Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is known for its medicinal and anti-inflammatory properties and in cooking as a coloring and flavoring. This plant is a cousin of ginger and is native to Asia. Both are considered superfoods. It has been used for many years, but over time the knowledge and importance of this plant has been lost.
Curcuma longa at Yantza Farm
Two areas of curcuma have been established in the Yantza. A large 15x30m approximately only turmeric and a small one with 4 terraces of 0.3m x 4 m where it is associated with different types of basil, mint and ginger.
For the large area worked on September 25, 2019, it was weeding and preparing the land. The cut plants were used between the rows to serve as mulching. This serves to decrease weed control. Over time they will decompose and pay for the soil, favoring the closing of cycles. Half of the area was planted on the same day.
The next day, September 26, the other half of the area was sown using the same method. The cut weed was accommodated between the beds, the soil was prepared and the soil was sown approximately 5 cm of curcuma root, at a distance of 40 cm between plant and 1 m between row to 5 cm deep.
In the smaller area it was associated with several crops. The soil in this area was not very good, so it was necessary to add fertilizer. Soil preparation was similar, the same planting distance was used but larger roots were used because the soil is not in the best condition. The curcuma takes approximately 9 months to be ready for harvest. From each plant you can obtain up to 1-2 kg of turmeric. Once you have a considerable amount of curcuma you can start to give it added value by hand, either for natural medicine, food industry or even to make cosmetics of natural origin.
Turmeric Properties
In addition to being used in cooking as a seasoning, turmeric has many medicinal uses.
- Helps reduce the number of cancer cells in the mouth, skin and intestine. It can be used as a complement to chemotherapy. breast cancer is one of the best responds to the effects of turmeric. According to Carlos García Saldaña, member of the Spanish Society of Graduates, Doctors and Graduates in Food Science and Technology, turmeric is good for preventing cancer, induces cell death in the deepest part of individual cells, eliminates the cells responsible for bladder and lung cancer.
- Its anti-inflammatory effect makes it comparable to the effect of ibuprofen or phenylbutazone. This is because curcumin acts on inflammation mediators, such as leukotrienes, neutrophils, platelet aggregation and COX enzyme activity. for this, it is a good choice for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Turmeric as a seasoning cannot be said to be fully effective in painful seizures.
- Because of its anti-inflammatory action, turmeric is also indicated in other processes that affect organs, such as inflammatory bowel disease, inflammation of the eye cornea, pancreatitis or irritable colon.
- Turmeric facilitates the digestion of fats by improving the quantity, quality and flow of bile. It is recommended when cholesterol is high or in patients with diabetes, and in healthy people it is excellent digestive from high-fat foods, it also helps to burn fat
- Alzheimer’s is a chronic inflammation of the central nervous system. As we have said before, turmeric is an excellent anti-inflammatory. This improves the quality of brain tissue and reduces the progression of Alzheimer’s. It may also be helpful in the complementary treatment of other neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s.
- Turmeric may also help against mood disorders. A study of 60 patients with psychotic and suicidal tendencies observed a positive evolution that could be related to the effect of curcumin on monoaminergic nerve pathways, mood determinants, and axis stimulus hypothalamus-adrenal pituitary gland, which controls stress reactions.
- Eye cells have many pigments, turmeric contains curcumin, which being a pigment is very useful in the face of eye degradation and loss of perception. However, turmeric does not act alone from within the body. It is also able to do it through the skin. It is therefore indicated for the healing of ulcers and wounds, and as a rejuvenating agent. Studies suggest a beneficial action on psoriasis, scleroderma, and premalignant or malignant skin lesions.