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Turmeric
What is Turmeric?
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Turmeric, classed as “ginger family, curcuma”, is widely used in Southeast Asia as a rhizome spice in cuisine such as curry, etc. In Okinawa, during the era of the Ryukyu Dynasty, turmeric was a product that could only be traded by the royal family, and was considered so valuable, cultivation by the people was forbidden. Typical varieties of turmeric include Spring Turmeric, Autumn Turmeric, and Purple Turmeric.
Spring Turmeric
- Scientific name
- Curcuma aromatica S.
- Crude drug name
- Kyouou
Characteristics
This variety produces pink flowers in spring, with downy hair covering the underside of the leaves, which have a rough feel.
Kyouou grows wild on Iriomote Island, and is called “Spring Turmeric” because of the flowers produced in spring. While curcumin content is lower than that of Autumn Turmeric, Kyouou is typically rich in essential oils (cineol, pinene, limonene,
linalool, nonanol, camphene, curcumene, bisabolene, turmerone, curdione, etc.).
Autumn Turmeric
- Scientific name
- Curcuma longa L.
- Crude drug name
- Turmeric
Characteristics
White flowers blossom from between the stalks during summer through autumn, and there are no hairs on the underside of the leaves, which are smooth to the touch.
This variety, called “Autumn Turmeric” due to the flowers produced in autumn, typically has high curcumin content.
This turmeric is also a well-known spice, used as an ingredient of curry powder.
Purple Turmeric
- Scientific name
- Curcuma zedoaria R.
- Crude drug name
- Gajutsu
Characteristics
Pink flowers blossom in early summer, the underside of the leaves are smooth to the touch, and there is a purple vein running along the center of the leaf.
This perennial plant, which has large tapered elliptical leaves, is commonly cultivated in India and East Asia and is known as Purple Turmeric due to the white/purple color of the rhizome when cut.
In India, the rhizome is commonly used as a spice or a condiment, as well as being used as an ingredient for traditional medicines.
Characteristics of Kanehide Bio’s Turmeric
- The three varieties, Spring, Autumn and Purple, are grown in Okinawa prefecture
- All varieties are grown without agrochemicals
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Turmeric cultivation
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Harvested turmeric
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Sliced turmeric