Potential Benefits of Indian Curry spice Many human trials are needed before we can know with any certainty how we can best use curry powder in medicine. But one thing is certain: most doctors are not, at this time, aware of the potential benefits of curry and many Americans are not aware of delicious curry dishes or curry recipes. Curry as a supplement The actual yellow color of curry is mostly from curcumin and other curcuminoids, which have been getting much attention by the press regarding positive research on their various health benefits. Curry and Cognitive Function Curry consumption and cognitive function in the elderly. Am J Epidemiol. 2006 Nov 1;164(9):898-906. Epub 2006 Jul 26.Department of Psychological Medicine, National University of Singapore, Republic of Singapore. Curcumin, from the curry spice turmeric, has been shown to possess potent antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties and to reduce beta-amyloid and plaque burden in experimental studies, but epidemiologic evidence is lacking. The authors investigated the association between usual curry consumption level and cognitive function in elderly Asians. In a population-based cohort (n = 1,010) of nondemented elderly Asian subjects aged 60-93 years in 2003, the authors compared Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores for three categories of regular curry consumption, taking into account known sociodemographic, health, and behavioral correlates of MMSE performance. Those who consumed curry "occasionally" and "often or very often" had significantly better MMSE scores than did subjects who "never or rarely" consumed curry. The authors reported tentative evidence of better cognitive performance from curry consumption in nondemented elderly Asians, which should be confirmed in future studies. Curry Powder Research update Curcumin ( from curry powder ) inhibits formation of Abeta oligomers and fibrils and binds plaques and reduces amyloid in vivo. J Biol Chem. 2004 Dec 7. Yang F, et al. University of California Los Angeles, North Hills, CA Alzheimer's disease involves amyloid (Abeta) accumulation, oxidative damage and inflammation, and risk is reduced with increased antioxidant and anti-inflammatory consumption. The phenolic yellow curry pigment curcumin has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities and can suppress oxidative damage, inflammation, cognitive deficits, and amyloid accumulation. These data suggest that low dose curcumin effectively disaggregates Ass as well as prevents fibril and oligomer formation, supporting the rationale for curry powder use in clinical trials preventing or treating Alzheimer's disease. Curry ingredient fights skin cancer The compound that makes curry yellow could help fight skin cancer. Curcumin, found in the spice turmeric, interferes with melanoma cells. Tests in laboratory dishes show that curcumin made melanoma skin cancer cells more likely to self-destruct in a process known as apoptosis. The same research team has found that curcumin helped stop the spread of breast cancer tumor cells to the lungs of mice. The curcumin suppressed two proteins that tumor cells use to keep themselves immortal. People who eat plenty of turmeric have lower rates of some cancers. Curry for Brain Health Curry may help protect the aging brain. It's known that long-term users of anti-inflammatory drugs have a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, although these agents can have harmful effects in the stomach, liver and kidney, limiting their use in the elderly. In a study, Dr. Tze-Pin Ng from National University of Singapore and colleagues compared scores on the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) for three categories of regular curry consumption in 1,010 nondemented Asians who were between 60 and 93 years old. Most of the study subjects consumed curry at least occasionally (once every 6 months), 43 percent ate curry at least often or very often (between monthly and daily) while 16 percent said they never or rarely ate curry. People who consumed curry "occasionally" and "often or very often" had significantly better MMSE scores than did those who "never or rarely" consumed curry. "Even with the low and moderate levels of curry consumption reported by the respondents, better cognitive performance was observed," Ng and colleagues report. These results, they note, provide "the first epidemiologic evidence supporting a link between curry consumption and cognitive performance that has been suggested by a large volume of earlier experimental evidence."American Journal of Epidemiology, November 1, 2006. Hurry for Curry - and Curcumin I really like Indian cuisine and visit local Indian restaurants in Marina Del Rey quite frequently. So, I was glad to see a study evaluating the benefits of curcumin. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a plant native to south India and Indonesia. It has been used since antiquity as a condiment, as a textile d

Tom Kha Recipe (Thai Coconut Soup) This is our take on a classic creamy Thai Coconut Soup. It's a little spicier and we think more flavorful then many of the recipes you'll see. Perhaps not entirely traditional, but it still has all the essence of the original dish. You can add chicken breast (cut into strips) or prawns to this as well. Just make sure you add the chicken/prawns in as soon as the broth comes to a boil and cook thoroughly. Otherwise I have to classify this as a pescetarian meal due to the fish sauce. You may need to go to your local asian market to get the galangal root, thai chilies and lime leaves. Most everything else, including the fish sauce and lemon grass can be found at your local grocery store. *Serves four as a main entree* Ingredients: 40 canned straw mushrooms 3 cups coconut milk 2 cups water 2 lemongrass stalks (cut into 3-inch lengths and pounded) 12 kaffir lime leaves (lightly bruised to release the flavor) 12 slices galangal root 16 bird’s eye (Thai) chilies (lightly pounded), fresh or dried 4 to 6 tablespoons fish sauce to taste 5 tablespoons lime juice (or to taste) 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon red curry paste 1 tablespoon Srirachan chili sauce (or to taste) 1 shallot, chopped in 1/4" chunks 2 tomatoes, roma or other hearty variety, quartered 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1/2 cup of 1/2" cubed firm tofu Method: Add coconut milk, water, lemongrass, galangal, chilies, kaffir lime leaves, red curry paste, shallots and garlic into large pot and bring it to boil. Add straw mushrooms and tofu and boil it on medium heat for five minutes. Add tomatoes. Add lime juice, chili sauce and fish sauce to taste. Let sit for an hour to let the flavors meld together. Reheat, add chopped cilantro and serve. Enjoy!