Turmeric (that bright orange spice that turns your cutting boards and dishes yellow) is amazing.
Curcumin is one of the phytochemicals (natural healthful plant chemicals) that is in turmeric, and curcumin is thought to be the reason for turmeric’s healthful benefits (see below). But don’t get too bogged down in this; the benefits of turmeric, which contains 300 phytochemicals, come from all the phytochemicals working together synergistically. Not only that but curcumin is not very bioavailable and turmeric is. Another example of that a whole food is greater than the sum of it’s parts.
You can buy turmeric in its whole form (it looks a little like a ginger root and can be found in that same section of the store) and then cut it or grate it. Or you can save your fingers, cutting boards, graters and plates, and buy it as a spice in a container in the spice section. You can also get it as a supplement, in pill form. This last option is particularly good if you want to use turmeric for health reasons and need a higher amount than just a few sprinkles on your chicken.
Why is turmeric so great?
- Research has showed that turmeric is beneficial in the prevention and management of over 600 health conditions.
- And turmeric has no adverse side effects (at normal doses), like most drugs that treat conditions.
- Anti-inflammatory
- Chronic inflammation is the reason for almost all disease states including heart disease, Diabetes, Crohn’s and Colitis, Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Inflammation is also what causes or contributes to those un-well diagnoses of IBS and Fibromyalgia.
- Anti-oxidant
- Seeking out cell-damaging free-radicals and neutralizing them, helps prevent or treat cell damage, fatigue, aging, Alzheimer’s Disease and Cancer.
- Anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal
Not convinced? Give me a call and I’ll tell you more 🙂
Or check out this great article on the benefits of turmeric supplements.