Turmeric is a golden spice that gives curry its yellow color, It has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb. Recently science has started to backup what Indians have known for a long time-it really does contain compounds with medicinal properties. These compounds are called curcuminoids, the most important of which is curcumin. Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant.