Chapter 1: Introduction

Jamilah Moktadir has consumed turmeric for as long as she can remember.

“Turmeric was in every dish my mother and grandmother would make, from curries to Western foods like pasta,” Moktadir says. “We put it in milk when ill, over cuts when bleeding, and with yogurt for facemasks.”

Moktadir, social media manager at Brown Girl Magazine and freelance marketing manager, remembers seeing turmeric pills sold in 2016 in the UK for the first time. After being excited about this rise in awareness, Moktadir’s feelings quickly shifted as she saw turmeric become the new “it” spice.

“I thought, “Why are white people telling me how to use my own spice?”’ Moktadir says. “Turmeric is definitely the “it” spice because it is the “it” spice for us. It’s central to our culture.”

Turmeric, dating back nearly 4,000 years, is a golden-colored spice used in many meals. India is the largest producer of turmeric, according to Statista, and holds special significance to the Desi community (India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh).

Moktadir acknowledges that the benefits of turmeric are excellent, but this new wave of “cult-turmeric” separates the spice from its authentic ways of use.

“South Asians don’t want to gatekeep turmeric, but marketization has created this “quick fix” facade when in reality, we get the health benefits from turmeric because of a lifestyle,” Moktadir says. “If we wanted to market turmeric, we would have ourselves. We know that desi’s would laugh at such products since turmeric is so accessible and cheap, but the marketization makes a person believe they need it in such forms for it to be successful: and to almost “see” results.”

Thus, a tale of two Turmerics is born.

The whitewashing of turmeric has divided what Desi and non-Desi people know about the spice. To bridge this gap, it is vital to understand turmeric’s role in health/wellness, food, and culture.

Chapter 2: Health and Wellness

Turmeric has become the “it spice” by serving as a solution to inflammation and oxidative damage within the body. Turmeric is now a regular at grocery stores and drugstores through wellness shots and pills, seen as a solution to solving various health issues. This is no new phenomenon, though.

Ka Man Law is an instructor in biomedical science at Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine and observes natural medicines, like turmeric, through clinical trials. Law’s research shows that curcumin, the main ingredient in turmeric, shows anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Law acknowledges that the average consumer may not know the detailed health benefits, though.

“People nowadays live stressful lives, are very busy, and are desperate for something healthy,” Law says. “So, if they want to have a healthy life, they look at turmeric for a reasonable fix and may not have time to talk to someone who may have a broader knowledge.”

Law’s research shows that curcumin includes different forms of vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for the body when activated. But, Law says that curcumin is not activated in turmeric shots.

Ayurveda is a natural way of medicine that originated in India over 3,000 years ago and is rooted in the idea that natural remedies and therapies balance the body, mind, and spirit. Ayurveda can have positive effects when used as a complementary therapy in collaboration with standard, conventional medical care, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

James McHugh, a scholar of pre-modern South Asian texts at USC, says that the practice aims to remove illness while promoting a healthy and long life but is more complex than people assume it to be.

“Ayurveda is harder to access unless you have your own family practice because you end up with very complicated substances,” McHugh says. “In the 20th Century, there were attempts to explain Ayurveda in terms of science, but this led to a divide between the origins of Ayurveda.”

McHugh acknowledges that there is a vagueness surrounding what the public knows about turmeric’s scientifically proven benefits. He says that Ayurveda plays a role in the whitewashing of turmeric within the health and wellness industry.

“In various forms of Asian medicine, there is this vague explainer on the scientific benefits with some sort of slightly Indian imagery going on, like “from the mystical East,”’ McHugh says. “It’s kind of an acknowledgment of turmeric’s history but also exploitative.”

Chapter 3: Cuisine

To Desis, food serves as a way to unify one’s family after a long day. Ashwin Shrinivas remembers his exposure to Indian cooking growing up.

“My mother, grandmother, and aunts would spend their waking hours in the kitchen, so when I wanted to interact with them, I would have to go there,” Shrinivas said. “Turmeric was a daily staple; it went into at least one dish a day that we would have growing up in South India.”

His exposure to food led Shrinivas to get a diploma in hotel management and culinary arts from the Indian Institute of Hotel Management and an associate’s degree in culinary arts from The Culinary Institute of America. Shrinivas is now regional director of operations for The Compass Group, a large catering company. Shrinvias understands this whitewashing of turmeric throughout his work.

“Spices, in general, are still new to people in the West; they really don't know what to do with them. When you look at Indian food, spices like turmeric are always introduced at the beginning of the process, and there's a raw flavor to it that's cooked out. Turmeric raw won’t have the same effect.”

Izzah Cheema grew up loving cooking and learning from her Pakistani family about traditional meals. After starting her own blog, Tea For Turmeric, Cheema’s career revolves around sharing her love for Desi food with her 32,000 Instagram followers and the world.

“I feel a certain duty to showcase my culture, considering food bloggers are essentially shaping the narrative of South Asian recipes and cooking,” Cheema says.

Cheema understands turmeric is so much more than a spice and helps others understand the role turmeric plays in Desi meals. Cheema hopes to educate her readers by sharing information on her blog and showing how quickly it is becoming whitewashed.

“I've actually created a table in my turmeric milk recipe that shares the differences between traditional turmeric milk & the new age golden milk. I don't mind when Desi foods become mainstream because it helps others better understand and appreciate them.”

Cheema hopes her blog will serve as an agent of change for non-Desi people to understand how turmeric is integrated into Desis’ lives.

“Turmeric might vary in popularity here, but it'll always be central to our culture and cuisine,” Cheema says.

Chapter 4: Culture

Vandana Prabhu’s upbringing in Southeast India involved turmeric constantly, as it symbolizes respect, prosperity, and good luck to family and friends, according to World Hindu News.

“Whenever someone would visit our house, the lady of the house would bring turmeric out from her puja stand and apply it on the visitor’s forehead like a bindi,” Prabhu says.

Many holidays within the Hindu religion revolve around Lord Ganesh, an elephant-headed Hindu god known as the remover of obstacles and brings good fortune. For the holiday, Ganesh Chaturthi, worshiping a turmeric Ganesh is believed to increase positive energies and symbolizes being in touch with all forms of nature, according to Women’s Web.

Growing up in India, Prabhu would celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi and would partake in activities involving turmeric.

“Women would decorate these coconuts with turmeric and give them to women who don’t get to participate because not all families have this custom,” Prabhu says. “It’s like a blessing because we all eat and consume coconuts, which in the south, is sustenance, and you’re giving them turmeric, which is for good health.”

Turmeric is also the main star of the Bhandara Festival which is celebrated in the western state of Maharashtra. Celebrating the Lord Khandoba, the region uses turmeric to show its gratitude to Khandoba for destroying evil.

Hindu wedding ceremonies often involve turmeric as the spice is auspicious for Hindu rituals, such as Haldi. Haldi, a pre-wedding ceremony involving turmeric paste, signifies purity, fertility, and good health in preparation for marriage, according to India Times. Turmeric is also used in henna, which is painted onto the bride’s body and throughout their hair in elaborate designs to represent a prosperous marriage.

Bernadette Prakash remembers anxiously anticipating how henna would look on her white skin as she prepared to marry her Desi groom, Sampat. Eager to participate in this traditional Hindu ceremony, Prakash agreed to get henna done on her feet and throughout her hair.

“It was strange since I had only ever seen henna in movies before then,” Prakash says. “I loved how the turmeric elements brought shine throughout my hair for the wedding.”

Chapter 5: Conclusion

Just like Moktadir, Desis worldwide are happy about this rise in recognition for a spice closely tied to their culture and way of life for thousands of years. The only request Desis has when it comes to solving this “whitewashing” effect is to truly understand the relationship between South Asia and turmeric.

“I think when people hear a spice (like turmeric) is good for you, they will run with it. But, they forget to consider that it isn't solely the spice but the lifestyle that comes with it,” Moktadir says. “The health benefits come from consistency, and concentrated forms of it seem to undermine as people are looking for results rather than implementing it organically.”