Turmeric is the seasoning that gives curry its yellow colour. In Indian medicine, turmeric is used to stimulate appetite and aid digestion. Recently, turmeric has also gained a reputation for fighting cancer. The ingredient curcumin is said to be a powerful anti-cancer agent by quieting the inflammation that contributes to tumour growth. Like broccoli and cauliflower, turmeric destroys carcinogens before they damage cell structure. Laboratory studies show that turmeric slows cancer growth and prevents it from spreading. Likewise, turmeric is said to protect against colon cancer and some skin cancers. A possible drug for the treatment of prostate cancer consisting of curcumin and phenethyl isothiocyanate, a component of certain vegetables, is being researched in the USA.

 

Curcumin is also said to inhibit inflammation in psoriasis, among others, and to reduce the formation of amyloid, the compound that is characteristic of Alzheimer's patients in the brain.