If you're cooking a curry this evening, try sprinkling in some extra turmeric. Research is showing what countries such as India and Sri Lanka have long known - that this yellow spice has more benefits than boosting food flavour. Used for more than 4000 years to treat a variety of ailments, curcumin - the active ingredient in turmeric - could potentially ward off dementia and prevent cancer.
According to the World Alzheimer's Report 2009, 3.6 per cent of South Asians over the age of 60 suffer from dementia, compared with 6.4 per cent of Australasians and 7.2 per cent of Western Europeans. Similarly, the World Health Organization says that cancer rates in India are considerably lower than those in more developed countries such as the US.
But is it turmeric that's having this effect? Cancer researcher Ralph W. Moss believes so. He says turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory, it inhibits the growth of new blood vessels in tumours and it's a powerful antioxidant.But before you start gulping it by the spoonful, Aloysa Hourigan, Nutrition Australia senior nutritionist, says it's not that simple. "Curcumin is just one antioxidant, and it might have some function, but I don't think there's one super thing that's going to fix everything.
Also, a lot of the studies have been done on animals and test tubes, so from a western medicine point of view the evidence is not strong enough. But it's been used in Chinese and Indian medicine for a long time, so it may well have some benefit." While more testing is needed, here are seven potential health reasons to start sprinkling away.
Turmeric combats Alzheimer’s
The primary causes of Alzheimer’s disease are the formation of beta-amyloid plaques and oxidative stress. Curcumin, which is a powerful antioxidant,is speculated to work against these factors and thus prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Ongoing research suggests that turmeric supplements may even slow down the progression of dementia. In fact, it is widely known that in India, where turmeric is regularly consumed, has a low rate of Alzheimer’s disease than most western countries.
Other Health Benefits of Turmeric
Turmeric is beneficial to the liver as it purifies the blood and detoxifies the liver.
The anti-oxidant properties of turmeric works against ageing.
Turmeric also works against diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels.
Turmeric is also used as a home remedy for throat infection and cough.
Turmeric undoubtedly offers a host of benefits. So make turmeric a part of your dishes and add spice to your life.
Improved Liver Function:
People that enjoyed turmeric on a regular basis have been shown to increase their levels of two very important liver enzymes. These enzymes are critical for liver function. The more enzymes you have of these two, the more effective your liver will be at removing toxins from the body.
Cardiovascular Protection:
Studies are currently showing that turmeric spice might be able to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the body. This oxidize cholesterol is what causes damage to the body such as damage to the blood vessels, build-up of plaque, and damage to other internal organs. Eating turmeric on a regular basis may be able to lower the levels of oxidative cholesterol in the body. This means that you will have less damage to your body and lower the risk of problems such as stroke and heart attack.
Turmeric may be the most effective nutritional supplement in existence.
Many high quality studies show that it has major benefits for your body and brain.
Here are the top 10 evidence-based health benefits of turmeric.
Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its yellow color.
It has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb.
Recently, science has started to back up what the Indians have known for a long time… it really does contain compounds with medicinal properties.
These compounds are called curcuminoids, the most important of which is curcumin.
Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant.
However, the curcumin content of turmeric is not that high… it’s around 3%, by weight .
Most of the studies on this herb are using turmeric extracts that contain mostly curcumin itself, with dosages usually exceeding 1 gram per day. It would be very difficult to reach these levels just using the turmeric spice in your foods.
Therefore, if you want to experience the full effects, then you need to take an extract that contains significant amounts of curcumin.
Unfortunately, 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 2000% .
I personally prefer to swallow a few whole peppercorns along with my curcumin supplement, in order to enhance absorption.
Curcumin is also fat soluble, so it may be a good idea to take it with a fatty meal.
Turmeric Dramatically Increases The Antioxidant Capacity of The Body
Oxidative damage is believed to be one of the mechanisms behind ageing and many diseases.
It involves free radicals, highly reactive molecules with unpaired electrons.
Free radicals tend to react with important organic substances, such as fatty acids,proteins or DNA.
The main reason antioxidants are so beneficial, is that they protect our bodies from free radicals.
Curcumin happens to be a potent antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals due to its chemical structure .
But curcumin also boosts the activity of the body’s own antioxidant enzymes. In that way, curcumin delivers a one-two punch against free radicals. It blocks them directly, then stimulates the body’s own antioxidant mechanisms.
Ways to Enjoy Turmeric
There are many ways to enjoy turmeric spice. Different cultures will use it for different things. Here’s some examples of places you can use this spice:
Add turmeric spice to chicken and other meats for a kick
Add the spice to beans or lentils
Mix it into your salad dressings
Add turmeric to egg salad to give it a nice bold flavor
Included into any curries that you eat
For people that enjoy a spice tea, create a turmeric tea
Any other recipes that you would normally add spices to
Comments