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Turmeric, a spice native to Asia, is commonly used in South Asian curries and has health benefits. Saffron is an expensive substitute for its bright yellow color, while curry, cumin, and fenugreek have similar taste profiles. Turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, is used in food and textiles.
Turmeric is a spice derived from the bulbous growths of the roots of a member of the herbaceous ginger family of plants. It is native to the tropics of Asia; 95% of the world’s turmeric cultivation and processing originates in India. Most are boiled, dried, ground into a powder, and mixed with other spices in South Asian flavored curries. Its distinguishing feature is a deep orange-yellow color and a smoky, slightly bitter mustard taste. Raw root rhizome is often quite expensive, but the most often cited substitute for turmeric is even more expensive.
That substitute for turmeric is saffron. Given the exorbitant price of dried yellow saffron flower stigmas, the substitution equation should probably be reversed. It infuses any dish with an equally bright yellow color but doesn’t have a pungent flavor. Since the early years of the spice trade in Europe, the plant scientifically called Curcuma longa has been nicknamed “Indian saffron”.
The active ingredient and pigment in turmeric is called curcumin. In addition to its use as a cooking spice, it has been used as a textile dye and continues to be used as a color additive to many food products including prepared mustard paste. Although very different in taste, dry mustard powder is also a suitable substitute for turmeric.
Fresh or pickled turmeric roots and infused turmeric oils are rare, but turmeric powder is readily available in most markets around the world. Along with other spices, especially fenugreek seeds and cumin, turmeric is one of the key ingredients in curries. Therefore, while not exactly a substitution, curry can certainly be used. Similarly, although they impart a dark brown color, both fenugreek and cumin have quite similar taste profiles to turmeric.
Turmeric has a popular reputation for significant health benefits. Believed to be an antiseptic and antibacterial agent, it has traditionally been used as a disinfectant cosmetic product. The healing spice has also been consumed for a variety of digestive and intestinal ailments. Some research suggests it may have beneficial effects against cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. If true, there is unlikely to be an equal substitute for turmeric.
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