Health Benefits of Turmeric

Turmeric is a plant that belongs to the ginger family. The turmeric root is used for cooking and medicinal purposes. The plan is native to southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

Though turmeric is loaded with essential vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and zinc, it's mostly known for its anti-inflammatory properties.

The main component in turmeric responsible its health benefits is curcumin.  Curcumin contains proven effects in the anti-inflammatory area that are comparable to over-the-counter anti-inflammatory agents as well as some prescription medications.

Reported health benefits of turmeric include relief from joint pain, which results in reduced joint swelling and greater range of motion.

According to Dr. Mercola, "research also suggests that turmeric may be helpful in treating inflammatory bowel diseases, lowering cholesterol levels, supporting cardiovascular health, relieving indigestion, improving liver function and even reducing your risk of Alzheimer's disease. Lowered risk of cancer and inhibited cancer cell growth – specifically cancer of the breast, colon, prostate, lung and childhood leukemia – are also on the list of possible benefits."

Black pepper contains a compound called piperine which enhances curcumin absorption in the body by up to 2,000%. Combining the spices magnifies their effects. It's always a good idea to mix turmeric and black pepper when cooking to get the most health benefits from these spices.

You can also get curcumin  supplements if you don't want to cook with turmeric. We carry tasty curcumin gummies in our supplement store. Click here to check them out.

In my house we grind whole black peppers and mix them with turmeric power.  We sprinkle the mix in just about everything we cook such as fish, steak, and veggies as well as salad dressings.  


Author:
Dr. Eric Nepomnaschy
Santa Monica Chiropractor
310-993-8482

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