Turmeric has been harvested for millennia in Indonesia and southern India. This amazing ingredient has served a crucial role in many cultures throughout the East and has been a staple of the Ayurveda medicine. Turmeric has become popular in western culture only recently, despite being introduced into Europe by Arab traders in the 13th century. Most of its popularity is thanks to the many scientific studies which outline its therapeutic properties. The leading producers of turmeric in the world are India, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Haiti and Jamaica.
In medieval England, turmeric has been referred to as the “Indian saffron”, but it wasn’t valued for a long time. Besides its amazing health benefits, people have often been using it as natural food dye.
Here are some of the health benefits of turmeric:
- Relieves chronic inflammation and pain
According to research, curcumin, the active compound in turmeric is a more potent anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative agent than Aspirin or Ibuprofen. This makes the turmeric can deal with chronic pain easily and safely, while providing long-lasting results.
- Rheumatoid arthritis
The anti-inflammatory properties make turmeric a great option for dealing with rheumatoid arthritis. A recent Japanese study examined turmeric’s relationship with interleukin-6, an inflammatory cytokine involved in the RA process. The results showed that curcumin considerably reduces the inflammatory markers, and its regular use can be a great strategy that can prevent the onset of RA.
- Depression
Researchers from the Government Medical College from India published a study that examined curcumin’s ability to treat depression in a controlled setting. The study examined 60 subjects with depression and found out that turmeric is as effective as Prozac and doesn’t have the side-effects of this medication.
- Diabetes
Turmeric is known to lower the blood glucose levels and reverse insulin resistance. Studies have shown that it’s 400 times more potent than Metformin in activating AMPK and its downstream target acetyl-CoA carboxylase. When treating diabetes, turmeric acts as an antioxidant and anti-diabetic agent, improves the metabolic function and reduces the risk of plaque build-up in the arteries of people suffering from type 2 diabetes.
- Cancer
According to studies, turmeric is a strong weapon against cancer. The curcumin can boost the antioxidant levels in the body, inhibit cell cancer growth, and boost the immune system as well. It can improve the mitochondrial function at a cellular level and the metabolism too. Curcumin causes cancer cell death even in the drug-resistant leukemia types.
- Skin and aging
Turmeric skin healing properties that can reduce redness and skin irritations. It also has antibacterial properties that help it deal with blemishes and acne easily and effectively. Turmeric can even improve the skin texture as it acts as an exfoliant and is rich in antioxidants.
- Brain health and memory
The brain is crucial for the ability to think and learn. Turmeric can improve the oxygen intake of the brain and improve its function. When the brain works at its best, you increase the uptake of hormones such as serotonin and melanin. Healing the basic function of the brain also heals mental illnesses.
Note: curcumin is poorly absorbed in our body, so you need to increase the absorption by 2000% to feel its effects. This can be achieved by adding a pinch of black pepper in turmeric every time you consume it.
source and courtesy: weeklyhealthylife