Taking Turmeric

Question:Is turmeric injected or taken orally?


Reply: Usually turmeric is taken orally, but it can be injected. Because it is an herb, in many parts of the world, namely India, it is used to season many dishes.

Here in the US, you can find it in capsule form at your health food store or in the vitamin section of many general stores. In the grocery store, look in the spice section.

The plant is a rhizome similar to ginger, except it is a deep yellow color. If not used fresh, the rhizome is boiled for several hours then dried in a hot oven. After that it is ground into the yellow powder that we are more familiar with.

The yellow spice is used in curries, mustards. It's also used as a food additive to give foods a more yellow color. Foods like butter, canned beverages, baked products, dairy products, ice cream, yogurt, yellow cakes, orange juice, biscuits, popcorn color, sweets, cake icings, cereals, sauces, and gelatins, use turmeric as a coloring agent.

As an herb, it's medicinal qualities are many. Their are studies which are trying to find out just how many ailments it can help. Many people use it as a treatment for pain among other things. Here's a Time's article about turmeric and pain. (Clicking link opens a new window.)

As far as injecting turmeric, the substance may cause irritation to the veins, but it has been done. In a study it has also been injected directly into the colons of rats to treat cancer.

Injecting it into your bloodstream may cause irritation as I said earlier, and injection site reactions. To be on the safe side, herbal supplementation and cooking with turmeric are probably the safest way to gain the benefits from it. At least until more research has been done.