A friend with serious health issues was recently told by her doctor to put herself on an anti-inflammatory diet so she asked me for help. On finishing my research for her I was surprised to find a spice with decades of testing proving its ability to be used as medication for many different health problems.
So many of the single food items I blog about have claims of miracle cures which may or may not be proven. Turmeric and one of its chemical compounds Curcumin, which is what makes its yellow color, have enough valid studies on the ability to act as an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory to put it on my map of foods to add to your diet.
What is Turmeric? It’s a strong tasting spice found in a lot if Indian dishes, like curry, and has been called Indian Saffron due to its yellow color. It comes from the root of the Curcuma longa plant which grows 6 feet tall in Southern Asia. It has been harvested for over 5000 years and used for medicinal purposes by both the Chinese and Indians. Turmeric contains a good amount of magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6, iron and fiber.
I won’t bore you with details on the health benefit studies themselves but you can find many with an internet search.
Here is the huge list of the potential benefits of Turmeric:
- Prevention of Heart Disease
- Prevention of Diabetes
- Reduces Cholesterol
- Prevents many Cancers
- Prevents Cystic Fibrosis
- Improves Colon Health
- Reduces Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Prevents Stomach Ulcers
- Reduces Crohn’s Disease symptoms
- Prevents Liver and Kidney toxicity
- Reduces Inflammatory Eye Disease symptoms
- Reduces Gingivitis
- Reduces Cystic Fibrosis symptoms
- May Reduce Risk of Neurodegenerative Diseases such as Alzheimer’s
- Reduces Arthritis symptoms
- Reduces Pain
- Speeds up the Healing process from wounds or surgery
My recommendation is to not take Turmeric as a supplement but to use it as a spice in your food. Supplements are made by condensing the chemical into a very strong form and too much of any chemical may have negative effects. For instance, if you have acid reflux, or GERD, or a serious heartburn issue, a supplement of Turmeric may make your symptoms worse. If you are pregnant you should never take a supplement without speaking to your doctor first. Start by adding a little Turmeric to spice up your meals. My friend adds it to her morning eggs and it seems to be working well for her.
Remember that the medical community prefers to see more evidence above the 3rd party research to consider recommending Turmeric as a true drug and I agree with them. I do believe, however, that many doctors who are open to homeopathic remedies would make a recommendation to give Turmeric a try to ease symptoms for their patients.
Talk to your doctor about Turmeric if you think it could help you.