Since turmeric is often combined with strong spices like cumin, cinnamon, and ginger, its actual flavor is sometimes lost, but make no mistake, it has a personality of its own. And if you’re looking for the best turmeric powder, you’ve come to the right place. Because I tasted and ranked the top turmeric brands.
How I tasted each brand of turmeric powder
To compare different ground turmerics, I combined each brand with milk to emulate the trendy turmeric lattes, and also tasted them straight up. I do not recommend the latter.
What I looked for in the best turmeric
The best turmeric powder is somewhat subjective—tasting notes can range from bitter to zippy to grassy to piney. But for many turmeric users, the color is as much a draw as the flavor. The root itself looks a little like a ginger root decided it’d rather be a sweet potato on the inside, so it makes sense that the ground product turns everything in its path hues of yellow and orange.
The color is so vibrant that Kraft subbed artificial dyes in macaroni and cheese for a natural mix featuring turmeric. My newest suspicion is that Garfield is actually a white cat that just got into the turmeric supply. As I type this, I realize my fingers look like I’ve started my transformation journey into oompa loompa.
Besides its vibrant color and earthy flavor, turmeric has gotten a lot of attention for having curcumin, which is said to have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. But we’re only talking about taste, here.
Best turmeric brands, ranked
I’ve tested many turmerics. I am now considerably more informed and possibly somewhat less inflamed. Here’s the best turmeric, ranked.
- Simply Organic Turmeric
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Sharper. Brighter. More bitter. When I opened the bottle I was hit with a wallop of an aroma that definitely wasn’t unpleasant, but was a little bit alarming. It was much stronger than the others. If you have a deft hand, you can definitely make some magic with this potent brand of turmeric, which infused the milk with bitterness, woodsiness, and also a bright, lemon-y quality. It’s a little more orange/red in color than the other brands, so just be aware if you’re using it specifically to augment a color.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Morton & Bassett Turmeric
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If I was going to put one turmeric in a flannel and Carhartts, it would be this one. I won’t do that, but I stand by my observation that this is the best turmeric with a woodsy flavor. The floral notes are pretty subtle compared to the earthiness of the profile, but it is enough to play off of the bitterness (and it is pretty bitter.) If you want a butch, guys-weekend-at-the-cabin spice, you might spend some time thinking about where that desire comes from—but, you might also think this is the best brand of turmeric.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- McCormick Turmeric
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This turmeric stood out for two reasons: Firstly, the flavor is more subtle than the others. Secondly, that subtle flavor is less woodsy and more grassy than the others. It is a bit less jarringly bitter, and has more mint, pine, and vegetal qualities. If you want color without the assertiveness of the other turmerics, this is the best turmeric to buy.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Badia Organic Turmeric
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As someone that foregoes the pine and cedar candles for the less rugged options, the smell of this turmeric is more up my alley. Where many of the others smell earthy and woodsy, my schnozz promptly picked up some more floral, sweeter notes in this one. The taste is comparable to the others in terms of bitterness, but I’d rather take an extra whiff or two of this one over any of the others. That was especially true once the aroma opened up a bit more in the warm milk of the latte. If you’re looking for that balance of bitter and floral, with a punchy color, this is the best turmeric brand to buy. It also happens to be the best organic turmeric I tried.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
Best Powerful
Best Woodsy
Best Mild
Best of the Best
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!