Is Your Spice Rack the New Medicine Cabinet?
Herbs. Spices. Super foods. Supplements. Vitamins. We’ve all heard about them. We’ve all seen ads for them on social media and TV. News and talk shows fill airtime with stories about their miraculous curative properties. They’re touted as cures, or at least as preventatives, for all sorts of medical conditions that affect the human body.
One of the newest darlings of food and supplement therapies is Turmeric. You’ve probably seen it in your local supermarket, either in the produce section or in the spice aisle. You can use this bright yellow powder as a spice when cooking, but it’s often an ingredient in curry powder. You can also find it as a supplement. It’s also something people grow themselves and when ready chew on it.
What Health Claims for Turmeric are Being Made?
There are numerous claims about turmeric. The number of health claims made by turmeric’s proponents are too lengthy to list here, but even this shortened version is impressive.
Turmeric is recommended for:
Inflammation of the joints
Activating the genes that turn on/off antioxidants
Cancer symptoms, with no side effects
Increasing antioxidant networks in your body
Fights oxidation in your body
Dermatitis, psoriasis, liver function
Potent effect on brain and nervous system
Improvement in patients of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s symptoms
Important cardiovascular effects, such as decreased blood pressure and decreasing lipids to slow down the formation of plaquing in arterial sclerosis and clogged arteries
Powerful anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-candid, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, anti-H pylori
Helping to stimulate Phase 2 Detoxification, turning “poisons” into harmless particles and inhibits pro-carcinogens
Repairing DNA and helps cells that are damaged commit suicide, a process called apoptosis
Depression
And that’s not the full list. I’m not a doctor, immunologist, or medical researcher, but when reading about how one simple spice can do just about everything, I decided to investigate.
What is it in Turmeric that Boosts Your Health?
Turmeric contains more than 300 naturally occurring components including beta-carotene, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), calcium, flavonoids, fiber, iron, niacin, potassium, zinc, and other nutrients. But the chemical in turmeric linked to its most highly touted health effects is Curcumin. Curcumin is a bright yellow chemical produced by plants of the Curcuma longa species. It is the principal curcuminoid of turmeric.
Does Turmeric Help Everything on the List Above?
Studies have shown positive results in the treatment of various conditions. An article on the website Johns Hopkins Medicine says curcumin has many biological activities. It’s rich in phytonutrients that may protect the body by neutralizing free radicals and shielding the cells from damage. Other dietary studies have shown that diets rich in plant-based foods are associated with prevention of medical conditions such as cancer and heart disease.
The study also says that anyone who’s trying to manage inflammation could benefit from adding some turmeric to their foods. Inflammatory conditions that turmeric may help include arthritis and other joint disorders, colitis, allergies, and infections*.
Your body doesn’t absorb curcumin well, so it’s a good strategy to use curcumin supplements that have been freeze dried. This allows the enzymes present in curcumin to be activated. Also, white pepper and black pepper helps increase the absorption by almost 2,000%!
Is it Safe to take Turmeric or Curcumin Supplements?
As a component of turmeric, curcumin may interact with prescription drugs and dietary supplements. In high amounts, it may be unsafe for women during pregnancy. It may cause side effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, hives, or dizziness.
Turmeric is safe to use in cooking, though, because you wouldn’t use “high doses” of it in your favorite dishes. If you like the flavor of it, go for it. Also, turmeric is fat soluble, which means that using it when cooking fatty foods, such as meat, will increase its absorption in your body.
With medical costs continuing to skyrocket, very inexpensive preventatives such as turmeric, or supplements with curcumin, show promise in keeping us healthy. But as with any type of regimen, you should consult a medical professional to be sure it’s right for your specific health situation. Study the evidence before you decide, for your health and especially for your safety.
*https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/turmeric-benefits