This may be good news for anyone who incorporates a regular visit to the local Indian food buffet in their diet.

A new study is currently investigating if curcumin, an ingredient found in the Indian spice turmeric, has any health benefits for Alzheimer’s patients, UK newspaper the Telegraph reports. Turmeric is the spice found in curry dishes, which gives the meal its enticing yellow color.

Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties and has been used in traditional Indian medicine. Past studies have suggested curcumin may either slow down the development of the disease or prevent it in some patients.

"Indian communities that regularly eat curcumin have a surprisingly low incidence of Alzheimer’s, but we do not know why. Part of our research will investigate how curcumin may help protect the brain and prevent the disease," Dr. Amrit Mudher, lead researcher, told the news provider.

An estimated 5.2 million people in the U.S. are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. By 2030, it’s estimated the number of individuals age 65 and older with the disease will reach 7.7 million.

Though this study is ongoing, curry dishes have been suggested in the past as having numerous health benefits, including preventing cancer.