Turmeric: What It Is, Benefits, Side Effects and How to Take
Recent research has reaffirmed what the ancients already knew: turmeric actually contains substances with medicinal properties. They are compounds called curcuminoids, the most important of which is curcumin.
Curcumin is the main active ingredient in saffron. It has potent anti-inflammatory effects and is a very effective antioxidant.
What is turmeric?
Turmeric (Curcuma Longa) is a rhizomatous herbaceous plant of the ginger family, and its foliage and root are quite similar, differing basically by the internal coloration. While ginger has a light yellow color, turmeric is deep orange.
Turmeric or turmeric has a characteristically spicy and bitter flavor and a mild fragrance reminiscent of orange and ginger.
The root can be consumed fresh or in the form of extract. To prepare the extract, the rhizomes of the saffron are boiled and then dried in a hot oven. Thereafter, they are milled and the powder is obtained which is commonly used as a culinary seasoning, for dyeing textile fibers and food coloring, or as a medicament.
Turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory very effective for the treatment of inflammatory diseases like arthritis, tendinitis and bruises in general. The plant is also an excellent blood purifier also effective in controlling cholesterol . The Chinese have used it in their medicinal treatments for more than four thousand years and its consumption is quite safe.
Curcumin
The main active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. It is a phenolic pigment that has a slightly bitter and spicy taste and a rather characteristic mustard smell.
It is the curcumin that gives the saffron the anti-inflammatory property and its preventive character in relation to cancer.
While studies on the effects of curcumin on cancer are still under way, it is noted that in countries such as India and Sri Lanka, where turmeric is consumed daily, the incidence of colon, uterine, prostate and lung cancer is very high. Lower than in countries that are not in the habit of consuming it.
Benefits of Curcumin - The best way to get them and how to take it
Saffron can easily be added to the diet. Be in the form of powder (after cooked, dried and grated), grated raw as is done with ginger, or as a supplement in the form of capsules, extract or drops.
Most studies on saffron show that its health benefits occur when consuming a dosage greater than one gram per day interspersed with meals. However, it is very difficult to reach this level of consumption by using it only as seasoning of food.
To get its full effects, you need to take an extract that contains significant amounts of curcumin.
To increase the absorption of curcumin in the intestines is recommended concomitant consumption of black pepper, ginger or olive oil.
Research has shown that daily consumption of two to three grams of turmeric over a two-month period has cured stomach ulcers in up to 75 percent of treated patients.
Nutritional Profile
Turmeric is an excellent source of iron and manganese. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, fiber and potassium. See all reference values in the following table:
Ideal percentages for daily consumption with reference to a quantity of two teaspoons grated turmeric.
Total Calories: 16
Nutrient Percentage
Manganese 17
Iron 10
Vitamin B6 5
Fibers 4
Copper 3
Potassium 3
Top 8 Benefits of Turmeric
Turmeric may be the most effective nutritional supplement available. Many high quality studies show that it has great benefits for the body and brain. See the top 10 health benefits attributed to it.
1- Curcumin is a natural anti-inflammatory compound
Curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory and, unlike most medications used to treat inflammation, the intake of turmeric does not cause ulcers or leads to the risk of internal bleeding. On the contrary, it helps to protect the organs of the digestive system.
Curcumin acts at various stages of the inflammatory process, but its effectiveness lies in the fact that it is a bioactive substance that fights inflammation at the molecular level. Studies have shown that curcumin can be compared to traditional drugs used as anti-inflammatories, but without the side effects that the drugs cause.
The American magazine Oncogene has published the results of a comparative study of various anti-inflammatory compounds and found that aspirin and ibuprofen are less effective than curcumin, making it among the most effective anti-inflammatory compounds in the world.
Some research shows that curcumin can relieve the symptoms of uveitis - intraocular inflammation. Other research has shown that taking turmeric daily for several months may improve kidney function in patients with inflammation in these organs.
Researchers also point out that some fatal diseases such as cancer, ulcerative colitis, arthritis, high cholesterol and chronic pain may be the result of inflammation.
2 - Turmeric drastically increases the body's antioxidant capacity
It is believed that the oxidation of cells and tissues is one of the mechanisms that leads to the aging and development of many diseases. Oxidation in the body would be caused by free radicals, molecules that tend to react with important organic substances such as fatty acids and proteins.
Curcumin is a potent antioxidant of turmeric that can neutralize free radicals because of its chemical structure. In addition to this, curcumin also increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes proper to the body. In this way, curcumin acts doubly against free radicals first by blocking them directly and then by stimulating the body's own antioxidant mechanisms.
3- Curcumin reduces the risk of heart disease
Heart disease is currently the largest cause of death in the world. Studies suggest that curcumin may help prevent the buildup of plaques that can clog arteries and lead to heart attacks and strokes. It works because its active principle may be able to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the body. It is known that oxidized cholesterol is what damages the blood vessels and builds up leading to heart attacks and strokes in the brain.
In addition, turmeric is a good source of vitamin B6, needed to maintain levels of an amino acid called homocysteine. High levels of homocysteine are considered a significant risk factor for blood vessel damage, atherosclerosis and heart disease. Already high intake of vitamin B6 is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.
4- Decreases cholesterol levels in the body
Research shows that curcumin molecules function as messengers that communicate with liver cell genes, directing them to increase production of proteins that create LDL (bad cholesterol) receptors. With more LDL receptors, liver cells are able to eliminate a greater amount of cholesterol from the body than it would naturally do.
5- Curcumin improves brain function and decreases risk of Alzheimer's disease
Neurons are cells capable of dividing, multiplying, and forming new connections throughout our lives. One of the main factors of this process is neurotrophic factor (BDNF or - Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ), a type of growth hormone that works in the brain. Many common brain disorders have been associated with decreased levels of this hormone. This includes depression and Alzheimer's disease.
Curiously, curcumin may increase brain levels of BDNF and thereby slow or even reverse the decline in age-related brain functions and prevent brain diseases.
A large number of studies have suggested that curcumin also protects against Alzheimer's disease directly. It acts by triggering a gene responsible for the production of antioxidant proteins in the brain. A study published in the Italian Journal of Biochemistry in 2003 detailed the role of curcumin in inducing a brain tissue protection system. According to this research, when such a system is triggered it induces the production of a potent antioxidant, which protects the brain against oxidative lesions caused by free radicals. Oxidation is regarded as an important factor in aging and responsible for neurodegenerative diseases including dementias such as Alzheimer's disease.
6- Turmeric can help prevent and even treat some types of cancer
Cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled growth of clusters of cells in the body. Researchers say that turmeric intake can interfere with the growth, development and spread of cancer at the molecular level in cells.
It is believed that the antioxidant functions of curcumin would protect cells in the colon, prostate, breast, skin, among other organs, from free radicals that can damage cellular DNA. In the case of these organs, the cell renewal is quite fast, which makes them more sensitive to the occurrence of cancer. This is because there is frequent cell replication and thus the possibility of mutations in the DNA also increases and can result in the formation of cancer cells.
A 2007 American study combined curcumin with chemotherapy for the treatment of bowel cancer in a laboratory's cells. The results showed that the combined treatment killed more cancer cells than chemotherapy alone.
Curcumin also helps the body destroy cancer cells that have already mutated by preventing them from spreading through the body in the form of metastasis. This action occurs through the enhancement of liver function and the inhibition of the synthesis of a protein that contributes to the formation of tumors by providing additional blood necessary for the growth of these cells.
New studies are still being developed to prove that high doses of curcumin may help treat cancer in humans, however, there is evidence that its intake may help prevent the occurrence of cancer especially the digestive system. In a study of 44 men with colon lesions that sometimes became cancerous, four grams of curcumin was given daily for 30 days. A 40% reduction in the number of lesions was observed in the patients.
7- Patients with arthritis respond very well to curcumin supplementation
Arthritis is a common problem in Western countries. There are several different types, but most involve some kind of inflammation in the joints. Since curcumin is a potent anti-inflammatory and also acts against pain, it could help in the treatment against arthritis.
Also for its antioxidant action, curcumin is able to neutralize free radicals, chemicals that can travel through the body and cause great damage to healthy cells and their cell membranes. This is important in diseases such as arthritis, where free radicals are responsible for inflammation of the joints which usually causes pain and damage to its structure. For this reason, people with joint ailments find relief when they use seasoning regularly.
In a recent study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, compared with curcumin and phenylbutazone realized that people who received curcumin had more significant improvements over the morning stiffness and the ability to walk, and decrease the swelling of the joints.
8- Age in diabetes prevention
Preliminary studies suggest that taking turmeric daily may be essential for lowering blood sugar and for reversing insulin resistance.
In 2009, the journal Biochemistry and Biophysical Research Communications , specializing in biological research, published a study on how supplementation with turmeric can help reverse diabetes.
The study found that curcumin in turmeric is literally 400 times more potent than metformin, a drug commonly used to improve insulin sensitivity and help reverse type 2 diabetes.
In addition to preventing the causes of diabetes, curcumin has also been shown to help reverse many of the issues related to insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. An example to be cited is the case of retinopathy (retinal disease), one of the most common complications of diabetes where damaged blood vessels cause blindness. One study found that curcumin supplementation may slow this horrible complication of diabetes because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
How to take? Ideas to serve turmeric on a daily basis
- Add turmeric to the cooked egg of the salad to give it a more appetizing yellow color;
- Mix brown rice with raisins and cashew nuts and season with saffron, cumin and coriander;
- Add the spice directly to the steamed cauliflower, or even make a creamy sauce to accompany it by adding saffron and dried onion to a little mayonnaise, salt and pepper.
- Turmeric is a great seasoning to increase the recipes that carry lentils.
"Give the salad dressing a yellow-orange hue by adding a bit of saffron powder to them.
Side Effects of Turmeric and Consumer Safety
Turmeric is not a food that commonly causes allergies and is not known to contain measurable amounts of purines or oxalates, however some people have reported allergic reactions to turmeric, especially after exposure of the skin to the sun. In these cases mild rashes accompanied by itching have been reported.
There are records of adverse reactions in people who consumed high doses of saffron. In these cases the following reactions were observed:
Nausea
Diarrhea
Blood clotting delay
Increased liver function
Gallbladder contractions
Hypotension (low blood pressure)
Uterine contractions in pregnant women
Increased menstrual flow
Drastic decrease of glycemic level in diabetics
Stomach pain
Decreased absorption of iron
People taking certain medicines should also be careful when taking turmeric or using supplements containing it. Its active ingredient may interfere with the action of anticoagulants such as aspirin and the absorption of non-steroidal drugs, anti-inflammatories and other supplements being taken.
