You’ve probably heard of curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, but do you know all of its benefits? Turmeric powder contains this compound and many others that can help improve your health. Turmeric is a spice that comes from the roots of Curcuma longa (also known as Curcuma domestica), part of the ginger family. It has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries to treat digestive issues, arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. Studies show that turmeric may also be beneficial for preventing certain cancers, treating Alzheimer’s disease, preventing cardiovascular disease and more. Here are six ways curcumin can improve your life:
Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties.
Inflammation is a natural response that helps the body heal itself, but it can also contribute to autoimmune diseases, cancer and other serious health problems. The anti-inflammatory benefits of turmeric powder may help you reduce your risk of these conditions as well as everyday pain and swelling.
Helps prevent Alzheimer’s
While the cause of Alzheimer’s is not fully understood, it’s thought to be related to the buildup of amyloid plaques in the brain. These plaques are clusters of protein fragments that form around nerve cells and block communication between them. This disrupts your brain’s ability to respond appropriately to stimuli, which can cause problems with memory and thinking skills.
Turmeric may help prevent this buildup thanks to its active ingredient, curcumin. Curcumin has been shown in some studies to reduce both plaque buildup and symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Helps prevent cancer
Turmeric has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties, which may help prevent cancer.
Although the evidence is not yet definitive, one study found that turmeric helps prevent skin cancer in mice by inhibiting a gene called Bcl2. Another study found that curcumin inhibits the growth of prostate cancer cells in rats. powerful idea
Helps prevent cardiovascular disease.
You may have heard that turmeric can help fight inflammation and pain. But it turns out that turmeric also helps prevent cardiovascular disease.
Some studies have found that curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, can lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure. These benefits may be significant for people with type 2 diabetes—a condition that increases your risk of heart disease by five times.
Curcumin also appears to help prevent blood clots from forming in arteries, which could lead to heart attacks and strokes, as well as other cardiovascular diseases like peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
Helps improve digestion
Turmeric, a popular spice in Indian dishes, can improve digestion and treat digestive disorders.
- Improve your digestion: The anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric can help reduce acid reflux, ulcers and other digestive disorders by reducing stomach acid secretion. You can treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) by taking half a teaspoon of turmeric with water before bedtime or breakfast.
- Treat ulcers: To treat an active peptic ulcer and prevent a recurrence, take one teaspoon of ground turmeric daily for four weeks with milk or honey on an empty stomach every six hours for one week; then reduce the dosage to once daily for another four weeks.
Manage your mood and fight depression
Curcumin has been found to help with depression, even in those with severe depression who haven’t responded to other medications. It’s thought that curcumin helps increase the levels of a brain chemical called serotonin, which is involved in mood regulation.
One study looked at curcumin’s effect on healthy people and found that after taking it for eight weeks (1 gram per day), their levels of anxiety and depression symptoms were lower than those who took a placebo pill. Another study looked at how well curcumin worked as an antidepressant when taken over extended periods—in this case, 12 weeks (500 mg daily). In this study, participants showed significant improvement in their scores on all measures related to depression compared to those who took placebos.
Has antioxidant properties
It may take up to three months before you start noticing any changes from taking antioxidant supplements like turmeric powder or green tea extract. These herbs don’t have immediate effects on your health—they take time. However, once you do start seeing benefits from taking these supplements regularly, they’ll be worth every penny you spend on them because they can help improve your moods without having adverse side effects like prescription drugs might cause.
The health benefits of turmeric are vast, and the list is constantly growing. With so many benefits to be gained from this powerful spice, there’s no reason not to include it in your diet—and there are plenty of ways to do so. With proper care and attention paid to dosage levels, you could see results in just a few weeks or months at most.
