How Can Turmeric Benefit My Health?

Long before everyone was drinking and sharing photos of their turmeric lattes, the vivid coloured spice was being used in Ayurveda traditions as a medicinal herb. Today, research shows that the spice is just as useful as it was thousands of years ago! Here’s why….

What is Turmeric?

Turmeric is a vivid yellow-orange spice that is commonly found in Indian, East Asian and Middle Eastern cooking. In fact, in India turmeric is known as the ‘Golden Goddess’, so next time you’re making a curry you may want to add an extra heap!

The main healing compound found in turmeric is called curcumin and it is known to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in plentiful amounts!

Health Benefits of Turmeric

We still have a lot to learn about this fantastic spice, but what we do know is the potential health benefits of turmeric are vast. Many health and clinical trials are still going on to draw definitive conclusions on some claims, however there are still plenty of reasons to spice up your life with turmeric, including:

1. It Contains A Natural Anti-Inflammatory Compound

Your liver performs many functions in your body including filtering your blood coming from your digestive track, detoxifying chemicals and creating bile to send back to your intestines. Turmeric is said to contain a compound which helps prevent the liver from becoming damaged and to help improve its detoxifying abilities.

2. It Could Help Protect Your Liver

Your liver performs many functions in your body including filtering your blood coming from your digestive track, detoxifying chemicals and creating bile to send back to your intestines. See, a very important organ! Turmeric is said to contain a compound which helps prevent the liver from becoming damaged and to help improve its detoxifying abilities.

3. It Increases the Antioxidant Level in Your Body

Turmeric is well known for its powerful antioxidant properties, which can help our bodies fight against free radical attacks. Free radicals are unstable atoms which can cause havoc on the cells in our bodies. The good news is antioxidants don’t just help protect us, they can also aid in the repair of cells which have already been damaged.

How Can I Up My Turmeric Consumption?

There’s lots of different ways in which you can get your daily intake of turmeric. From turmeric lattes and adding it to smoothies, to grating it directly into a recipe or adding a spoonful of the spice into a curry – there’s lots of edible ways to enjoy the super bright spice.

However, if you’re not fond of the taste in food, why not give turmeric tea or a daily supplement a go?