Surprising Benefits of Turmeric
Turmeric has long been recognized for it’s medicinal properties, dating back nearly 4000 years. It has been used for centuries by physicians of Aryuveda as a plant-based drug to treat various diseases and ailments. Throughout history, turmeric has also been used as a cosmetic, a dye for silk and wool and to add color and flavor to foods.
The Research:
In January 2018, a study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry looked at curcumin’s potential impact on cognitive function and memory performance in people without dementia. Forty adults between the ages of 50 and 90 with mild memory complaints were randomly assigned to receive a placebo or 90 mg of curcumin twice daily for 18 months. Among other reported benefits, the participants receiving the curcumin supplement saw a 28% improvement in memory tests at the end of 18 months.
In addition, two randominzed, double-blind studies showed that the addition of curcumin to treatment yielded better results in clinical and endoscopic remission in patients with mild-to-moderate active ulcerative colitis.
Several other studies show evidence that curcumin supplementation exerted a positive effect in patients with metabolic syndrome, diabetes, various types of cancers, arthritis and depression.
Any athletes or avid exercisers reading along? You’ll be interested in this article published in April 2017. The researchers found curcumin supplementation helped reduce muscle damage and soreness in healthy, young athletes. One of the researchers states:
“The antioxidant curcumin is able to counteract the two leading causes of muscle damage, oxidative stress and inflammation, as it interacts with multiple inflammatory pathways.”
Less soreness and faster recovery after exercise? YES. PLEASE.
Curcumin itself has poor bioavailability (meaning it isn’t well absorbed by our body), so it must be paired with an enhancement such as black pepper extract. You can add fresh or ground turmeric to your favorite foods including eggs, rice, roasted vegetables, proteins and more. Or, try a delicious and soothing “golden milk” (tumeric milk) in the evening before bed.
Doctor’s Best High Absorption Curcumin (my fav!)
NOW Curcumin
NutriGold Turmeric Curcumin Gold
Note: Turmeric has anti-platelet properties. Avoid while taking blood thinners such as Plavix and Coumadin. It may also react with blood sugar lowering medication.
Originally published for Brown and Medina Nutrition
