
In our next installment of "what the hell is that common thing you know you should know, but are actually pretty clueless about," we're investigating tamarind. You've probably heard of tamarind, but can you describe what it is, exactly? A bean... maybe? A spice... or something? Quit guessing and tune in here. We've got you covered on everything you need to know about this widely-used fruit.
And if you're wondering why you really need to expand your knowledge of tamarind, look no further than chef Yotam Ottolenghi -- pretty much the "it" chef for all things vegetarian right now, as far as we're concerned. Ottolenghi uses tamarind paste in everything; it's one of his "secret" ingredients. If that's not reason enough to get to know tamarind, we don't know what is.
In light of demystifying this pretty awesome fruit and getting one step closer to Ottolenghi, here are 11 things you should know about the stuff:











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Before You Go

According to Kalipada Pahan, the lead researcher of a recent study done at Rush University Medical Center, cinnamon may help to alleviate or prevent the tremors and poor mobility suffered by those with Parkinson’s disease. The key to cinnamon’s power against Parkinson’s is a compound that is turned to sodium benzoate in the liver. The sodium benzoate is then sent to the brain, where it protects neurons and normalizes neurotransmitters.

With so much goodness packed in each leaf, maybe the study done by a team of medical researchers in Italy shouldn’t come as a great surprise. The team used essential oil of oregano to kill drug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Their study was published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, and the results have inspired follow-up studies to see if oregano may help stem the rising tide of drug-resistant staph infections in the United States and elsewhere.

The National Institute of Health published the results of a study done in Seoul, Korea, where researchers used peperine to halt, and even reverse, fatty liver disease in mice. The findings are important because fatty liver disease is of rising concern worldwide, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is now the leading cause of chronic liver disease in the United States.

Now researchers at the Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute have found that another component in rosemary, carnosic acid, also supports eye health. The research team reported that carnosic acid protects retinas from degeneration, and they believe that the compound may have clinical applications, including helping to prevent or halt age-related macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is the most common eye disease in the U.S., affecting more than 1.75 million people.

A study done at the University of Miami used ercofolin, a compound found in allspice, to kill prostate cancer cells and significantly reduce tumor growth in animals, with none of the adverse reactions commonly caused by other cancer-killing agents. The researchers were so encouraged by the preliminary results that they are designing a follow-up study to determine if allspice may help to prevent prostate cancer altogether.

Curcumin is one of the compounds that give turmeric its clout. A clinical trial conducted at the Nirmala Medical Centre in Kerala, India (also published by the NIH), showed curcumin to be as effective as a prescription drug in relieving symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, with no adverse side effects. The Indian team used standards established by the American College of Rheumatology to evaluate the reduction of tenderness and swelling in the joints of their patients.

An analysis of eight studies conducted on the effects of sage (the herb’s active compounds Salvia officinalis L. and Salvia lavandulaefolia L, to be precise) was published earlier this year by the National Institutes of Health. In all of the clinical trials studied, sage was shown to increase cognitive performance. Two of the studies were specific to patients with Alzheimer’s, and sage was found to decrease the effects of the disease. Moreover, no adverse reactions were found. More studies are needed, but it seems that there may be more than one reason to add sage to the menu.

Yet the same component that makes nutmeg potentially dangerous seems to be helpful in small quantities. A clinical trial conducted by a team of Indian researchers (who used animal models) found that myricistin was as effective as two commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs, and significantly relieved symptoms of depression in just three days. More research is needed, but the idea that something so fragrant and delicious is also good for us is uplifting news.