Instructions
On Black Turmeric Curcuma caesia
Is there a difference between blue and black turmeric? A general internet search I found
this, but honestly I think they are the same plant:
Blue turmeric, or Curcuma caesia, has a bluish-black rhizome and is known for its menthol and pine-like aroma, often used in Vietnamese cuisine. Black turmeric, also Curcuma caesia, has a similar appearance but is typically recognized for its medicinal properties and is used in traditional remedies, particularly in India.
Also check: https://grumpypantsplants.com/2021/05/12/how-to-distinguish-among-edible-turmeric-varieties/
Black turmeric – The rhizomes have a robust camphor-like aroma and a bitter, earthy,
and spicy taste. They are rich in alkaloids, phenols, terpenoids, flavonoids, and other phytochemicals that give black turmeric its therapeutic properties.
Known as Kali Haldi in Hindi, its a perennial herb that belongs to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). Its scientific name is Curcuma caesia.
According to wikipedia: Chemical constituents
The research on the volatile rhizomes oil of Curcuma caesia resulted in the identification of 30 components, representing 97% of the oil, with camphor (28%), ar-turmerone (12%), (Z)-ocimene (8%), ar-curcumene (7%), 1,8-cineole (5%), elemene (5%), borneol (4%), bornyl acetate (3%) and curcumene (3%) as the major constituents.[citation needed] Other research demonstrated diphenylalkanoids, allylbenzene derivatives, terpenoids, flavonoids, steroids, and alkaloids as major constituents.[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curcuma_caesia
In west Bengal, the rhizome of the plant is used in Kali Puja (worship of the Hindu god of destruction Kali), By etymology, Kali is the feminine form of Kala, which means black color in Sanskrit (it can also refer to death or time) and hence the plant is termed black turmeric in English. The plant has been considered as endangered by the central forest department of India due to bio piracy.
Distilling Black Turmeric Hydrosol. The hydrosol is a cloudy yellowish color with an ever so slight hint of blue.
What are the Health Benefits of Black Turmeric?
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9873438/
Black turmeric has been used for centuries in traditional Ayurvedic medicine to treat various ailments.
It has been used for
- Toothaches or infection
- Lung Illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis, and pneumonia
- Skin diseases such as leucoderma (vitiligo) and leprosy, rashes, and wounds.
- Pain from arthritis, rheumatism
- Cough, cold, fever
Modern research has also confirmed some of the health benefits of black turmeric:
- It has anti-inflammatory effects that can help reduce pain and swelling.
- It has antioxidant effects that can help protect the cells from oxidative stress and prevent ageing and chronic diseases.
- As all plants in the ginger family, it can energize and enhance stamina
- It has antimicrobial effects that can help fight against bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites.
- It has anticancer effects that can help inhibit the growth and spread of tumour cells and induce apoptosis (cell death) in various types of cancer.
- It has anti-diabetic effects that can help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent complications such as neuropathy and nephropathy.
- It has anti-obesity effects that can help control weight loss and prevent metabolic disorders such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
- It has neuroprotective effects that can help prevent neurodegeneration and improve cognitive functions such as memory and learning.
Other uses in India include:
- Fresh rhizomes are crushed and applied as a paste on forehead for relief from migraine or applied on the body for sprains and bruises.
- Kanti tribes apply fresh rhizome paste on snake and scorpion bites in Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh.
- Intake of small amount of rhizome paste is claimed to expel gases from stomach and cure menstrual disorders.
- Tincture of Black Turmeric powder is useful for Toothache.
- It is an effective herb for the Skin. It is used as a face pack for glowing Skin.
Ayurvedic Health benefits of Black Turmeric
- Toothache: Take a pinch of black Turmeric powder and do gentle massage on the affected tooth. Make sure you take only pinch, do not take it in large amount.
- Wounds: Crush fresh turmeric and make a fine paste. Apply this on the affected wound. This will heal the wound at faster rate.
And just for fun:
- Some tribes believe that the rhizomes act as a talisman to keep evil spirits away.
- Some people believe that the rhizome of the plant is a form of the goddess Kali and carry a rhizome in their pockets.
- Some Hindu organizations sell rhizome paste to use as Tilaka, with a belief that it will remove all kinds of black magic.
- Color of the root is considered similar to the skin complexion of several Hindu deities: Kali, Rama, Krishna, and Shiva.
- The plant is regarded as very auspicious and is stated that a person who possess it will never experience shortage of cereals and food in Madhya Pradesh.
Black turmeric is generally safe to use in moderate amounts as a spice or herbal tea, or juiced. Do NOT take large doses for long periods of time. 500mg per day is the upper limit according to some sites.
However, some people may experience some side effects or interactions with certain medications or conditions:
It may lower blood pressure in some people who have hypertension or who take antihypertensive drugs. It may also interfere with blood clotting and increase the risk of bleeding in some people who have bleeding disorders or who take anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs.
It may lower blood sugar levels in some people who have diabetes or who take antidiabetic drugs. It may also affect the absorption and metabolism of some drugs that are metabolized by the liver, such as statins, cyclosporine, or warfarin.
It may be unsafe for pregnant and breastfeeding women, as it may cause uterine contractions or affect the development of the fetus or the quality of the breast milk.
Therefore, it is advisable to consult your doctor before using black turmeric if you have any medical condition or take any medication. You should also start with a small dose and gradually increase it as per your tolerance and needs. You should also avoid using black turmeric for a long time without a break, as it may cause toxicity or adverse effects.
About Hydrosols: They are under appreciated currently! They have so much to offer. They have valuable therapeutic, cosmetic, and culinary properties. They are less known than essential oils yet they have been used for 3000-4000 years. Written records by Egyptians, Hippocrates, and others used them long before essential oils. In the past plants were distilled for their hydrosols not essential oils.
They are sometimes called hydrolats or floral waters —they are distilled.
The word “hydrosol” is derived from the Greek hydro, meaning water, and the Latin sol, meaning solution. When plants are distilled, an essential oil and a hydrosol are produced.
Hydrosols, are the water product of distillation. They carry the hydrophilic (water-soluble) components of the plant, as well as microscopic droplets of essential oils in suspension. Hydrosols have 1% or less of essential oils in them.
(Essential oils are also a product of distillation —essential oils require much more plant material. Essential oils are the lipophilic (fat soluble).)
Hydrosols have a wide range of uses, they are much safer than essential oils to use —they can even be used for children and babies —and they are safe for animals. How to employ:
- Are best used to help add moisture to your skin care routine by spritzing on your face and body prior to moisturizing.
- Are anti-inflammatory and also cooling, useful with aloe vera gel to cool pitta /inflamed conditions e.g. too much heat in the body causing outward representation on the skin.
- Are effective wound healing agents.
- Can be used as effective toners.
- Hydrosols can be mixed with clay to make a clay mask
- Hydrosols can be added to baths
- Are safe for internal use (try a teaspoon in a glass of water for a refreshing drink). If you are sensitive to acidic foods, citrus hydrosol are quite acidic and might not be your best option to enhance your water.
- Can be supportive to cooling or relaxing of the body/nervous system/mind (think aromatic spritzers). A true hydrosol is NOT water with essential oils in it, most spritzers are. The best spritzers are true hydrosols.
How to use hydrosols?
Most common:
#1 mist face and body prior to oil or moisturizer. This helps your oil to seal the moisture into your skin.
Water attracts water, when you just spray your face or even take a bath without moisturizing the water from the shower or spray will pull the water from your skin. However if you mist your face with water or hydrosol, then immediately apply moisturizer or oil the water in your skin will pull the water on the surface inward to deeper layers of your skin providing better moisture in your skin.
- Need to uplift your mood? Use grapefruit hydrosol or any citrus hydrosol.
- Want to brighten your skin or balance your hormones? Use rose geranium or tangerine hydrosol.
- Working on a big project, school, or learning and remembering something? use rosemary hydrosol.
- Feeling a little congested? Try the red bottlebrush (eucalyptus) hydrosol.
- Have a little cut or scrape? Use yarrow hydrosol
- Need an astringent hydrosol to clear oil and/or pores? Try Lemon.
- Need a powerful anti-bacterial? Use Niaouli (tea tree family) hydrosol.
Use as a toner, pour a little on an organic cotton pad or ball. Or blend 2 different hydrosols and add a little aloe vera or witch hazel hydrosol and make a toner. I offer these here.
In your hair! Mist your hair and fluff it with your fingers, hydrosols help to keep your hair clean and fresh. Rosemary is particularly good for your hair, helping it to grow in thicker. Rose Geranium or Grapefruit hydrosols are nice because they are a little astringent and will help to remove oil or dirt from your hair.
Add 1 tsp to a cup of water and enjoy.
Air spritzer – works great in the bathroom
I gargle with hydrosols! My favorite to gargle with is rose geranium.
Eye Pads – soak a cotton pad in hydrosol and lay one on each eye — this is nice when the hydrosol is chilled.
Feeling a little hot flash? Spritz your face with a hydrosol.
Medicinal:
Eye infections, of any type that I’ve experienced have been nipped in the bud many times by me spraying one of my hydrosols on at the first sign of any symptoms.
Poison Ivy – I have found hydrosol helpful at receiving itch from poison ivy — specifically rose, chamomile, and peppermint, used singly.
Spray on a cut or wound to aid in healing and cleaning. Yarrow is especially good at this, it is a wound healer.
Use as a gargle or mouthwash, you can spray the back of your throat with any hydrosol then gargle with the same hydrosol. They can also be used for mouth affections such as canker sores. I like to use my red bottlebrush or niaouli hydrosols for sore throats.
Compresses – after you heat the water and wet your cloth, wring it out, then add a few spritzes of hydrosol.
Other:
Use in your clay mask recipe to make the clay paste – and you can use hydrosols after applying the mask —spritz your face with a hydrosol to keep your mask from drying out too quickly.
Add up to 1 tsp to your neti pot water
Use 1 cup in a foot bath and hand bath.
Add 1-2 cups to your bath (not very practical for most, but if you happen to have an abundance of a certain hydrosol).
In the laundry you can dampen a washcloth with hydrosol and put in dryer to help freshen stale or stinky clothing.
In the Kitchen
Add them to herbal teas or water — add 1 tsp in a cup of water up to 3x per day. This can be helpful to prevent catching something while traveling, or if you do have a cold it can help boost your immune system.
They can improve digestion when taken in water 10-20 minutes prior to eating or after eating to support detoxification.
Freeze it in ice cube trays and use in iced tea.
You can even cook with them, they can add nice flavor when some of the water for rice is substituted with hydrosol. For best results add toward the end of cooking to preserve their benefits and aromas. You an also spray them on a hot dish just before serving.
Try soaking nuts in a tasty hydrosol like rose geranium or orange.
For Animals
Would cleansing
Fur rinsing in cases of inflammation, dermatitis, parasites and more.
Spray their coats with lavender or rose while brushing them —or to help repel insets or ticks.
As a compress for sore joints
Restlessness, stress, or fear —orange, tangerine, marjoram, lavender, or any floral hydrosol.
How to store:
Hydrosols can be kept for up to 3 years if stored in a cool, clean place, They are best kept refrigerated.
They can be frozen to preserve them longer.
They are best stored in glass containers.