IHA Herb of the Year 2026 — Turmeric

Every year since 1995 the IHA (International Herb Association) has highlighted an “Herb of the Year.” Throughout the year that particular herb is promoted to help educate the public of its many virtues in culinary, medicinal, and ornamental uses. For 2026, the IHA’s Herb of the Year is Turmeric.
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Turmeric, Curcuma longa, is a member of the Zingiberaceae family. The word turmeric derives from the Latin terra merita, meaning “meritorious earth” referring to the yellow-orange color. It is nicknamed “the Golden Spice.”

Turmeric is native to Southern Asia and India. It prefers warm, moist conditions and can grow to a height of three to six feet with long, lance shaped leaves and a spike of yellow or pink clustered flowers. It is always propagated from rhizomes because turmeric is a sterile plant that does not produce viable seed. Turmeric is thought to have evolved through selective, vegetative propagation over many centuries. Its tuberous, thick rhizome, the source of the dried spice, is edible raw or cooked with a nutty, sweet, slightly bitter flavor.

There is evidence of the use of turmeric as early as 3000 BCE by the Austronesian people in Southeast Asia. It has been widely used as a food and dye throughout Polynesia. Turmeric use is especially prevalent in India where 85 % of the world’s supply of turmeric is grown and approximately 80% of it is consumed. The oldest mention of turmeric is in the ancient Hindu sacred text, the Vedas, where it is associated with purity and cleansing. Buddhist monks dye their robes with it.

In Iran turmeric can be found in khoresh, a recipe which begins with onions caramelized in oil and turmeric and it is included in the Moroccan ras el hanout spice blend. In the West, turmeric is used to color commercial foods such as mustard, cereal, chips, cheese, butter, ice cream, popcorn, sauces, and beverages.

Turmeric contains significant quantities of vitamin C, E, and K, folate, niacin, potassium electrolytes, and Vitamin B-6 which is essential for both immune and nervous system health. It has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antiseptic, and analgesic properties. For centuries, Ayurvedic medicine has used turmeric for constipation and inflammatory bowel diseases.

In Western medicine, researchers have found turmeric useful to treat ulcers, lower cholesterol, relieve depression, treat diabetes, allergies, arthritis, and inflammatory bowel diseases. Evidence suggests that the curcumin in turmeric prevents Alzheimer's disease, by preventing the buildup of plaque in the brain (India, which consumes the most turmeric, has some of the lowest prevalence for Alzheimer's).

Before rushing to take Turmeric supplements, one should consider that curcumin, the active chemical in turmeric, is absorbed by the body most effectively when consumed with black pepper. Therefore, adding turmeric to your diet by cooking with it may be more effective for your health than taking a supplement.