Turmeric grows wild in the forests of South and Southeast Asia, and is cultivated for culinary and medicinal use. It's a key ingredient in the yellow-orange curry spice blends used in many Indian, Persian, Thai, Chinese, and Indonesian dishes. The ancient Indian medicine tradition known as Ayurveda has long featured turmeric in healing*. The orange-yellow "curcuminoid" compounds that give turmeric its rich hue are believed responsible for the root's potential health benefits*. Researchers use the term "curcumin" in reference to three specific curcuminoids, which appear largely responsible for its beneficial effects. Together with modern epidemiological evidence from India, where turmeric root and turmeric-rich curries are dietary staples, its ancient healing tradition has triggered extensive research into the possible health-promoting properties of curcumin.