Turmeric Powder, Root and Shots: How to Use Each

What is turmeric (kurkuma, haldi)?

Turmeric is a cousin of ginger, farmed mostly in India and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. What we call the root is really a rhizome, a knobby stem that grows underground, and it ends up in curry pots, food coloring and cosmetics alike (NCCIH). The bright yellow comes from curcumin, the plant's main pigment.

The spice goes by many names. In German, Dutch and Russian it is kurkuma (Polish uses the same word), and in Hindi it is haldi (University of Melbourne Multilingual Plant Names database).

Fresh root, dried root, powder or extract?

Turmeric comes in several forms, and they are not interchangeable for every job.

When researchers tested 28 spice products, pure turmeric powder averaged 3.14% curcumin by weight, and most curry powders had far less (Tayyem et al., Nutrition and Cancer, 2006). That gap explains why a teaspoon of the spice and a curcumin capsule are very different things. Most clinical studies have used extracts, not the kitchen spice (ConsumerLab).

Swapping one for the other: a 1-inch knob of fresh root grates down to roughly a tablespoon, and that does the work of about a teaspoon of powder (University of Florida IFAS Extension).

Turmeric powder uses in the kitchen

Turmeric tastes earthy, warm and slightly bitter, and a little goes a long way. Common uses:

• Curries, dals and stews: bloom it in hot oil or ghee with other spices at the start of cooking.
• Rice: a quarter teaspoon in the cooking water turns rice golden.
• Eggs and tofu scrambles: a pinch adds color and warmth.
• Golden milk: warm milk or a plant milk with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper and a little honey.
• Smoothies, soups and dressings: half a teaspoon blends in easily.
• Pickles and mustards: turmeric is often used to color mustard (UF/IFAS).

Turmeric is central to South Indian cooking. Our guide to Kerala spices shows how it fits into that cuisine.

How to make a turmeric shot at home

A turmeric shot is a small, strong drink of turmeric, ginger and citrus. Here is a simple version for one or two shots:

• 1 inch fresh turmeric, scrubbed (or 1 teaspoon turmeric powder)
• 1 inch fresh ginger, or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• Juice of half a lemon or a small orange
• A pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 to 3 ounces of water or coconut water; a spoonful of coconut milk or a drizzle of honey if you like

Blend until smooth and strain if you used fresh root. Curcumin does not dissolve in water (PubChem), so stir or shake right before drinking or it settles to the bottom.

Why the pepper? Curcumin on its own is poorly absorbed (Anand et al., Molecular Pharmaceutics, 2007). In a small human study, taking 20 mg of piperine, the active compound in black pepper, with 2 grams of curcumin raised curcumin's bioavailability by 2,000% (Shoba et al., Planta Medica, 1998). Our turmeric and black pepper explainer covers the details.

Staining and storage

Almost anything turmeric touches can turn yellow: fingers, wooden boards, pale countertops and clothes (UF/IFAS). Wear gloves when grating fresh root, use a dedicated board, and wipe up spills right away.

Store powder and dried root in airtight jars away from heat and light, and buy powder in amounts you will use while it is still fragrant. Fresh root lasts a while in the fridge. For longer storage it can go in the freezer, and frozen root grates easily, so there is no need to thaw it first (UF/IFAS).

Where to buy turmeric root

Dried turmeric root is sold by weight in bulk herb sections, sliced or cut and sifted. Fresh root shows up in some produce sections, but availability varies.

Cautions: gallbladder, blood thinners, iron and liver

NCCIH considers standard turmeric and curcumin supplements (the kind without absorption boosters) probably safe at label doses for two to three months. Digestive complaints are the usual side effects: nausea, reflux, an upset stomach, diarrhea or constipation (NCCIH). Other points to know:

• Gallbladder: curcumin makes the gallbladder contract. In a small study, 40 mg of curcumin shrank gallbladder volume by about half within two hours (Rasyid et al., Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2002). If you have gallstones or bile duct problems, ask your doctor before taking supplements.
• Blood thinners: lab studies and a case report suggest turmeric can raise bleeding risk, so Memorial Sloan Kettering advises against turmeric supplements with warfarin or other blood thinners.
• Iron: turmeric binds iron in the gut in animal studies, and a man taking high-dose turmeric extract developed iron deficiency anemia that resolved after he stopped (Smith and Ashar, Cureus, 2019). If you have low iron, mention turmeric supplements to your doctor.
• Liver: LiverTox (NIH) reports that some turmeric products have been implicated in several dozen cases of acute liver injury, and NCCIH warns that highly bioavailable curcumin formulations may harm the liver. Stop and call your doctor if you notice fatigue, nausea, poor appetite, dark urine or yellowing skin or eyes.
• Kidney stones: people prone to kidney stones should talk with their doctor before using turmeric supplements (MSKCC).
• Pregnancy: turmeric supplements may be unsafe during pregnancy (NCCIH). Cooking with the spice is a different matter from taking capsules.

Find it at William's

• Organic turmeric root powder (Starwest, bulk): for curries, rice, golden milk and shots. Buy a few ounces at a time so it stays bright.
• Organic turmeric root, sliced (Starwest, sold by weight): dried rounds to simmer for tea and broths.
• Organic turmeric root, cut and sifted (Starwest, sold by weight): small pieces for loose tea and blends with ginger.
• Now organic turmeric liquid extract (2 oz): a dropper extract in water and organic cane alcohol, for adding to water or juice.
• Now Turmeric Curcumin extract (60 veg capsules) and Now Turmeric Curcumin + BioPerine (90 veg capsules; BioPerine is a brand of black pepper extract): concentrated extracts if you want a measured supplement amount. Read the cautions above first.

We don't list fresh turmeric root online, and availability varies; call the store to check what's on the shelf. Turmeric pairs naturally with ginger, so see our ginger guide too.

Frequently Asked Questions