Turmeric has a warm, bitter taste and is frequently used to flavor or color curry powders, mustards, butters, and cheeses. Because curcumin and other chemicals in turmeric might decrease swelling, it is often used to treat conditions that involve pain and inflammation. People commonly use turmeric for osteoarthritis.

Turmeric is a product of Curcuma longa, a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the ginger family Zingiberaceae, which is native to tropical South Asia. As many as 133 species of Curcuma have been identified worldwide

 The flavor of turmeric is described as a little bitter, a little peppery like mustard or horseradish, with a slight ginger flavor. It's most often used for coloring more than for the flavor. If you leave it out of a recipe, you may not notice much change in flavor, but the dish won't be as golden as desired.