4 surprising effects of turmeric

Turmeric has long been one of the most popular superfoods. Especially among yogis and in Ayurveda, the yellow root is a true health secret and a real all-rounder due to its many health-promoting effects.

But what can turmeric actually do? And for whom is the power root the optimal addition to the health routine?

Here you can learn more about turmeric and find out 4 surprising applications that you probably didn't know yet.

What is turmeric and where does it come from?

Turmeric comes originally from India and has become known mainly through Ayurveda. Because in Ayurvedic healing medicine, the yellow root has long been known for its many positive effects on well-being. Today, India grows almost the entire world crop and also consumes 80% of it.  In the past, the plant was considered sacred and is still used in religious ceremonies. It is one of the most important spices in Indian cuisine to make food digestible. It belongs to the family of ginger plants. 

Turmeric is used fresh, dried or ground as a spice or as a colorant. It contains essential oils, proteins and about five percent of the valuable ingredient curcumin.

Modern science has also recognized the potential of this ancient medicinal plant and discovered medicinally active ingredients in the roots. Today, it is therefore one of the internationally recognized medicinal plants.

What is curcumin?

Curcumin is the secondary plant substance of turmeric. It gives the tuber and the spice its unique yellow color. 

Curcumin is a pigment that has long been used in the food industry as a colorant. That is why traces of it are found in many food groups. For example, most people know it as an ingredient in curry spice. 

In addition to essential oils, minerals and fiber, turmeric contains about 5% curcuminoids. 

Because of their many health-promoting properties, curcuminoids are extracted and used in research at high doses for clinical trials. 

In our supplements, we use curcuminoids because they are the most active and clinically studied compounds in turmeric root.

Turmeric nutritional values

Turmeric is a real wonder weapon and is rightly called a superfood. 100 grams of the fresh root provide you with about 23.9 milligrams of vitamin C. It also contains important minerals such as calcium, iron, potassium, sodium, copper, zinc and magnesium. 

To benefit from the effects of turmeric, you should follow the proper use and dosage. If you take turmeric in high doses over a long period of time, you may experience stomach upset. 

You can take turmeric in different forms. 

- Only 1.5 to 3 grams of fresh turmeric root should be consumed daily.

- Dried turmeric powder is the most commonly used. The daily recommended amount to consume is 1 to 3 grams.

Since it is not always easy to consume turmeric fresh daily, one option is to take high-dose turmeric capsules. However, they should not be considered as a substitute, but as a supplement to a balanced diet.

Here you can find ourorganic turmeric complex. It contains organic turmeric root powder, organic ginger root powder and organic black pepper dry extract.

Effect of turmeric

In addition to the good taste, however, attention was also drawn to the positive properties for health. The ingredient curcumin was tested in hundreds of scientific studies - and in many of them there were quite promising effects. In experiments in the petri dish with cancer cells, turmeric has a growth-inhibiting effect and triggers premature cell death. In animal studies, curcumin improves brain performance and prevents experimentally produced Alzheimer's changes in the brain. However, as with all animal studies, one must be cautious with the results. This is because data from animal studies are not always transferable to humans. 

But curcumin also shows positive effects in human clinical trials. Curcumin: 

• Has an anti-inflammatory effect
• Protects cartilage
• Has a cholesterol lowering effect
• Has a digestive effect

Turmeric has been used for many years against constipation or a feeling of fullness after eating. This is because the spice stimulates the digestive juices and thus has a digestive effect.

Areas of use of turmeric

1. For weight control 

Of course, diet & exercise are the most important components to control your own weight. 

Nevertheless, turmeric contains several valuable ingredients that help to prevent or even reduce fat deposits. 

Turmeric root contains a variety of healthy bitter substances. They stimulate bile production and help the body detoxify and digest fat. The bitter substances also provide a quick and longer lasting feeling of satiety. Thus, turmeric prevents cravings. The contained curcumin has an anti-inflammatory effect. This has a positive effect on weight loss, because metabolic disorders are the main cause of weight problems, which are usually caused by inflammation. 

Curcumin also has an influence on the digestive process, food is excreted more quickly, making it more difficult for fat cells to build up. The root stimulates our metabolism, we become more efficient, which facilitates muscle building and thus accelerates the burning of calories.

2. For inflammation and oxidative stress

Pro-inflammatory messengers are responsible in the body for attracting immune cells to the site of the event and thus maintaining the inflammatory response until complete healing has occurred. In chronic inflammation, these messenger substances are produced over a prolonged period of time. This leads to permanent inflammation, also referred to as "silent inflammation," which usually goes unnoticed. Curcuma can help to influence this positively.

Curcumin is characterized by an anti-inflammatory effect. It can help inhibit the formation of pro-inflammatory substances in the body. In addition, cell damage can be prevented by the antioxidant property of curcuma.

Inflammatory processes are involved in various diseases, so turmeric can be used in the following diseases:

• Rheumatism: Chronic inflammation occurs in the joints.
• Inflammatory bowel diseases: such as irritable bowel syndrome. 
• Knee joint arthrosis: Chronic degradation of cartilage tissue occurs, which is accompanied by inflammation. Turmeric has been shown to improve osteoarthritis in numerous studies.

 3. For memory and concentration

Especially with age, forgetfulness becomes a very important issue. This is due to natural processes in the body that occur sooner or later in every person. 

In addition to measures such as solving crossword puzzles, sufficient sleep and exercise in conjunction with social contacts, turmeric has also shown a promising effect here.

Study data show that memory and recall improved significantly when turmeric was taken. In addition, the study participants felt calmer, more satisfied, more attentive and also less tired.

4. For the prevention of diabetes

Initial studies showed that curcumin has a very positive effect on elevated blood sugar levels. This is because the substance from turmeric apparently improves the insulin sensitivity of the cells, so that more blood sugar can be absorbed from the blood into the cells. It is therefore suspected that the regular consumption of turmeric or the intake of curcumin could facilitate the control of blood sugar levels in diabetes.

Turmeric can also be used preventively - according to the researchers. The scientists concluded that people who want to reduce their risk of diabetes should include turmeric in their diet or take curcumin as a dietary supplement.

Turmeric is more than just yellow

Turmeric is a true wonder weapon! With its amazing nutritional values and many positive health benefits, it has more than earned the title of superfood. 

Is turmeric already part of your health routine?