Health

4 Amazing Health Benefits Of Turmeric

Turmeric Benefits

October 1st, 2019   |   Updated on April 2nd, 2021

Turmeric is a yellow, almost golden colored spice that has received much interest from both the medical/scientific worlds as well as from the culinary world.

The medicinal properties of turmeric, the source of curcumin, have been known for thousands of years.

Extensive researches have proven that most of the turmeric activities of the turmeric are due to curcumin.

It has various useful properties with antioxidant activities and is useful in conditions such as inflammation, ulcer and cancer. So, it is also chock-full of health benefits.

History Of Turmeric

Digestion

Turmeric has been used for medical purposes for almost 4000 years, especially in Indian culture.

India is known for its rich food, spices, history, but also its ancient Ayurvedic healing practices.

Ayurvedic medicine is an organized set of health principles for both treatment that was integrated into South and East Asian cultures.

Turmeric was, and still is, a prominent part of Ayurvedic treatments. Because of the composition of turmeric, it provided cures or relief from a variety of conditions.

Today, people see it as just another spice to flavor food, but turmeric does provide a number of benefits ranging from decreasing inflammation to fighting cancer. Here are the health benefits of turmeric:

1. Anti-Inflammatory Properties

eat healthy

Turmeric is known for its ability to fight inflammation. Especially with the active ingredient curcumin, which is a polyphenol.

Curcumin effects cellular molecules by improving pain in inflammatory conditions.

It can even prevent the onset of some chronic conditions thorough blocking a molecule that triggers such genes.

Conditions arise from the immune system going against its own body when normally its supposed to target foreign substances.

When this happens, white blood cells can damage tissues and organs, causing swelling, chronic pain, swelling, and other physical or psychological symptoms. Inflammatory diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, metabolic syndrome, cystic fibrosis, Alzheimer’s.

A new study suggests that curcumin might work for osteoarthritis.

Even without such conditions. inflammation may be a contributing factor in any health issue you might have, from depression to cancer.

The amazing thing about curcumin is that it is just as effective as certain anti-inflammatory drugs. Because it’s natural, it is devoid of the negative side effects of pharmaceutical drugs.

2. Antioxidant Properties

Antioxidant

The curcumin in turmeric is a polyphenol, which means it’s a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants are substances that oppose free radicals, which are dangerous molecules that lead to oxidative stress and chronic diseases like cancer.

Oxidative stress is when there are more free radicals than there are naturally occurring antioxidants.

Free radicals can come from air pollution, accumulated toxins within the body, and antibiotics in meat. They can eventually contribute to early signs of aging, especially in the skin.

Eating turmeric or even using it in facial masks can improve inflammatory symptoms like acne, rashes, or discoloration.

It’s also great for healing the liver from the damage caused by free radicals and other toxic materials that pass through the liver.

3. Pain Relief

Cushy Form Back Pain Relief Half-Moon

A study found that turmeric can be just as helpful as pain medications like ibuprofen when used on participants with chronic knee pain.

For this effect, a higher dose of turmeric is needed than just using a bit of it in cooking.

Up to 800 mg of turmeric in capsules can be ingested to achieve pain relieving purposes.

Research has shown turmeric to be helpful in reducing joint inflammation, thus decreasing soreness and pain.

4. Digestion

Digestion

Turmeric is great for conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis because of the positive impact it has on the digestive system.

According a 2004 UK study which tested the effects of turmeric extract on participants with IBS, researchers found that there was less gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain.

This effect is largely attributed to turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties, which makes sense since there is a connection between digestive issues and high inflammation.

Using too much turmeric can be harder for the digestive system to process so make sure you take the recommended dosage.

Turmeric is a relatively safe addition to your diet, no matter what issues you struggle with.

It’s important to do research before taking a higher dose turmeric capsules, but the spice generally has little to no side effects.

Even for healthy people with no medical conditions, incorporating a small amount of turmeric daily can improve well-being, manage physical and mental stress, and prevent aging.

What Is Turmeric?

  • Turmeric, a plant related to ginger, is grown throughout India, other parts of Asia, and Central America.
  • Historically, turmeric has been used in Ayurvedic medicine, primarily in South Asia, for many conditions, including breathing problems, rheumatism, serious pain, and fatigue.
  • Today, turmeric is used as a dietary supplement for inflammation; arthritis; stomach, skin, liver, and gallbladder problems; cancer; and other conditions.
  • Turmeric is a common spice and a major ingredient in curry powder. Its primary active ingredients, curcuminoids, are yellow and used to color foods and cosmetics.
  • Turmeric’s underground stems (rhizomes) are dried and made into capsules, tablets, teas, or extracts. Turmeric powder is also made into a paste for skin conditions.

How Much Do We Know?

  • We have a lot of research, including studies done in people, on turmeric for a variety of health conditions.

What Are The Health Effects of Turmeric?

  • Claims that curcuminoids found in turmeric help to reduce inflammation aren’t supported by strong studies.
    Preliminary studies found that curcuminoids may
  • Reduce the number of heart attacks bypass patients had after surgery
  • Control knee pain from osteoarthritis as well as ibuprofen did
  • Reduce the skin irritation that often occurs after radiation treatments for breast cancer.
  • Other preliminary studies in people have looked at curcumin, a type of curcuminoid, for different cancers, colitis, diabetes, surgical pain, and as an ingredient in mouthwash for reducing plaque.
  • The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) has studied curcumin for Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and prostate and colon cancer.

Is Turmeric Safe?

  • Turmeric in amounts tested for health purposes is generally considered safe when taken by mouth or applied to the skin.
  • High doses or long-term use of turmeric may cause gastrointestinal problems.

Source: NIH

 

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