Also called Indian saffron or the golden spice, turmeric has demonstrated beneficial health qualities. This plant grows in Central America and India and its root is bright yellow-orange.
Many cultures have used processed turmeric throughout the years for flavor and anti-inflammatory properties and also as a dye.
People in modern times can digest turmeric in various forms: capsules, powders, teas, and extras. In addition, you can prepare delectable dishes with this spice and load your body with important nutrients.
This article is dedicated to the astonishing 11 benefits of turmeric on health, its probable side effects, and various ways to incorporate this plant into your diet.
Here are the top 11 potential health benefits of turmeric:
Unless you’ve looked into the benefits of taking turmeric before, you probably simply add it to food and drinks simply for the color or for its distinct earthy and peppery taste. However, to truly appreciate how good this spice is, we must learn a bit more about its benefits.
Here are some science-backed health benefits of this spice:
This spice contains a compound known as curcumin that gives turmeric its bright yellow color. Research on this compound suggests that it has both oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. If you work out, adding this spice to your diet could also help with the recovery of your muscles, in addition to enhanced performance (1).
If you often suffer from pain due to osteoarthritis, supplementing your diet with this spice may offer some relief. Studies over the years have suggested that the use of turmeric or curcumin extract can be an alternative for osteoarthritis pain relief, particularly for knee pain (2, 3).
If you’re constantly dealing with digestive and other gut issues that cause you pain and decrease your quality of life, adding this spice to your food or drinking it as a tea could offer some relief.
Multiple studies have suggested that turmeric extract or curcumin may have beneficial effects for the treatment and management of several digestive issues (4, 5, 6, 7). However, turmeric alone isn’t the answer to these problems. Researchers have suggested its use as a therapeutic option to be used alongside prescribed medication, particularly in cases of more severe gut illnesses. Always talk to your healthcare provider before adding any supplements.
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According to the World Health Organisation, diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels continue to be the leading cause of death in the world, with around 17.9 million lives lost to these illnesses each year (8).
Thankfully, consuming turmeric can be a positive step to help you keep yourself and your loved ones from being just another number on this statistic. Studies have shown that this spice has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and other markers that increase the risk of this disease (9, 10, 11).
Traditionally, this spice was used to help treat and manage respiratory conditions, and for good reason. Studies have suggested that this spice may be beneficial for the prevention, treatment, and management of multiple respiratory conditions ranging from simple allergies to more acute and chronic conditions (12, 13, 14).
The last few years have been and continue to be hard on many and it’s no surprise that a lot of people are dealing with distressing and worrisome thoughts. If you’re feeling stressed or worried, adding turmeric to your diet may help with this issue.
This spice was used for centuries as an Ayurvedic medicine for mental well-being and research has suggested that turmeric’s main active component, curcumin, may be used as an adjunct therapy option in the management and treatment of these conditions (15, 16).
Remember that turmeric alone won’t heal mental health conditions. Always speak to a doctor about mental health problems and take any prescribed medication they give to you, even while taking turmeric in your food/teas.
In the last decade, the world has started to understand the importance of taking care of skin health and people haven’t stopped trying to learn all they can to preserve the health of their skin – not just on the face but the rest of the body too.
While topical treatments are good, good skin health comes from within and this is where the benefits of turmeric on skin shine. Early research suggested that when consumed orally or applied topically, curcumin may have benefits for skin health (17, 18, 19).
Check out this article to learn how turmeric and cinnamon may improve your health.
If you’ve ever wondered if there are any sexual turmeric benefits, the answer is maybe.
In terms of the possible benefits of turmeric for women, a study done on stressed female mice found that when these subjects were fed 100 mg/kg turmeric extract daily for 4 weeks, their sexual hormones increased and their sexual function also improved (20).
As for the potential benefits of turmeric for men, the spice may also improve their sexual function. A 14-day study of lab rats found that when hypertensive rats were treated with a 4% supplementation of turmeric or ginger, their sperm motility and testosterone levels improved, which helped mediate their reproductive function (21).
However, these studies were done on animals with very high doses of turmeric extracts, so the findings aren’t directly applicable to humans.
Aging is a natural process that comes with some unwanted side effects such as age-related diseases. Luckily, research has suggested that curcumin in turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and it’s a very strong antioxidant that may help mitigate some of this.
They suggest that this compound may be beneficial for cognitive function, muscle strength, and delaying age-related diseases, all factors that can enhance the quality of life of aging individuals (22, 23, 24).
Studies have suggested that curcumin may help fight against and possibly even kill malignant tumor cells, which could help with the protection against and treatment of illnesses caused by these malignant tumors (25, 26).
Multiple studies have suggested that supplementing your diet with turmeric may help you shed some weight. The studies show that increased curcumin intake may contribute to a significant reduction in BMI, weight, and waist circumference (27, 28, 29). However, turmeric alone is unlikely to lead to weight loss without other dietary and lifestyle changes.
Read more: Matcha Green Tea With Turmeric Facts, Health Benefits And Side Effects
Turmeric and curcumin are generally safe and can be consumed by many people without any side effects. However, a small proportion of people have reported experiencing some mild effects such as headaches, upset stomach, and skin rashes after consuming this spice/compound (1).
Please note:
There is no official recommendation for how often you should take this spice in a day. However, the World Health Organisation suggests that an acceptable daily intake of curcuminoids as a food additive is 0 to 3 mg per kg (31).
The average intake of turmeric in the Indian diet is said to be approximately 2 to 2.5 g for a 60 kg individual. This equates to a daily intake of approximately 60–100 mg of the compound curcumin (31).
As seen from the benefits section above, this spice has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may be beneficial for health in various ways, including slower aging, weight loss, better sexual function and mental well-being, improved pain relief and management, better skin health, and much more.
Read more: Jasmine Tea Benefits: Science Backed Reasons To Make This Your Favorite Drink
Matcha green tea is a traditional Japanese green tea that is made from the whole ground-up leaves, stems, and veins of the plant Camellia sinensis. Matcha and turmeric create a healthy mix of antioxidants and other bioactive compounds that may help reduce inflammation and have other health benefits.
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Have you ever wanted to create a healthy and delectable mix at the same time? This spicy, nutritious energy booster can invigorate your day giving you enough energy for daily activities.
1. Ingredients:
2. Instructions:
3. Nutrition per serving:
| Calories | Carbs | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 87 | 9.9g | 0.1g | 5.3 (32) |
From the benefits of turmeric section above, it can be seen that this spice may be beneficial for multiple organs in the body, from the skin to the brain, gut, and more.
Turmeric has been used for centuries for mental well-being and today, research suggests that it can be used as a complimentary option for mental health therapy. However, it doesn’t replace any treatments or therapies prescribed by your healthcare provider.
Curcumin, the active compound in this spice, has been suggested to help improve the symptoms of anxiety and depression, which can improve mental well-being and mood.
You’ve learned about the astonishing 11 benefits of turmeric on health. It appears that turmeric may be a good addition to your diet as it may fight inflammation, help with digestion, promote a healthier weight, improve the skin, and much more.
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