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The Top 10 Benefits of Turmeric
October 5, 2020
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For decades, the Indian culture has used Turmeric in cooking to season and flavor various dishes. Turmeric is a popular spice that is used for various health supplements, as oils and extracts or powders in for food and drinks. This is a yellow-colored spice that is a well-known ingredient for making curry and other delicious foods.
Turmeric, and its active compound curcumin, have a wide variety of health benefits for different diseases, aches, and pains. The main reason for a lot of these health problems is oxidation, and they can be cured or diminished by eating or using Turmeric due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Just like other supplements, you need to take them in moderation. You also won’t see the results right away. Like healing a bruise or a scar, the healing process will take time. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the top 10 reasons turmeric will make you feel great.
The Top 10 Benefits of Turmeric
The spice turmeric (primarily its main component, curcumin) has health, skin, and preventative rewards when used correctly and in specific amounts. So, you shouldn’t go overboard. Knowing how much turmeric to take each day with your regular diet or adding turmeric to your beauty routine will go a long way for your health.
Benefit 1- Natural Anti-Inflammatory Purposes
The active curcumin compound in Turmeric aids the body as a natural anti-inflammatory agent. In combination with piperine (black pepper), it reduces minor chronic inflammation (Source). Some examples of its helpfulness are reducing heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, PMS for bloating and pain, and bowel disease.
Benefit 2- Influential Antioxidant
Curcumin helps to increase the activity of the body’s naturally produced enzymes that aid in different protection or breaking down functions (Source). This is also a powerful antioxidant, though, as the chemical structure will neutralize free radicals in the body as well. So, while it does help your body fight back, it sends in reinforcements, too.
Benefit 3- Anti-Cancer Properties
Scientific research has shown that curcumin can help prevent cancer (Source). It works to stop the growth of the cancerous cells and diminish angiogenesis and metastasis. Although the research isn’t 100% conclusive, there have been many case studies that show positive results.
With that being said, keep in mind that there is a chance that the Turmeric and curcumin may be problematic with the chemotherapy drugs. Please ask a doctor before taking Turmeric or curcumin for possible cancer treatment.
Benefit 4- Skin Care Benefits
Since Turmeric has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties: turmeric used topically is excellent for skin-care and health. It can clear up acne, minimize wrinkles, and give your skin a beautiful, healthy, natural glow. It is also suggested as a treatment for psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease (Source).
Also, with its inflammatory properties, it will help heal wounds along with the oxidation, it will improve the wounds and scars quicker. As for the acne and eczema, it will help reduce these skin blemishes. Applying it as a mask or spot treatment can help you reap the beautiful benefits.
Not to mention, another good option for your skin to absorb turmeric is: turmeric bath salts. The benefits of bath salts are great for your skin and when combined with turmeric it can create an amazing combination for the skin.
Benefit 5- Food for Thought
This is a spice for your brain. When made into a delicious (although, it may be an acquired taste) tea or an ingredient for curry, curcumin is said to cross the blood-brain barrier and can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. It also helps to boost your neurotrophic factor and increases brain function.
According to research, Turmeric can repair stem cells in the brain. These specific cells function in the recovery from neurodegenerative diseases such as a stroke or Alzheimer’s disease. In other studies, curcumin has been shown to boost the supporting levels of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This plays a significant role in your long-term memory brain functions (Source).
Benefit 6- Possibly Used as a Treatment for Diabetes
Turmeric is said to help prevent type 1 and type 2 diabetes via the use of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant values. It can also support the influences that cause diabetes, for example, insulin resistance, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and hyperlipidemia. It will keep blood sugar levels calm and has been proven over many different case studies on animals. There are still yet results to be tested for humans.
Benefit 7- May Help with Depression
This spice is said to be an antidepressant. The curcumin is able to increase the neurotrophic factors in the brain that are decreased due to depression. After a study done on humans, in a six week test period, the people said that curcumin worked as well, or even better than Prozac as an antidepressant supplement (Source). Turmeric and curcumin also support many different health benefits in the body as well.
Benefit 8- Ease the Symptoms of Seasonal Allergies
Some suggest that mixing turmeric with milk or honey and taking it daily throughout allergy season can help to reduce the symptoms of allergies. Another application of curcumin’s anti-inflammatory properties, it works to keep your sinuses from swelling and overproducing mucus (Source). Those who took it reported fewer runny noses, itchy eyes, and irritated throats.
Benefit 9- May Help Treat Arthritis
You can try taking a turmeric supplement to relieve the inflammation of osteoarthritis. As usual, the main reason for taking the Turmeric and curcumin is due to the anti-inflammatory uses that will decrease the joint pain and stiffness in the bones. Remember to boost the turmeric’s power by taking with black pepper. Though the research is inconclusive, there’s no harm in giving this remedy a try with your doctor’s blessing. It may help you (Source).
Benefit 10- A Possible Medicine for Migraines
Migraines are not just severe headaches; they also include symptoms of auras, limb numbness, light sensitivity, and exhaustion. They are different for every sufferer. But some studies are showing that, again, due to its ability to calm inflammation and cross the blood-brain barrier, it can work in the brain to shut down pain and neurological occurrences that cause severe migraines (Source).
How To Use Turmeric
There are many different ways that you can partake in to enjoy the health benefits of taking Turmeric. In order to do so, here are a variety of healthy options:
- Use as a cooking spice in foods, i.e., curry, stir fry
- Make it into a spicy tea
- Use it as a powder in smoothies
- Use is a powder in a warm glass of milk
- Facial mask
- Use the oil as a moisturizer or to heal cuts and wounds
- Put it on top of your favorite salad and enjoy a tasty meal
There are combinations such as CBD and Turmeric that have great benefits as well.
Keep in mind, turmeric is 3% curcumin by weight, and your body will only absorb about 3% of that curcumin. The extract contains 95% curcumin, though. To use the extract, definitely discuss with your doctor if you need that high of a concentration and if it is safe with your medications. If you are going to use the powder, then taking 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (or 2.5 to 5 grams) of turmeric powder in your food a day will allow for you to receive the best health benefits.
Something else to remember is that healthy fats and piperine, the active compound in black pepper, help your body absorb curcumin better. So, however you take your turmeric supplement, add some black pepper and coconut oil (or another healthy fat) for a stronger effect.
Don’t Take Too Much Turmeric Though
Be careful about how much Turmeric you consume, and consult a doctor before taking in case it affects the pills, supplements, or other prescribed drugs you are taking. The body can only absorb about 3 percent of the curcumin that you digest. Studies have shown that if you consume too much turmeric, you can experience diarrhea, rash, headaches, and yellow stool (Source). So, taking it only every so often will allow you to reap in the benefits.
Outro
Are you ready to start taking Turmeric? It is a great and natural resource that can help heal the body and the mind. It has been proven to be successful among human users from online sources and through scientific studies.
You should continue to research taking Turmeric for its medicinal properties as you could potentially cause harm or discomfort to yourself. Find different ways to take Turmeric, as it a unique (acquired) taste. You will want to find a way that suits you best for taking the spice—whether that’s raw, powered, in a capsule pill form, as a tea, in curry, in another food dish, etc.
