It has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant
Turmeric contains curcumin, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Chronic inflammation contributes to many common Western diseases. Curcumin can suppress many molecules known to play major roles in inflammation.
Curcumin has powerful antioxidant effects. It neutralizes free radicals on its own but also stimulates your body’s own antioxidant enzymes.
Curcumin boosts levels of the brain hormone BDNF, which increases the growth of new neurons and fights various degenerative processes in your brain.
Curcumin has beneficial effects on several factors known to play a role in heart disease. It improves the function of the endothelium and is a potent anti-inflammatory agent and antioxidant. Curcumin leads to several changes on the molecular level that may help prevent and perhaps even treat cancer
Curcumin can cross the blood-brain barrier and has been shown to lead to various improvements in the pathological process of Alzheimer’s disease. Arthritis is a common disorder characterized by joint inflammation. Many studies show that curcumin can help treat symptoms of arthritis and is in some cases more effective than anti-inflammatory drugs. A study in 60 people with depression showed that curcumin was as effective as Prozac in alleviating symptoms of the condition.
Due to its many positive health effects, such as the potential to prevent heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer, curcumin may aid longevity
Most of the studies on this herb are using turmeric extracts that contain mostly curcumin itself, with dosages usually exceeding 1 gram per day Curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream. It helps to consume black pepper with it, which contains piperine, a natural substance that enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2,000%. Also curcumin is fat soluble so adding some fat along with it will further enhance its absorption.
I add turmeric to almost every single indian meal I make. One can also add it to
— In soup/ stew recipes such as lentil or tofu ⠀
— Grate it into the pan when sauteeing vegetables⠀
— Add ½ tsp powder into water when cooking rice⠀
— Steep ½ inch raw root or add ¼ tsp into hot water for tea ⠀
— Make golden pancakes by adding ¼ tsp into dry pancake mix⠀— One can add ¼ inch raw turmeric root into smoothies (and it pairs wonderfully with mango + banana) ?
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For certain conditions and more significant recovery needs, turmeric supplements may be beneficial to help lower inflammation. However, for every-day use, the whole form can still offer many benefits.⠀