Tumeric is a bright orange colored root that is part of the ginger family. Tumeric is indigenous to South Asia where it is used in many foods including most curry dishes and some milk derived products. Tumeric has a distinctive earthy, nutty, and slightly bitter taste. Most currys actually derive their yellow/orange color from Tumeric.
Alright, so it's a spice that's used in curry, what makes it so special?
Tumeric has been used for thousands of years in many parts of South Asia, including India, where it has been used as a spice and medicinal herb. Tumeric contains a compound called Curcurmin which is the main active ingredient in Tumeric. The main effects known of Curcurmin are anti-inflammatory (anti-arthritis) effects and strong antioxidant effects. There are many more wonderful effects Tumeric has on body which I will talk about [1].
Why should I care that it fights Inflammation? Well it's important to know what inflammation is and how it effects us. Inflammation is basically the body's defense mechanism in identifying damaged cells and harmful foreign identities like irritants and pathogens. Once your body identifies these problems, it begins the process of removing or healing the areas effected, in which case we experience inflammation [2].
Inflammation is actually a good thing in the short term, however it can become a major issue if it persist and last for longer periods of time. Chronic (long-term) inflammation is an issue that typically comes with age. As we fight of illnesses and we expose ourselves to the elements, our immune system gradually gets a little weaker everytime which increases the chances that it will experience difficulties in performing it's regular duties of healing us, resulting in Chronic inflammation. This quickly becomes an issue as it is known to cause a book full of conditions and diseases, some of which include cancer, arthritis, heart disease and Alzheimer's. Luckily for us it turns out that Curcurmin has strong anti-inflammatory properties. Properties that match over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs! [2]
Curcurmin does a wonderful job as an Antioxidant. Oxidative stress is one of the main mechanisms behind aging and diseases like cancer. Oxidative damage is the result of free radicals, which can come from the food, medicine and even our surronding environment. Anything that goes in our bodies for consumption undergoes chemical reactions that produce free radicals. Curcurmin is not only a powerful antioxidant, it also stimulates the body's defense mechanisms in removing free radicals in the body preventing future oxidative stress. [3]
Curcurmin does amazing things for your brain as well. Curcurmin is shown to boost our Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which is a growth hormone that aids in the process of the growth of neurons and neurons forming new connections. Low BDNF hormone levels are also linked to brain diseases and mental illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease and depression among many others things. So not only does curcurmin fight against brain diseases and illnesses, it also can make you smarter! [4]
Wait there's more!
Curcurmin is a strong anti-microbial agent. Meaning it is effective at fighting against bacterial, fungal and viral infections. This makes it extremely useful in fighting against HIV infections, as HIV weakens your immune system which may make you more prone to infections. Curcurmin also has anti-viral properties so on top of fighting away bacteria and infections, it also can directly fight the HIV virus. Curcurmin inhibits the activity of enzymes that make HIV infections, it inhibits the activity of proteins essential for production of viral genes and it inhibits the activity of enzymes required for virus replication. [5]
Curcurmin also can prevent the effects of Flouride poisoning. Flouride is in our toothpaste and our water, sure flouride may somewhat help to keep our teeth clean but Flouride in itself is a toxic chemical that causes many other negative side effects that much outweigh the benefits. One of the main negative side effects of Flouride is the calcification of the Pineal Gland. Curcurmin has the effect of rendering Flouride inactive when it passes through our body so it does not accumulate when we consume trace amounts of it. On top of that Curcurmin strips away accumulated Flouride in the body including actively decalfiying flouride from the Pineal Gland. [6], [7], [8]
As you can see, Tumeric is a pretty amazing spice. With no significant side effects and a plethora of benefits everyone should incorporate Tumeric into their diet or daily routine. Consuming Tumeric on a daily basis doesn't mean you have to eat curry everyday. You could make a nice warm cup of Tumeric Tea!
This is what my typical morning cup of tumeric tea looks like before adding water
Here is a simple recipe I like to use for brewing Tumeric tea:
Now your probably wondering why the black pepper, it's definitely not to add flavor. Black pepper has the effect of boosting the Bioavailability of Curcurmin by up to 2000%. [9]
I personally love the taste of the tea, its earthy has a pleasant smell and it does wonders for you.
My favorite powder to use it this one. However these ones are pretty good as well.
Try to use organic honey and an real organic lemon! Not those pre-squeezed lemon juices please!
The best powdered form tumeric available online I believe is this brand: Splendor Garden Organic Turmeric Powder, 454gm
If you are on the run usually and don't have time for a Tumeric Tea you can try some of these products:
Hope you guys try the tea or other forms to tumeric and I would love to hear your thoughts on it!
Sources:
[1] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-turmeric#section3
[2] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248423.php)
[3] https://www.livescience.com/54901-free-radicals.html
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24476477
[7] http://naturalsociety.com/turmeric-can-save-brain-fluoride-poisoning/
[8] https://www.secretenergy.com/news/the-top-3-ways-to-decalcify-your-pineal-gland/
[9] https://nutritionfacts.org/2015/02/05/why-pepper-boosts-turmeric-blood-levels/
https://www.motherearthliving.com/food-and-recipes/food-for-health/wonders-of-turmeric-zmfz15ndzhou
