Herbs For Health: Turmeric
Turmeric is a powerhouse spice packed with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This herb is best known for its vibrant yellow color and potent flavor, but adding aroma to dishes is not the only thing it’s good for. Turmeric has a long list of healing health benefits and is definitely a herb you need to add to your herbarium.
What is Turmeric?
This ancient root is native to Southeast Asia. Turmeric comes from the Curcuma longa, a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial belonging to the ginger family. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, which is the compound that houses all the healing properties and the yellow hue.
Benefits of Turmeric
It’s anti-inflammatory
Turmeric has been used as an anti-inflammatory for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine. Curcumin reduces inflammation and prevents the body from producing the chemicals that cause inflammation in the first place – this is similar to how OTC medication works.
Read more about other herbs that work against inflammation, including ginger, ginkgo biloba, and tulsi (or holy basil).
Research shows that curcumin can be used to relieve inflammatory conditions like arthritis, stomach ailments, and pancreatitis.
It helps with digestion
Curcumin is known to support digestion and helps with issues like bloating, gas, and inflammatory bowel disease.
It has anti-cancer properties
Studies have shown that curcumin has anti-cancerous properties, especially for cancer of the breast, stomach, bowel, and skin cells.
Controls blood sugar levels
Curcumin has been shown to lower blood sugar levels, which reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Improves heart health
Curcumin improves overall blood pressure and cholesterol, two conditions that go hand-in-hand. This, in turn, protects the heart from cardiovascular diseases and improves overall heart health. Ginger has also been found to aid in heart health; you can read more about that in our blog.
It’s full of antioxidants
The rich antioxidants in turmeric help the body fight free radicals, reducing oxidative stress.
It helps with virus protection
When taken in low doses, curcumin helps enhance antibody responses, which helps the body respond to viruses.
It may help with Alzheimer’s disease
Curcumin is being studied for its effectiveness in preventing and slowing down the progression of Alzheimer’s. This herb also acts as a neuroprotective in treating Alzheimer’s.
It eases symptoms of arthritis
Because of curcumin’s anti-inflammatory properties, it’s been shown to relieve joint pain, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.
It helps with depression
Studies have shown that curcumin could potentially increase dopamine and serotonin levels – two chemicals that play a role in mood. Curcumin also has the ability to help us better respond to unexpected stress.
It helps the liver
Turmeric works to detoxify the body and improves overall liver function, reducing the risk of hepatic disorders. Curcumin limits the damage caused to the liver by cirrhosis, iron overdoses, carbon tetrachloride, and ethanol.
It improves skin health
When turmeric is used topically, it improves skin conditions like ulcers, eczema, acne, and psoriasis, as well as lightens and brightens. This is thanks to this herb’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties – and don’t worry, your skin won’t have a yellow tinge forever; it does wash off!
Helps with weight loss
Studies have shown that regularly consuming turmeric significantly decreases body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, weight, and leptin levels.
Turmeric Dosage
The World Health Organization recommends a dosage of 1.4mg per pound (0.3mg per kilogram) of body weight as a daily intake of curcumin. The best turmeric supplements contain a combination of 150mg to 250mg of curcumin and 1000mg to 1500mg of turmeric root powder per 2-capsule serving. Something to remember is that black pepper acts as a catalyst for turmeric. Black pepper contains piperine, which can enhance curcumin absorption in the body by up to 2000 percent, so finding a supplement that contains black pepper will magnify the effects of turmeric.
Turmeric Contraindications
Adding turmeric to your recipes is considered safe. However, for some people, taking turmeric supplements in higher doses could cause nausea and diarrhea.
Turmeric may enhance antiplatelet and blood-thinning activity, so people on blood-thinning medication should be cautious when taking turmeric supplements. For the same reason, it’s also recommended to stop taking turmeric two weeks before surgery.
Eating meals with turmeric during pregnancy is typically considered safe; however, turmeric should not be consumed in high doses by pregnant women because of its emmenagogic effects.
Turmeric supplements may also cause a problem for people with bile duct or gallstone issues. High doses of this herb can cause kidney stones for those already predisposed to this condition.
How to use Turmeric
Besides taking supplements, turmeric can be incorporated into your life in smaller doses. Here are some easy ways to incorporate this miracle herb into your day-to-day life:
∙ You can add turmeric to smoothies and smoothie bowls, especially if they contain ingredients like carrots, bananas, mangos, ginger, pineapple, and coconut.
∙ When it comes to whipping up vegan dips and sauces, turmeric can give things like boiled squashes, blended cashews, or pureed white beans that usual yellow, mac-and-cheese hue. Turmeric is also great for recipes like tofu scrambles or other vegetarian dishes that need that “eggy” color.
∙ You can add turmeric powder or fresh turmeric root to just about any dish you want – stews, curries, soups, porridges!
∙ A topical application of two parts turmeric mixed with one part salt can be applied to sprains, injuries, swelling, bruises, and joint pain.
∙ A turmeric and salt water gargle has an even more potent effect for remedying mouth sores and relieving sore throats
How To Grow Turmeric
Turmeric takes about 7 to 10 months from planting to harvesting, so it’s best to start your turmeric indoors to avoid frost damage. Turmeric grows best from rhizomes which you can find at your local grocery or health store. Choose a plump rhizome with as many bumps (buds) on the sides as possible. You will need one pot for every 6 to 8-inch rhizome, but often it’s more practical to start your rhizomes in smaller planters and then transplant them when they’ve got some leaves. Here’s a quick guide on how to grow your turmeric.
Cut your rhizomes into sections with 2 to 3 buds per section
Fill your pots halfway with good potting soil.
Lay the rhizomes flat and cover them with more soil.
Water well and place the pots into clear plastic bags.
Move your pots to the warmest place you have (86 to 95 degrees Farenheight is ideal).
Check on your plants every few days and once you see sprouts, move them to a windowsill or under a grow light. If your house is cooler than 77 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit, place your pots on a heat mat set to the low 80s.
Once your plants outgrow the plastic cover, remove it.
Once the plastic cover is removed, you need to water your seedlings as needed – keep the soil moist and mist the leaves once or twice a day.
Once the seedlings are 6 to 8 inches tall, transplant them into larger pots and begin turning the heat mat down over a few days until you reach 70 degrees. Then remove the heat mat (provided your house averages 68 degrees).
Your plants are ready to move to their final spot when they become top-heavy or send up more shoots.
Once the chance of frost has passed, move your plants outside. Keep them in partial shade for the first week or two and continue to water them as needed. You can then move them to a more sunny spot.
Your turmeric will be ready to harvest when the leaves and stems turn brown and dry.
Healing Turmeric Recipe
Here is a delicious and healing turmeric recipe for you to try!
Vegan Golden Cinnamon Turmeric Latte
Ingredients
∙ 2 cups organic plant-based milk
∙ 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
∙ 1 tsp cinnamon
∙ 1 tsp turmeric
∙ Pinch of black pepper
Method
Whisk together all ingredients in a small saucepan.
Warm the mixture over medium to high heat and continue whisking for 6 to 8 minutes or until the latte has thickened a bit.
Serve warm!
In Summary
Turmeric has such a dynamic array of health benefits, and the power of this herb has been used to heal for centuries. It’s supportive, protective, and very important in the world of herbalism. You can incorporate turmeric in so many aspects of your life to treat ailments, balance the body and maintain overall well-being!