The Food Chain Turmeric: The golden spice
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Nov 6, 2025 Join Professor Amit Garg, a nephrologist with insights on clinical trials involving turmeric, Ragini Kashyap, a food researcher exploring its cultural significance, and Dr. Kathryn Nelson, a chemist dissecting curcumin's chemical properties. They explore turmeric's historical roots, its growing popularity in the West, and the dubious health claims surrounding supplements. The guests discuss significant scientific findings, the lack of benefits shown in high-quality studies, and the culinary joys of turmeric in everyday cooking.
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Family Cooking And Haldi Rituals
- Seema Nagpal cooks jeera aloo with turmeric and explains it must be cooked to lose bitterness.
- Her mother Sarla recalls turmeric used medicinally and in a haldi marriage ceremony for cleansing and beautifying.
Turmeric's Global Journey
- Turmeric spread globally via trade, preservation and diaspora, appearing in royal kitchens and medical texts.
- Ragini Kashyap highlights turmeric's dual role as medicine and auspicious dye across regions.
Yellow Capsules And A Null Trial
- Professor Amit Garg recounts a large randomized trial where curcumin capsules had to be re-encapsulated because they stained yellow.
- The trial of over 600 patients found no benefit in preventing kidney injury after surgery.
