Turmeric

Read what WebMD has on turmeric here

Upon closer inspection one will find that every spice and herb used in food preparation has a role to play other than taste or appearance. The essential oils and active ingredients have an astronomically long list of medical properties ranging from anti-inflammatory to analgesic, aiding digestion and even curing cancer.

Tumeric gives curry its well-known yellow colour. Ultraviolet rays break down the molecular chains. So to get stains out, instead of madly scrubbing, just hang them in the sun until it bleaches the colour out. I hang my bamboo spoons in the kitchen window where in time they turn a nice pale shade.