Are you looking for a simple, natural, and tasty ingredient to add to your diet? Or perhaps an easy way to increase the overall health value of your food? Turmeric makes for an excellent addition on both accounts.
First of All, What Is Turmeric?
Turmeric, scientifically known as Curcuma longa, is a plant belonging to the ginger family, per the database at science.kew.org. Its origins trace back to Sri Lanka, the eastern Himalayan mountains, and India, where it has been used for at least 2,500 years. It was popularized as a domesticated plant, and has been commonly used for its various medicinal purposes, as well as its effective use as a dye, and, of course, as a condiment for food.
The underground stems (rhizomes) of the Curcuma longa plant are harvested and turned into the powder known as turmeric. Per science.kew.org, it has a variety of medicinal uses in different cultural traditions. In the Ayurvedic medicinal tradition (one of the oldest in the world), hot water extract of the root has been used to treat inflammation. In south and central Asia, it’s long been used for various issues such as liver obstruction, ulcers, and inflammation. Many of the historical medicinal uses of turmeric have been backed by science in the west.
Turmeric is bright yellow, the same color as the root from which it is made. It contains various substances known as curcuminoids, and the active ingredient curcumin is one of the primary substances thought to be effective for various health issues, per science.kew.org.
The Great Benefits of Turmeric
Treating osteoarthritic pain is another potential benefit of turmeric. Per prevention.com, scientific evidence has suggested that turmeric can be effective, as one study shows that taking it daily for four weeks helped relieve osteoarthritic pain in people who had the condition. This is an effect comparable to that of other medications for this health issue, such as NSAIDs.
Protecting against heart disease is a potential benefit of curcumin (contained in turmeric), because of its potential to improve the health of the endothelial membrane, which plays a key role in regulating blood pressure, per everydayhealth.com. This membrane is present within the heart and in blood vessels. Decreased endothelial functioning is associated with increased heart disease and aging. One study showed that curcumin was as effective as aerobic exercise in improving endothelial function in postmenopausal women.
Cognitive health: Per health.usnews.com, turmeric helps to increase the presence of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a substance (or group of substances) in the brain related to cognition. As a result, it might be useful in keeping your memory in tiptop shape, and preventing age-related memory loss and dementia.
The immune system might benefit from the consumption of turmeric. Per health.usnews.com, one professional source says that turmeric possesses “prebiotic-like properties,” which help feed probiotics, the good bacteria that reside in your gut. Having healthy gut bacteria helps contribute to overall health, and can make you less susceptible to a variety of health issues.
Treating depression is another potential benefit of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor-promoting qualities of turmeric, per everydayhealth.com. They refer to one 2014 study which showed that taking 1,000 mg of turmeric per day over six weeks resulted in comparable improvements to 20 mg of Prozac in depression, in patients with major depressive disorder. More scientific research is needed to confirm this effect.
Hay fever, a seasonal reaction to environment triggers, may be treated by ingesting turmeric, per prevention.com. The sniffling, congestion, and runny nose that come with hay fever are uncomfortable. Scientific study of the effect of turmeric on hay fever in humans is lacking, but one review of animal studies showed that turmeric helps reduce the release of histamines, which could have the potential to reduce or prevent hay fever in humans.