It's no secret – here at Be Herbal, we're big turmeric fans. But not everyone knows how easy it is to incorporate turmeric into their everyday life. So if you want to build your recipe base, we've got 4 healthy and delicious turmeric snacks for you to try today.

Why you want more turmeric in your diet

Turmeric is one of the world's most popular and powerful superfoods. This is for good reason! There are dozens of benefits attributed to turmeric, including it being:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Antioxidant
• Anti-diabetes
• Anti-cancer
• Anti-microbial
• Anti-fungal

That's why so many health conditions can potentially benefit from regular turmeric consumption. It may be therapeutic in conditions such as:

• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Acute injury
• Chronic injury
• Inflammatory conditions
• Liver conditions
• Mental health
• Neurological conditions
• Arthritis
• Cancer
• Digestive issues

Turmeric is also good for preventing many of these diseases and conditions. So whether you're treating a condition, preventing one, or just aiming for optimal health, turmeric has something to offer you. How better to include it, than in tasty snacks that are easy to make?

 

How to create a perfect snack

Snacks need to be balanced, just like anything we eat. The optimal balance of nutrients will nourish your body and prevent any energy crashes. So what do you need in order to create an ideal snack?

You need:

• Protein: to keep you satiated and support your body cells
• Good Fats: to keep you fuller for longer, and supply fat-soluble vitamins
• Fiber: to keep your gut happy and your blood sugar levels steady
• Antioxidants: to offer you health benefits and prevent disease
• Natural Flavors: to give you good taste, without any nasty chemicals or excess sugar

If you look through our recipes, you'll see that each recipe offers these nutrients. So you know you're getting a good dose of wellness, as well as flavor.

The other important aspect of a snack is the serving size. Although it can be hard, you do need to stick to a reasonable serving size. Otherwise, your snack becomes less of a snack, and more of an extra meal!

Most snacks should be about ½ cup worth of food. This way, you get enough to satisfy your stomach, but not a huge serving of calories. The exception is when the food has negligible calories, such as celery sticks to go with hummus.

Turmeric Hummus

Hummus goes down well at any party, and is a perfect snack for work munchies. But did you know that turmeric's earthy flavor blends beautifully with chickpeas? Here's a recipe to combine the two for maximum taste factor.

Makes 1 cup

1 15oz (425g) can of chickpeas, drained

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

½ tsp fresh turmeric, grated

¼ tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp sea salt

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp tahini

¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Add your drained chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, ginger, turmeric, salt and cayenne to a blender or food processor. Blend on a high setting until creamy and smooth.

Add olive oil, and blend until well combined. Taste blend, and salt to taste if needed. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Garnish with: pine nuts, sesame seeds, or fresh herbs of choice

Serve with: freshly chopped vegetable sticks or home-made seed biscuits.

Note: You can add more turmeric, salt and garlic to your taste preference.

Spicy Nuts

Nuts are the ultimate lazy snack for anyone (except those with allergies, of course!). They're crunchy, nutritious and can be stored in airtight containers for a decent length of time. So when you add some spicy goodness into the mix, it gets even better.

Makes 8 servings

4 cups mixed nuts of preference

1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp chili powder

½ tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 300F. Line a large tray with some baking paper, and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the coconut oil and spices, and stir well.

In a large bowl, add the nuts. Then pour the coconut oil blend over the top. Mix well until the nuts are coated in the mixture. You can add more oil if needed.

Spread the nuts over the tray in a single layer. Sprinkle with a little extra salt if you like.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, rotating halfway. They should smell fragrant and roasted, but not burnt.

Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container until used.

Warming Chia Pudding

Chilly days can sneak up unexpectedly. That's where this lovely warming chia pudding comes in handy. Chia is such a great food to add into your diet, thanks to the protein, fiber and good fats it provides. Add some turmeric, and you've got a superfood snack!

Makes 4 servings

2 cups milk of choice

4 Tbsp chia seeds

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp honey (or equivalent sweetener of choice)

Mix ingredients together until well combined. Place in fridge for at least 30 minutes – ideally overnight.

If you'd like, gently heat before serving. Top with fresh berries or crushed nuts.

Choc Turmeric Bliss Balls

There's nothing better than a bliss ball for serving plenty of healthy foods in one tasty bite! Bliss balls are easy to make, convenient, and easy to make in batches. Adding turmeric makes perfect sense.

Makes 10 balls

1 cup almond meal

½ cup dates, pitted and soaked

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 Tbsp lemon zest

Add ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend until a sticky dough is formed.

Roll into balls. Store in fridge in an airtight container.

Note: You can roll them in toppings such as coconut, cacao powder or some extra turmeric powder before storing. This gives an extra pop of flavor.

What are your favorite ways to incorporate turmeric into your diet? Share your ideas and recipes with us.

References

http://www.fxmedicine.com.au/blog-post/curcumin-monograph