How to Make Homemade Turmeric Juice
Yellow Ginger
Turmeric or Curcuma longa is a member of the ginger family. We call it yellow ginger or "luyang dilaw" in local language. I must admit that I didn't know much about it until I made this lens and had to research more information.
You see, Mom is a proponent of alternative medicine, esp. homemade herbal teas. Yellow ginger is one of those ingredients she would usually use. She told me that it helps when she's feeling some pain in her arm or hand. So that got me interested and wanted to try it out too.
It turned out that I made a good decision as further research led me to various sites that enumerate the health benefits of yellow ginger -- more popularly known as turmeric. It is used as a spice in curries and other Middle Eastern cuisines, for dyeing, and to impart color to mustard condiments.
Photo credit : By Badagnani (Own work) [GFDL or CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Turmeric Recipes & Books
Raw Turmeric
Mom buys them by the kilo. It's a good thing that we live near the market. She actually prepares them by batches. A kilo can be good for two or three batches of turmeric juice.
Photo credit : All images of turmeric and preparation are mine. @ Rosyel Sawali a.k.a. iamraincrystal. All rights reserved.
Preparing the Turmeric
You can prepare the turmeric in two ways. One way is to peel off the skin. Mom finds this process a bit tedious as each rhizome is rather small. Plus, your hand is left with this yellow color that is a bit unsightly.
So Mom uses her mortar and pestle to pound on the turmeric and turn them into smaller pieces.
Getting the Pot Ready
The downside of pounding on the turmeric is you are left with some big pieces. However, they do get squeezed a bit, so Mom doesn't mind. She will be straining the juice anyway when it's ready.
Note : You need to make sure that you wash each rhizome thoroughly before pounding so you're sure it's clean.
Ready for Boiling
Add around three cups of water to the turmeric in the pan.
Bring to boil for around 20 minutes.
The juice has a tangy taste and rather pungent odor. Most first time drinkers find it distasteful. A friend of my mom said she couldn't drink her preparation. However, I find that if I refrigerate it for a few minutes, I could drink my glass without trouble.
Poll Time
Do you make your own herbal tea?
Turmeric Juice
Strain your juice as you pour it in your glass.
Refrigerate for a refreshing cold drink of turmeric juice.
One batch usually makes around 4 to 5 glasses.
I probably wouldn't like this drink if I didn't read about its health benefits. Here are some of the health benefits that got me interested in drinking my daily dose of turmeric juice:
> a natural liver detoxifier
> may prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease
> may aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management
> has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression
> Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
References
- 20 Health Benefits of Turmeric
Easy to read page on the health benefits of turmeric - What Are the Benefits of Ginger, Turmeric & Garlic Juice?
Read about the benefits of ginger, turmeric and garlic juices. - Smart Spice: Turmeric
Read tips on how to use turmeric in your kitchen and some more health benefits
Hey it's me Rosyel Sawali
a.k.a. raincrystal
I've enjoyed publishing lenses on Squidoo since I joined the site back in July 2012. I'm a mom. daughter, and an Internet marketer. I've been active online since mid-2010. I'm a blogging enthusiast and a text ad exchange owner.
Do visit my other sites to get to know me better.......
Have favorite herbal recipes to share? - I'd love to hear from you ^_^
Love turmeric's healing properties. It's a miracle medicine on its own and is known to have value over 600 health conditions. Truly something that needs to be spread to the public. Fantastic lens! Sundae ;-)
My dad's doctor said that turmeric also prevents cancer. My sister adds turmeric to her curry rice. It's delicious!
Never have a chance to try turmeric juice before. Only ginger juice I have tried and yes it's a bit hot and spicy.
- AUTHOR
@hntrssthmpsn: I hope you'll like it! Thanks for visiting! ^_^
I love turmeric, but have never used in quite such an exotic and concentrated form. In face, I've never even *seen* fresh turmeric, and had no idea it was a sibling to ginger, though I suppose that makes sense, as they're both reputed to have such strong and varied health benefits. I do make my own herbal teas, and am eager to experiment with this "juice."
- AUTHOR
@Fridayonmymind LM: Some people do find it hard to drink due to the taste. But it is a healthy organic drink. Thanks for visiting! ^_^
Turmeric is so good for you but I never would have thought of drinking it, thanks for the info.
- AUTHOR
@Cynthia Haltom: It's really easy to make once you've tried. Plus, it's really good to drink. Thanks for visiting! ^_^
Wow it looks like a time consuming process. I'm not sure I have the time to make it myself.
- AUTHOR
@Rosetta Slone: Thanks for visiting! Wow and here I thought Mom's the only one who likes turmeric tea. Well one small glass a day is okay with me. I'll be careful not to drink too much! ^_^
I thought I was the only one who makes this! My husband taught me to make the local recipe for turmeric tea and it's very similar to yours (we make it in the sun sometimes, too). Just be careful - too much turmeric can lead to kidney problems. Well done on a great tutorial and that beautiful purple star!
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