Used for thousands of years as a spice, turmeric remains a popular ingredient in Asian and Middle Eastern cooking. It adds a unique and earthy flavor to stocks, sauces, and rice dishes. Because of its vivid hue, it has also been used as a food coloring in mustards, popcorns, cheeses, and yogurts. It is one of natures most powerful antioxidents and immune system builders known to man and has been used extensively in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine.