All That Glitters is Gold - India's Use of Turmeric, the Golden Spice
By Conchita de Souza
Along with yoga, ayurveda, chai and namastes, turmeric (known as haldi in Hindi) is another heritage of Indian culture and tradition which has been recently embraced by the western world. In India, the status of turmeric is far greater than just that of a spice (though if anyone classified me as a spice, I’d be chuffed as anything). This humble root is from the ginger family and its properties have been recognised, revered and used for over four thousand years. It is known as the ‘spice of life’ because of its golden hue, which is associated with the life-giving star - our sun.