Turmeric is considered to be one of the most beneficial spices. It is the roots of the flowering plant Circuma longa that you use in your daily lives. Turmeric is considered one of the top superfoods which are filled with nutrients and help in the prevention of various diseases. The very first thing that comes in mind while talking about turmeric health benefits is its anti-inflammatory properties. This aids in boosting your immunity to a great extent. Apart from this, there is a wide range of health benefits that can be obtained from turmeric.
In India, turmeric is called the golden spice, as per, the name it has immense value. And, in the Western countries, turmeric has been utilized as a pain relief medicine or healing agent for centuries. It has also been used as a medicine in China due to its medicinal properties. Even though no clinical trials or research has been able to definitively prove the medicinal benefits of turmeric, its use in Ayurvedic medicine is recorded.
Health benefits of turmeric
Even though turmeric is widely used as a spice across the globe, the health benefits it provides cannot be overlooked. The primary active component of turmeric is curcumin. It is mainly due to the properties exhibited by curcumin that turmeric is hailed for its medicinal use.
Some of the turmeric health properties are listed below.
1. Natural anti-inflammatory agent:
Inflammation is necessary to prevent the pathogens from entering your body, and it also helps to repair the damage caused by foreign invaders. It is important to keep in mind that short-term inflammation is quite favorable, but chronic inflammation is rather harmful. The curcumin in turmeric has strong anti-inflammatory properties, which provide protection against chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s, heart diseases, etc.
2. Turmeric is an antioxidant:
Antioxidant boosts the immune system and provides protection against the free radicals. The chemical structure of curcumin can be attributed to the antioxidant property that it exhibits. As per a study, it has been observed that ingesting turmeric on a daily basis can aid in the activity of numerous antioxidants.
3. Keeps your heart healthy:
The presence of the curcumin in turmeric, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, can aid in the prevention of heart diseases. Studies also suggest that it contributes to the improvement of the function of the endothelium. This reduces the chances of heart attack considerably.
4. Help to cope with depression:
Depression is connected to the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). This aids in the reluctant communication of the brain cells. Turmeric, in this case, helps in reducing the depressive disorder of the human brain. According to research, consumption of turmeric for six weeks can help you to reduce and thereby cope with depression.
5. Reduces arthritis problem:
Arthritis is a long-term disease that causes pain and stiffness in the joints. According to research, treatments like Meriva, which consist of a curcuminoid mixture, are the best option for treating arthritis symptoms.
6. Reduces the risk of cancer and diabetes:
The usefulness of turmeric in health cannot be denied. Curcumin, which is the major component of turmeric, plays a major role in the prevention of diabetes as it helps to stabilize blood sugar. Research also suggests that turmeric helps to restrict the growth of cancer cells, reduce metastasis, and angiogenesis.
7. Helpful in preventing Alzheimer’s:
It is a common neurodegenerative disease and is attributed to be one of the major causes of Dementia. As no effective treatment or cure has been found yet, the best thing that can be done is to minimize its impact as much as possible or prevent it, if feasible. Turmeric may be useful in this case, and consuming it on a regular basis may help you to fight against the disease. While the progressive effect of turmeric on the disease is debatable, studies have shown that curcumin can aid in the clearing of amyloid plaques, which are a key character of the disease.
8. Good for the skin:
Due to the existence of antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant properties, turmeric is very helpful in the treatment of skin problems. Turmeric is often used in India as a homemade ointment. It has many positive effects on your skin. For instance, it gives your skin a glow, acts as an anti-aging cream, and keeps your skin healthy.
9. Prevent eye degeneration or Glaucoma:
Glaucoma is one of the most popular eye problems that cause blindness. And in this case, once, the vision is gone it can’t be restored. Therefore prevention is the best option in this scenario. Preliminary research on rats states that curcumin eye solution reduces about 23% of retinal cells on the rats that were not given the eye drop. More research and studies need to be done to come to a more effective conclusion for human treatment.
Incorporation of turmeric in the daily diet
Adding turmeric in your daily diet not only adds taste to the food but also provides many health benefits. There are various ways that you can include turmeric in your daily diet.
Some recipes of turmeric drinks and food items through which you can include turmeric in your daily diet are given below.
1. Turmeric tea:
One of the most popular drinks that you may consume in your daily life is turmeric tea. This is used as a remedy for curing a common cold, throat problem, and sometimes you can even consume it during your flu. Making turmeric tea is quite easy. You just need to add 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder in your regular tea.
2. Turmeric milk:
This is a very famous drink in India and is considered as a great home remedy. It is consumed to build up immunity, especially of children. It is believed that turmeric milk helps to improve children’s memory and against the flu or cold. To make turmeric milk, you need to put one spoon of turmeric powder in your regular milk.
3. Turmeric soup or Curry:
Adding turmeric in soup or curry is a very common and natural occurrence while cooking in India. It requires putting just one or two spoons of turmeric powder in regular chicken or vegetable recipes. Without even realizing, people in India consume food items with turmeric in it.
4. Turmeric in smoothies and juice:
It is always quite delicious if you add turmeric root in smoothies or juice. However, you just need to add a very little portion (one teaspoon) of turmeric powder in your smoothie or juice. By doing so, it will not only be healthy for you but add up to the look of the drink as well.
Turmeric in eggs:
The best way to get kids to consume some turmeric is simply by hiding them in foods that are already yellow. You can mix a healthy dose of turmeric in scrambled eggs. This way you get to boost the immunity of your children and avoid unpleasant tantrums at the same time.
Turmeric in muffins
What better way to consume turmeric than by incorporating it into delectable muffins? Using cashews, bananas, baking powder, coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, turmeric, and salt, you can bake cute tasty muffins and increase the immunity of your family with ease.
It is very true that turmeric has many health benefits, and ingesting turmeric daily may keep you healthy. However, it can’t be denied that consumption of excessive turmeric may lead to consequences that can be harmful to your health. If you cannot ingest turmeric solely, then you can combine it with black pepper and try it. The turmeric and black pepper health benefits are massive.
It is advisable to consult a doctor before consuming excess turmeric daily. Some people may have allergies or there might be some unwanted side-effects. To prevent this, it is better to heed the advice given by the doctor and then act accordingly.
