Turmeric (Haldi) also known as golden spice, is a very common spice used in Indian curry because of its warm and earthy trait and vibrant yellow colour.
It also has been traditionally used in Indian medicine (Ayurveda) for thousands of years due to its medicinal properties and many health benefits.
The bioactive compound in turmeric — is ‘’curcumin’’ which gives the spice its characteristic bright yellow colour and has powerful medicinal properties. It has anti-inflammatory effects and is a very potent antioxidant. Here, we outline the potential health benefits of curcumin (turmeric) backed by science:
- Anti-Inflammatory Properties: Chronic inflammation leads to many diseases. Curcumin is a very potent anti-inflammatory agent. It suppresses many molecules known to play major roles in inflammation such as NF-kB which is believed to play a major role in many chronic inflammatory diseases.
- Antioxidant Properties: Curcumin has powerful antioxidant effects. It neutralizes free-radicals. It also stimulates the body's own antioxidant defences.
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Antimicrobial Properties: Turmeric has strong antibacterial effects. It reduces the growth of many disease-causing bacteria. It also can destroy the fungal cell membranes and thus used in combination with fungal medication for better outcomes.
‘‘Curcumin boosts levels of the brain hormone BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), which increases the growth of new neurons and fights various degenerative diseases including depression and Alzheimer's disease.’’
- Natural Immunity –Booster: Turmeric naturally boosts the immune system, even in people with immune disorders.
- Improved Brain Function: Curcumin boosts levels of the brain hormone BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), which increases the growth of new neurons and fights various degenerative diseases including depression and Alzheimer's disease. It may also improve the brain functions by improving memory, thus makes you smarter.
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Relieve in Osteoarthritis: Arthritis is a common disorder
characterized by joint inflammation. curcumin can reduce markers of inflammation and thus can help treat symptoms of arthritis and more effective than anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. - Lower the Heart Disease Risk: Curcumin reduces the LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and improves the function of the endothelium and is a potent anti-inflammatory agent and antioxidant thus reduce the risk of heart disease as a result.
- Aids in Digestion: Turmeric help in digestion as it can help reduce gut spasms and flatulence. Furthermore, its anti-inflammatory properties may aid in reducing gut inflammation, which can help with digestion.
- Reduces Diabetes Risk: Curcumin can improve blood sugar metabolism and potentially reduce the effects of diabetes on your body. its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, reduces the insulin resistance, high blood sugar, and hyperlipidaemia.
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Anti – Cancer Properties: Multiple studies showed that curcumin can reduce the growth of cancerous cells in and inhibit the growth of tumours.
‘‘Curcumin may help delay aging and fight age-related chronic diseases and thus become very popular as an anti-aging supplement.’’
- Improve Skin Health - Curcumin may be an effective treatment for a variety of skin conditions, including acne, dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis due to its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties.
- Delay Signs of Aging - Curcumin may help delay aging and fight age-related chronic diseases and thus become very popular as an anti-aging supplement.
Unfortunately, curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream., and It would be very difficult to get the desirable anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and other benefits just using the turmeric spice in our foods.
But combining black pepper (or piperine as an active compound) with turmeric can naturally enhance the absorption of curcumin by 2000%.
Benefits of Turmeric Tea
Anyone can benefit from drinking turmeric tea, especially because it boosts
the immune system, fights with inflammation or infections, and act as a potent antioxidant and anticancer agent. People with pain caused by inflammation can benefit the most such as osteoarthritis, pancreatitis patients without any side effects.
Anyone can benefit from drinking turmeric tea, especially because it boosts the immune system, fights with inflammation or infections, and act as a potent antioxidant and anticancer agent. People with pain caused by inflammation can benefit the most such as osteoarthritis, pancreatitis patients without any side effects.
Grandma’s Kadha is a solution for those looking for a convenient way to get these benefits. It is an Ayurvedic Kadha or decoction prepared by combining the 13 most potent medicinal spices and herbs including Turmeric, Coriander, Mulethi, Black pepper, Tulsi, Amla, Ginger, Bharangi, etc. This synergistic formula is a natural immunity-booster to cure a seasonal cold, cough, headaches, and infections. Simply drop a tablet in hot water and enjoy!
Take Away:
There are many health benefits of including turmeric in our diet. The golden spice is a natural immunity booster, helps relieve pain, and aid in digestion.
If you’re looking to fully enjoy the advantages of turmeric, consider Grandma’s Kadha which has no side effects and is 100% natural. Make it a part of your daily self-care ritual to get the maximum health benefits.
References
1. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin, Venugopal P Menon, Adluri Ram Sudheer, Adv Exp Med Biol, 2007;595:105-25. doi: 10.1007/978-0-387-46401-5_3, (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17569207/)
2. Antioxidant and radical scavenging properties of curcumin, TubaAk İlhami Gülçin, Chemico-Biological Interactions, Volume 174, Issue 1, 10 July 2008, Pages 27-37,(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0009279708002573.)
3. Antimicrobial activity of turmeric extract and its potential use in food industry, Parveen Gul and Jehan Bakht, Journal of Food and Science Technology, 2015 Apr; 52(4): 2272–2279. doi: 10.1007/s13197-013-1195-4, (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4375173/)
4. "Spicing up" of the immune system by curcumin, Ganesh Chandra Jagetia, Bharat B Aggarwal, Journal of Clinical Immunology, 2007 Jan;27(1):19-35. doi: 10.1007/s10875-006-9066-7, (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17211725/)
5. Curcumin Enhances Neurogenesis and Cognition in Aged Rats: Implications for Transcriptional Interactions Related to Growth and Synaptic Plasticity, Suzhen Dong ,Qingwen Zeng ,E. Siobhan Mitchell,Jin Xiu,Yale Duan ,Chunxia Li ,Jyoti K. Tiwari,Yinghe Hu,Xiaohua Cao ,Zheng Zha, PLOS One, February 16, 2012https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0031211, (https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0031211)
6. Efficacy of Turmeric Extracts and Curcumin for Alleviating the Symptoms of Joint Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials, James W. Daily, Mini Yang, and Sunmin Park, Journal of the Medicinal Food, 2016 Aug 1. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2016.3705, (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5003001/)
10. The protective role of curcumin in cardiovascular diseases, Wanwarang Wongcharoen, Arintaya Phrommintikul, International Journal of Cardiology, 2009 Apr 3;133(2):145-51. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2009.01.073, (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19233493/)
11. Therapeutic potential of curcumin in digestive diseases, Pietro Dulbecco and Vincenzo Savarino, World Journal of Gastroenterology, 2013 Dec 28; 19(48): 9256–9270, (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3882399/)
12. Curcumin and Diabetes: A Systematic Review, Dong-wei Zhang, Min Fu, Si-Hua Gao, and Jun-Li Liu, Evidence Based Complementary Alternative Medicine, 2013 Nov 24. doi: 10.1155/2013/636053, (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3857752/)
13. Curcumin and Cancer, Antonio Giordano and Giuseppina Tommonaro, Nutrients Journal, 2019 Oct; 11(10): 2376, doi: 10.3390/nu11102376, (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6835707/)
14. Effects of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) on Skin Health: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Evidence, Alexandra R Vaughn, Amy Branum, Raja K Sivamani, Phytotherapy Research, 2016 Aug;30(8):1243-64. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5640. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27213821/)
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