Antibacterial

• In India, turmeric powder is added to bandages or applied as paste to wounds to prevent infection.

Alzheimer's

• UCLA researchers looked at the low rate of Alzheimer's in the Indian population and determined that turmeric may be the reason. Indians eat turmeric powder daily. An ingredient, curcumin, shows promise of reducing the amount of plaque that causes Alzheimer's.

Food Coloring

• Foods ranging from cheese to cereal contain turmeric powder as a natural food coloring.

Bathing

• Indian women sometimes bathe in turmeric. They believe that turmeric's antibacterial properties will prevent infections. In addition, turmeric is believed to give the skin a healthy glow.

Potential

• Turmeric powder is at the center of a number of clinical studies. Turmeric's anti-oxidant and anti-tumor properties are being tested as a treatment for pancreatic cancer and liver disease.