19th century, the forests contained expansive wild pepper vines, as recorded by the Scottish physician Francis Buchanan (also a botanist and geographer) in his book A journey from Madras through the countries of Mysore, Canara and Malabar (Volume III). However, deforestation resulted in wild pepper growing in more limited forest patches from Goa to Kerala, with the wild source gradually decreasing as the quality and yield of the cultivated variety improved. No successful grafting of commercial pepper on wild pepper has been achieved to date.
ORANGE PEPPER AND RED PEPPER
Orange pepper or red pepper usually consists of ripe red pepper drupes preserved in brine and vinegar. Ripe red peppercorns can also be dried using the same colour-preserving techniques used to produce green pepper.
Pink pepper and other plants
Pink peppercorns are the fruits of the Peruvian pepper tree, Schinus molle, or its relative, the Brazilian pepper tree, Schinus terebinthifolius, plants from a different family (Anacardiaceae). As they are members of the cashew family, they may cause allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, for persons with a tree nut allergy.
The bark of Drimys winteri ("canelo" or "winter's bark") is used as a substitute for pepper in cold and temperate regions of Chile and Argentina, where it is easily found and readily available. In New Zealand, the seeds of kawakawa (Macropiper excelsum), a relative of black pepper, are sometimes used as pepper; the leaves of Pseudowintera colorata ("mountain horopito") are another replacement for pepper. Several plants in the United States are also used as pepper substitutes, such as field pepperwort, least pepperwort, shepherd's purse, horseradish, and field pennycress.
PLANTS
The pepper plant is a perennial woody vine growing up to 4 m in height on supporting trees, poles, or trellises. It is a spreading vine, rooting readily where trailing stems touch the ground. The leaves are alternate, entire, 5 to 10 cm long and 3 to 6 cm across. The flowers are small, produced on pendulous spikes 4 to 8 cm long at the leaf nodes, the spikes lengthening up to 7 to 15 cm as the fruit matures. Pepper can be grown in soil that is neither too dry nor susceptible to flooding, moist, well-drained and rich in organic matter (the vines do not do too well over an altitude of 900 m above sea level). The plants are propagated by cuttings about 40 to 50 cm long, tied up to neighbouring trees or climbing frames at distances of about 2 m apart; trees with rough bark are favoured over those with smooth bark, as the pepper plants climb rough bark more readily. Competing plants are cleared away, leaving only sufficient trees to provide shade and permit free ventilation. The roots are covered in leaf mulch and manure, and the shoots are trimmed twice a year. On dry soils, the young plants require watering every other day during the dry season for the first three years. The plants bear fruit from the fourth or fifth year, and then typically for seven years. The cuttings are usually cultivars, selected both for yield and quality of fruit.
A single stem bears 20 to 30 fruiting spikes. The harvest begins as soon as one or two fruits at the base of the spikes begin to turn red, and before the fruit is fully mature, and still hard; if allowed to ripen completely, the fruit lose pungency, and ultimately fall off and are lost. The spikes are collected and spread out to dry in the sun, then the peppercorns are stripped off the spikes.
Black pepper is native either to Southeast Asia or South Asia. Within the genus Piper, it is most closely related to other Asian species such as P. caninum.
PRODUCTION AND TRADE
As of 2016, Vietnam was the world's largest producer and exporter of black peppercorns, producing 216,000 tonnes or 39% of the world total of 546,000 tonnes (table). Other major producers include Indonesia (15%), India (10%), and Brazil (10%). Global pepper production may vary annually according to crop management, disease, and weather. Vietnam dominates the export market, using almost none of its production domestically.
Peppercorns are among the most widely traded spice in the world, accounting for 20% of all spice imports.
HISTORY
Pepper is native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, and has been known to Indian cooking since at least 2000 BCE. J. Innes Miller notes that while pepper was grown in southern Thailand and in Malaysia, its most important source was India, particularly the Chera dynasty (Tamil dynasty) Malabar Coast, in what is now the state of Kerala. The lost ancient port city of Muziris in Kerala, famous for exporting black pepper and various other spices, gets mentioned in a number of classical historical sources. Peppercorns were a much-prized trade good, often referred to as "black gold" and used as a form of commodity money. The legacy of this trade remains in some Western legal systems that recognize the term "peppercorn rent" as a token payment for something that is, essentially, being given.
The ancient history of black pepper is often interlinked with (and confused with) that of long pepper, the dried fruit of closely related Piper longum. The Romans knew of both and often referred to either as just piper. In fact, the popularity of long pepper did not entirely decline until the discovery of the New World and of chili peppers. Chili peppers—some of which, when dried, are similar in shape and taste to long pepper—were easier to grow in a variety of locations more convenient to Europe.
Before the 16th century, pepper was being grown in Java, Sunda, Sumatra, Madagascar, Malaysia, and everywhere in Southeast Asia. These areas traded mainly with China, or used the pepper locally. Ports in the Malabar area also served as a stop-off point for much of the trade in other spices from farther east in the Indian Ocean. Following the British hegemony in India, virtually all of the black pepper found in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa was traded from Malabar region.
Black peppercorns were found stuffed in the nostrils of Ramesses II, placed there as part of the mummification rituals shortly after his death in 1213 BCE. Little else is known about the use of pepper in ancient Egypt and how it reached the Nile from South Asia.
Pepper (both long and black) was known in Greece at least as early as the fourth century BCE, though it was probably an uncommon and expensive item that only the very rich could afford.
By the time of the early Roman Empire, especially after Rome's conquest of Egypt in 30 BCE, open-ocean crossing of the Arabian Sea direct to Chera dynasty southern India's Malabar Coast was near routine. Details of this trading across the Indian Ocean have been passed down in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. According to the Greek geographer Strabo, the early empire sent a fleet of around 120 ships on an annual trip to India and back. The fleet timed its travel across the Arabian Sea to take advantage of the predictable monsoon winds. Returning from India, the ships travelled up the Red Sea, from where the cargo was carried overland or via the Nile-Red Sea canal to the Nile River, barged to Alexandria, and shipped from there to Italy and Rome. The rough geographical outlines of this same trade route would dominate the pepper trade into Europe for a millennium and a half to come.
With ships sailing directly to the Malabar coast, black pepper was now travelling a shorter trade route than long pepper, and the prices reflected it. Pliny the Elder's Natural History tells us the prices in Rome around 77 CE: "Long pepper ... is 15 denarii per pound, while that of white pepper is seven, and of black, four." Pliny also complains, "There is no year in which India does not drain the Roman Empire of 50 million sesterces", and further moralizes on pepper:
It is quite surprising that the use of pepper has come so much into fashion, seeing that in other substances which we use, it is sometimes their sweetness, and sometimes their appearance that has attracted our notice; whereas, pepper has nothing in it that can plead as a recommendation to either fruit or berry, its only desirable quality being a certain pungency; and yet it is for this that we import it all the way from India! Who was the first to make trial of it as an article of food? and who, I wonder, was the man that was not content to prepare himself by hunger only for the satisfying of a greedy appetite?
— Pliny, Natural History 12.14
He does not state whether the 50 million was the actual amount of money which found its way to India or the total retail cost of the items in Rome, and, elsewhere, he cites a figure of 100 million sesterces.
Black pepper was a well-known and widespread, if expensive, seasoning in the Roman Empire. Apicius' De re coquinaria, a third-century cookbook probably based at least partly on one from the first century CE, includes pepper in a majority of its recipes. Edward Gibbon wrote, in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, that pepper was "a favorite ingredient of the most expensive Roman cookery".
POSTCLASSICAL EUROPE
Pepper was so valuable that it was often used as collateral or even currency. In the Dutch language, "pepper expensive" (peperduur) is an expression for something very expensive. Also in Hungarian, the term "a price of pepper" ("borsos ár") means something of extraordinary value. The taste for pepper (or the appreciation of its monetary value) was passed on to those who would see Rome fall. Alaric, king of the Visigoths, included 3,000 pounds of pepper as part of the ransom he demanded from Rome when he besieged the city in fifth century. After the fall of Rome, others took over the middle legs of the spice trade, first the Persians and then the Arabs; Innes Miller cites the account of Cosmas Indicopleustes, who travelled east to India, as proof that "pepper was still being exported from India in the sixth century". By the end of the Early Middle Ages, the central portions of the spice trade were firmly under Islamic control. Once into the Mediterranean, the trade was largely monopolized by Italian powers, especially Venice and Genoa. The rise of these city-states was funded in large part by the spice trade.
A riddle authored by Saint Aldhelm, a seventh-century Bishop of Sherborne, sheds some light on black pepper's role in England at that time:
I am black on the outside, clad in a wrinkled cover,
Yet within I bear a burning marrow.
I season delicacies, the banquets of kings, and the luxuries of the table,
Both the sauces and the tenderized meats of the kitchen.
But you will find in me no quality of any worth,
Unless your bowels have been rattled by my gleaming marrow.
It is commonly believed that during the Middle Ages, pepper was often used to conceal the taste of partially rotten meat. No evidence supports this claim, and historians view it as highly unlikely; in the Middle Ages, pepper was a luxury item, affordable only to the wealthy, who certainly had unspoiled meat available, as well. In addition, people of the time certainly knew that eating spoiled food would make them sick. Similarly, the belief that pepper was widely used as a preservative is questionable; it is true that piperine, the compound that gives pepper its spiciness, has some antimicrobial properties, but at the concentrations present when pepper is used as a spice, the effect is small. Salt is a much more effective preservative, and salt-cured meats were common fare, especially in winter. However, pepper and other spices certainly played a role in improving the taste of long-preserved meats.
Its exorbitant price during the Middle Ages—and the monopoly on the trade held by Italy—was one of the inducements that led the Portuguese to seek a sea route to India. In 1498, Vasco da Gama became the first person to reach India by sailing around Africa (see Age of Discovery); asked by Arabs in Calicut (who spoke Spanish and Italian) why they had come, his representative replied, "we seek Christians and spices". Though this first trip to India by way of the southern tip of Africa was only a modest success, the Portuguese quickly returned in greater numbers and eventually gained much greater control of trade on the Arabian Sea. The 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas with the Spanish granted Portugal exclusive rights to the half of the world where black pepper originated.
Unsurprisingly, the Portuguese proved unable to monopolize the spice trade. Older Arab and Venetian trade networks successfully imported enormous quantities of spices, and pepper once again flowed through Alexandria and Italy, as well as around Africa. In the 17th century, the Portuguese lost almost all of their valuable Indian Ocean trade to the Dutch and the English, who, taking advantage from the Spanish ruling over Portugal during Iberian Union (1580–1640), occupied by force almost all Portuguese dominations in the area. The pepper ports of Malabar began to trade increasingly with the Dutch in the period 1661–1663.
As pepper supplies into Europe increased, the price of pepper declined (though the total value of the import trade generally did not). Pepper, which in the early Middle Ages had been an item exclusively for the rich, started to become more of an everyday seasoning among those of more average means. Today, pepper accounts for one-fifth of the world's spice trade.
China
It is possible that black pepper was known in China in the second century BCE, if poetic reports regarding an explorer named Tang Meng (唐蒙) are correct. Sent by Emperor Wu to what is now south-west China, Tang Meng is said to have come across something called jujiang or "sauce-betel". He was told it came from the markets of Shu, an area in what is now the Sichuan province. The traditional view among historians is that "sauce-betel" is a sauce made from betel leaves, but arguments have been made that it actually refers to pepper, either long or black.
In the third century CE, black pepper made its first definite appearance in Chinese texts, as hujiao or "foreign pepper". It does not appear to have been widely known at the time, failing to appear in a fourth-century work describing a wide variety of spices from beyond China's southern border, including long pepper. By the 12th century, however, black pepper had become a popular ingredient in the cuisine of the wealthy and powerful, sometimes taking the place of China's native Sichuan pepper (the tongue-numbing dried fruit of an unrelated plant).
Marco Polo testifies to pepper's popularity in 13th-century China, when he relates what he is told of its consumption in the city of Kinsay (Hangzhou): "... Messer Marco heard it stated by one of the Great Kaan's officers of customs that the quantity of pepper introduced daily for consumption into the city of Kinsay amounted to 43 loads, each load being equal to 223 lbs." Marco Polo is not considered a very reliable source regarding China, and these second-hand data may be even more suspect, but if this estimated 4,500 kg a day for one city is anywhere near the truth, China's pepper imports may have dwarfed Europe's.
During the course of the Ming treasure voyages in the early 15th century, Admiral Zheng He and his expeditionary fleets returned with such a large amount of black pepper that the once-costly luxury became a common commodity.
Phytochemicals, folk medicine and research
Like many eastern spices, pepper was historically both a seasoning and a folk medicine. Long pepper, being stronger, was often the preferred medication, but both were used. Black pepper (or perhaps long pepper) was believed to cure several illnesses, such as constipation, insomnia, oral abscesses, sunburn, and toothaches, among others. Various sources from the fifth century onward recommended pepper to treat eye problems, often by applying salves or poultices made with pepper directly to the eye. No current medical evidence indicates any of these treatments has any benefit.
Pepper is known to cause sneezing. Some sources say that piperine, a substance present in black pepper, irritates the nostrils, causing the sneezing. Few, if any, controlled studies have been carried out to answer the question.
Piperine is under study for its potential to increase absorption of selenium, vitamin B12, beta-carotene and curcumin, as well as other compounds. As a folk medicine, pepper appears in the Buddhist Samaññaphala Sutta, chapter five, as one of the few medicines a monk is allowed to carry. Pepper contains phytochemicals, including amides, piperidines, pyrrolidines and trace amounts of safrole, which may be carcinogenic in laboratory rodents.
Piperine is also under study for a variety of possible physiological effects, although this work is preliminary and mechanisms of activity for piperine in the human body remain unknown.
NUTRITION
One tablespoon (6 grams) of ground black pepper contains moderate amounts of vitamin K (13% of the daily value or DV), iron (10% DV) and manganese (18% DV), with trace amounts of other essential nutrients, protein, and dietary fibre.
FLAVOR
Pepper gets its spicy heat mostly from piperine derived both from the outer fruit and the seed. Black pepper contains between 4.6 and 9.7% piperine by mass, and white pepper slightly more than that. Refined piperine, by weight, is about one percent as hot as the capsaicin found in chili peppers. The outer fruit layer, left on black pepper, also contains aroma-contributing terpenes, including germacrene (11%), limonene (10%), pinene (10%), alpha-phellandrene (9%), and beta-caryophyllene (7%), which give citrusy, woody, and floral notes. These scents are mostly missing in white pepper, as the fermentation and other processing removes the fruit layer (which also contains the spicy piperine). Other flavors also commonly develop in this process, some of which are described as off-flavors when in excess: Primarily 3-methylindole (pig manure-like), 4-methylphenol (horse manure), 3-methylphenol (phenolic), and butanoic acid (cheese). The aroma of pepper is attributed to rotundone (3,4,5,6,7,8-Hexahydro-3α,8α-dimethyl-5α-(1methylethenyl)azulene-1(2H)-one), a sesquiterpene originally discovered in the tubers of Cyperus rotundus, which can be detected in concentrations of 0.4 nanograms/l in water and in wine: rotundone is also present in marjoram, oregano, rosemary, basil, thyme, and geranium, as well as in some Shiraz wines.
Pepper loses flavor and aroma through evaporation, so airtight storage helps preserve its spiciness longer. Pepper can also lose flavor when exposed to light, which can transform piperine into nearly tasteless isochavicine. Once ground, pepper's aromatics can evaporate quickly; most culinary sources recommend grinding whole peppercorns immediately before use for this reason. Handheld pepper mills or grinders, which mechanically grind or crush whole peppercorns, are used for this as an alternative to pepper shakers that dispense ground pepper. Spice mills such as pepper mills were found in European kitchens as early as the 14th century, but the mortar and pestle used earlier for crushing pepper have remained a popular method for centuries, as well.
Enhancing the flavor profile of peppercorns (including piperine and essential oils), prior to processing, has been attempted through the postharvest application of ultraviolet-C light (UV-C).
WIKIPEDIA
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) /ˈtɜːrmərɪk/ or /ˈtjuːmərɪk/ or /ˈtuːmərɪk/ is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native to southern Asia, requiring temperatures between 20 and 30 °C and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive. Plants are gathered annually for their rhizomes and propagated from some of those rhizomes in the following season.
When not used fresh, the rhizomes are boiled for about 30–45 minutes and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are ground into a deep-orange-yellow powder commonly used as a spice in Bangladeshi cuisine, Indian cuisine, Pakistani cuisine and curries, for dyeing, and to impart color to mustard condiments. One active ingredient is curcumin, which has a distinctly earthy, slightly bitter, slightly hot peppery flavor and a mustardy smell.
India, a significant producer of turmeric, has regional names based on language and state.
HISTORY AND ETYMOLOGY
Turmeric has been used in Asia for thousands of years and is a major part of Siddha medicine. It was first used as a dye, and then later for its medicinal properties.
The origin of the name is uncertain, possibly deriving from Middle English/early modern English as turmeryte or tarmaret. There was speculation that it may be of Latin origin, terra merita (merited earth).
The name of the genus, Curcuma, is from an Arabic name of both saffron and turmeric (see Crocus).
PRONUNCIATION
Turmeric is sometimes pronounced without the earlier "r". Many people pronounce it as (/juː/ ew or /uː/ oo rather than /ɜːr/ ur), as if it were spelled "tu-mer-ic".
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
APPEARANCE
Turmeric is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches up to 1 m tall. Highly branched, yellow to orange, cylindrical, aromatic rhizomes are found. The leaves are alternate and arranged in two rows. They are divided into leaf sheath, petiole, and leaf blade. From the leaf sheaths, a false stem is formed. The petiole is 50 to 115 cm long. The simple leaf blades are usually 76 to 115 cm long and rarely up to 230 cm. They have a width of 38 to 45 cm and are oblong to elliptic, narrowing at the tip.
INFLORESCENCE, FLOWER AND FRUIT
In China, the flowering time is usually in August. Terminally on the false stem is a 12 to 20 cm long inflorescence stem containing many flowers. The bracts are light green and ovate to oblong with a blunt upper end with a length of 3 to 5 cm.
At the top of the inflorescence, stem bracts are present on which no flowers occur; these are white to green and sometimes tinged reddish-purple and the upper ends are tapered.
The hermaphrodite flowers are zygomorphic and threefold. The three 0.8 to 1.2 cm long sepals are fused, white, have fluffy hairs and the three calyx teeth are unequal. The three bright-yellow petals are fused into a corolla tube up to 3 cm long. The three corolla lobes have a length of 1.0 to 1.5 cm, and are triangular with soft-spiny upper ends. While the average corolla lobe is larger than the two lateral, only the median stamen of the inner circle is fertile. The dust bag is spurred at its base. All other stamens are converted to staminodes. The outer staminodes are shorter than the labellum. The labellum is yellowish, with a yellow ribbon in its center and it is obovate, with a length from 1.2 to 2 cm. Three carpels are under a constant, trilobed ovary adherent, which is sparsely hairy. The fruit capsule opens with three compartments.
BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION
The most important chemical components of turmeric are a group of compounds called curcuminoids, which include curcumin (diferuloylmethane), demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin. The best-studied compound is curcumin, which constitutes 3.14% (on average) of powdered turmeric. However, there are big variations in curcumin content in the different lines of the species Curcuma longa (1–3189 mg/100g). In addition, other important volatile oils include turmerone, atlantone, and zingiberene. Some general constituents are sugars, proteins, and resins.
USES
CULINARY
Turmeric grows wild in the forests of South and Southeast Asia. It is one of the key ingredients in many Asian dishes. Indian traditional medicine, called Siddha, has recommended turmeric for medicine. Its use as a coloring agent is not of primary value in South Asian cuisine.
Turmeric is mostly used in savory dishes, but is used in some sweet dishes, such as the cake sfouf. In India, turmeric plant leaf is used to prepare special sweet dishes, patoleo, by layering rice flour and coconut-jaggery mixture on the leaf, then closing and steaming it in a special copper steamer (goa).
In recipes outside South Asia, turmeric is sometimes used as an agent to impart a rich, custard-like yellow color. It is used in canned beverages, baked products, dairy products, ice cream, yogurt, yellow cakes, orange juice, biscuits, popcorn color, cereals, sauces, gelatins, etc. It is a significant ingredient in most commercial curry powders.
Most turmeric is used in the form of rhizome powder. In some regions (especially in Maharashtra, Goa, Konkan, and Kanara), turmeric leaves are used to wrap and cook food. Turmeric leaves are mainly used in this way in areas where turmeric is grown locally, since the leaves used are freshly picked. Turmeric leaves impart a distinctive flavor.
Although typically used in its dried, powdered form, turmeric is also used fresh, like ginger. It has numerous uses in East Asian recipes, such as pickle that contains large chunks of soft turmeric, made from fresh turmeric.
Turmeric is widely used as a spice in South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking. Many Persian dishes use turmeric as a starter ingredient. Almost all Iranian khoresh dishes are started using onions caramelized in oil and turmeric, followed by other ingredients.
In India and Nepal, turmeric is widely grown and extensively used in many vegetable and meat dishes for its color; it is also used for its supposed value in traditional medicine.
In South Africa, turmeric is used to give boiled white rice a golden colour.
In Vietnamese cuisine, turmeric powder is used to color and enhance the flavors of certain dishes, such as bánh xèo, bánh khọt, and mi quang. The powder is used in many other Vietnamese stir-fried and soup dishes.
The staple Cambodian curry paste kroeung, used in many dishes including amok, typically contains fresh turmeric.
In Indonesia, turmeric leaves are used for Minangese or Padangese curry base of Sumatra, such as rendang, sate padang, and many other varieties.
In Thailand, fresh turmeric rhizomes are widely used in many dishes, in particular in the southern Thai cuisine, such as the yellow curry and turmeric soup.
In medieval Europe, turmeric became known as Indian saffron because it was widely used as an alternative to the far more expensive saffron spice.
TRADITIONAL USES
In Ayurvedic practices, turmeric has been used to treat a variety of internal disorders, such as indigestion, throat infections, common colds, or liver ailments, as well as topically to cleanse wounds or treat skin sores.
RESEARCH
Basic research shows extracts from turmeric may have antifungal and antibacterial properties.
Turmeric is under study for its potential to affect human diseases, including kidney and cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, cancer, irritable bowel disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and other clinical disorders.
DYE
Turmeric makes a poor fabric dye, as it is not very light fast, but is commonly used in Indian and Bangladeshi clothing, such as saris and Buddhist monks's robes. Turmeric (coded as E100 when used as a food additive) is used to protect food products from sunlight. The oleoresin is used for oil-containing products. A curcumin and polysorbate solution or curcumin powder dissolved in alcohol is used for water-containing products. Over-coloring, such as in pickles, relishes, and mustard, is sometimes used to compensate for fading.
In combination with annatto (E160b), turmeric has been used to color cheeses, yogurt, dry mixes, salad dressings, winter butter and margarine. Turmeric is also used to give a yellow color to some prepared mustards, canned chicken broths, and other foods (often as a much cheaper replacement for saffron).
INDICATOR
Turmeric paper, also called curcuma paper or in German literature Curcumapapier is paper steeped in a tincture of turmeric and allowed to dry. It is used in chemical analysis as an indicator for acidity and alkalinity. The paper is yellow in acidic and neutral solutions and turns brown to reddish-brown in alkaline solutions, with transition between pH of 7.4 and 9.2.
For pH detection, turmeric paper has been replaced in common use by litmus paper. Turmeric can be used as a substitute for phenolphthalein, as its color change pH range is similar.
CEREMONIAL USES AND MYTHS
Turmeric is considered auspicious and holy in India and has been used in various Hindu ceremonies for millennia. It remains popular in India for wedding and religious ceremonies.
Turmeric has played an important role in Hindu spiritualism. The robes of the Hindu monks were traditionally colored with a yellow dye made of turmeric. Because of its yellow-orange coloring, turmeric was associated with the sun or the Thirumal in the mythology of ancient Tamil religion. Yellow is the color of the solar plexus chakra which in traditional Tamil Siddha medicine is an energy center. Orange is the color of the sacral chakra.
The plant is used in Poosai (Tamil) to represent a form of the Tamil Goddess Kottravai. In Eastern India, the plant is used as one of the nine components of navapatrika along with young plantain or banana plant, taro leaves, barley (jayanti), wood apple (bilva), pomegranate (darimba), asoka, manaka or manakochu, and rice paddy. The Navaptrika worship is an important part of Durga festival rituals.
It is used in poosai to make a form of Ganesha. Yaanaimugathaan, the remover of obstacles, is invoked at the beginning of almost any ceremony and a form of Yaanaimugathaan for this purpose is made by mixing turmeric with water and forming it into a cone-like shape.
Haldi ceremony (called Gaye holud in Bengal) (literally "yellow on the body") is a ceremony observed during Hindu wedding celebrations in many parts of India including Bengal, Punjab, Maharashtra and Gujarat. The 'ceremony takes place one or two days before the religious and legal Bengali wedding ceremonies. The turmeric paste is applied by friends to the bodies of the couple. This is said to soften the skin, but also colors them with the distinctive yellow hue that gives its name to this ceremony. It may be a joint event for the bride and groom's families, or it may consist of separate events for the bride's family and the groom's family.
During the Tamil festival Pongal, a whole turmeric plant with fresh rhizomes is offered as a thanksgiving offering to Suryan, the sun god. Also, the fresh plant sometimes is tied around the sacred Pongal pot in which an offering of pongal is prepared.
In Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, as a part of the Tamil/Telugu marriage ritual, dried turmeric tuber tied with string is used to create a Thali necklace, the equivalent of marriage rings in western cultures. In western and coastal India, during weddings of the Marathi and Konkani people, Kannada Brahmins turmeric tubers are tied with strings by the couple to their wrists during a ceremony called Kankanabandhana.
Friedrich Ratzel in The History of Mankind reported in 1896 that in Micronesia, the preparation of turmeric powder for embellishment of body, clothing, and utensils had ceremonial character.
ADULTERATION
As turmeric and other spices are commonly sold by weight, the potential exists for powders of toxic, cheaper agents with a similar color to be added, such as lead(II,IV) oxide, giving turmeric an orange-red color instead of its native gold-yellow. Another common adulterant in turmeric, metanil yellow (also known as acid yellow 36), is considered an illegal dye for use in foods by the British Food Standards Agency.
WIKIPEDIA
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Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: During pregnancy and while breast-feeding, turmeric is LIKELY SAFE when taken by mouth in amounts commonly found in food. However, turmeric is LIKELY UNSAFE when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts during pregnancy. It might promote a menstrual period or stimulate the uterus, putting the pregnancy at risk. Do not take medicinal amounts of turmeric if you are pregnant. There is not enough information to rate the safety of medicinal amounts of turmeric during breast-feeding. It is best not to use it.
Surgery: Turmeric might slow blood clotting. It might cause extra bleeding during and after surgery. Stop using turmeric at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
Diabetes: Curcumin, a chemical in turmeric, might decrease blood sugar in people with diabetes. Use with caution in people with diabetes as it might make blood sugar too low.
A stomach disorder called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): Turmeric can cause stomach upset in some people. It might make stomach problems such as GERD worse. Do not take turmeric if it worsens symptoms of GERD.
Hormone-sensitive condition such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: Turmeric contains a chemical called curcumin, which might act like the hormone estrogen. In theory, turmeric might make hormone-sensitive conditions worse. However, some research shows that turmeric reduces the effects of estrogen in some hormone-sensitive cancer cells. Therefore, turmeric might have beneficial effects on hormone-sensitive conditions. Until more is known, use cautiously if you have a condition that might be made worse by exposure to hormones.
Infertility: Turmeric might lower testosterone levels and decrease sperm movement when taken by mouth by men. This might reduce fertility. Turmeric should be used cautiously by people trying to have a baby.
Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with TURMERIC
Turmeric might slow blood clotting. Taking turmeric along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.
Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.
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