Turmeric is a type of herb and belongs to the ginger family. It is widely cultivated in India. Known commonly as Haldi in the Hindi language, it is a widely cultivated tropical plant having reddish yellow flowers. It is used as a condiment, a medicine and a dye. It is an integral part of food in India. It has so many medicinal properties that it can easily be considered the best herb. Turmeric alone can cure many diseases. Keep turmeric in your home and the doctor stays away. Its importance in daily life has been known in India since ages gone by. The Chinese as well used and even currently use the Turmeric and the turmeric oil for the treatment of ailments. In Unani (the ancient Persian system of medicine) Hakeems (medicine practitioner) consider it to be the safest herb. It is only recently that modern science is becoming aware of it.