Turmeric is a deep gold, pungent spice which lends its flavor and distinctive aroma to curries and other Southeast Asian dishes.  But it is so much more than just a way to add some zest to any dish. Turmeric was used as a medicine in Ayurveda, the Indian tradition of healing that goes back thousands of years in India and is thought to be the world’s oldest healthcare system. Today, it is one of the most-studied spices in modern medicine.  It’s active ingredient is curcumin. Curcumin is an incredibly strong anti-inflammatory and is good for treating osteoarthritisas well as a range of other diseases include cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis and other chronic inflammatory conditions. It also has antioxidant properties which have proven to be beneficial for conditions such as heart disease.What’s even better than that is that this spice is incredibly versatile — and not just in curries.  These amazing turmeric recipes below will give you an idea of just how many delicious ways you can get more of this healthy spice into your diet.

Fire Cider

Burn, baby, burn with this sweet, tangy red-hot cider that gets its fire from habanero peppers — and its amazing flavor and health benefits from the turmeric and other herbs and spices that go into its making. The great thing about this recipe is that you can drink it straight up, warm it up and add honey to make a tea or use it as a marinade, to sprinkle on vegetables or even in lemonade or a Bloody Mary! And at the first sign of a cold, if you take one to two tablespoons of this cider every 3-4 hours, the antiviral affects of the rosemary and other herbs can make you feel better sooner.

Curried Corn and Coconut Rice

If you are looking for a great alternative to traditional side dishes for a BBQ or cookout, consider this summer dish made from fresh corn and served over coconut-infused brown rice for a fiber-rich, yummy treat. This recipe is a great example of Asian-Caribbean fusion cooking which takes the best of both worlds and blends them together in this dish. And the best thing? This recipe requires you to make a large batch of the seasoning and you can save the leftovers to experiment with on meats and other vegetables.

Creamy Curried Cauliflower Soup

If you are on a low-carb or Paleo diet but miss comfort foods like homemade potato soup, you might want to check this recipe out.  It has the same texture as a pureed potato soup with none of the nasty carbs and a ton of spicy flavor to warm you up even on a really cold fall day. Busy parents will also like this recipe since it is so healthy and so fast to put together.

Cauliflower “Steaks” with Ginger, Turmeric and Cumin

If you are looking for a great vegan meal or just a meatless alternative to a traditional cookout, this recipe is for you. Cauliflower “steaks” give a great, meaty texture while providing a load of fiber and important nutrients like sulphur and the blend of spices used perfectly complements like taste of the cauliflower itself.  Best of all, if served with quinoa, this meal is both vegetarian and high in protein.

Sunshine Smoothie with Coconut, Clementine and Turmeric

Want to zest up your morning or post-workout routine? Try this amazing fruity-spicy smoothie and see how good turmeric can be even in sweet foods like this one. This smoothie is incredibly healthy, with loads of vitamins A and C and lots of potassium to keep your energy levels high. And because it contains coconut water, it is also great to help your rehydrate even after strenuous exercise. As you can see from these recipes above, there are many delicious ways to get more turmeric in your diet — and start reaping the amazing health benefits this deep golden spice has to offer.