Turmeric is one of the popular spices we have in our homes. It’s used to provide that yellow hue on curry-based dishes and soups. Aside from its culinary use, it’s also a dying agent for cloth produced in India. Also known as Curcuma longa, turmeric curcumin is a plant from the ginger family that has remained very popular over the years since 2000 BCE.
What gives turmeric curcumin its impressive and wide-ranging health benefits is its potent phytochemical compounds called curcuminoids. Amazingly, there has been thousands of medical research projects conducted on this spice to evaluate how it can be used in many different ways for health improvement.
The commonality in these studies is the three main phytochemicals found in the curcuminoids family. They are diferuloylmethane, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. In addition to these three biochemicals, another potent volatile oil called turmerone has also been found to have important potential effects on your health.
According to these numerous research papers, the curcuminoids are able to communicate with biochemical mechanism and pathways in the body. These 160 pathways support many different processes such as gut health, cardiovascular health, and brain health.
Turmeric curcumin has an abundance of antioxidants that support cellular health and prevent cell degeneration. Below are just some of the well-research pros you can get from turmeric.
Balances Mood
The Journal Affective Disorders published a report on a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study they had conducted on two groups of individuals. One group was given turmeric curcumin every day, while the other group received a placebo. Over the course of eight weeks, individuals who got the turmeric curcumin had scored high on mood and anxiety exams compared to those in the placebo group. This finding definitely proves that turmeric has noticeable and promising results in terms of balancing the mood in people.
Heals Wounds
The September issue of Life Sciences 2014 has found that curcumin has properties that seemed to hasten the healing process. Aside from that, it appears to prevent further oxidation and offers a soothing effect on the wounds.
Another exciting finding published in the Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, October 2006 Issue, states that treating mice wounds topically with turmeric had showed promising results. According to their study, the collagen synthesis of the mice was improved and the strength of the new tissues has also increased.
Cell proliferation synthesis were on high rates as well. There could be many ways as to how the wound healing has significantly improved. But researchers have linked it simply to the strong antioxidant properties of turmeric.
Treats Pain From Chronic Disease
The correlation on how turmeric relieves knee discomfort in patients with arthritis has been published on the Journal of Clinical Interventions in Aging. This issue published last March of 2014 showed impressive results on how turmeric can better relieve pain compared to other conventional treatments.
A two-group study was also conducted. One given with turmeric, and the other group used the conventional medication. They concluded that those patients who took turmeric instead of conventional medicine seemed to have better results.
As per 2011 Issue of Surgical endoscopy, the benefits of a turmeric supplement on post-op discomfort and fatigue on patients showed less discomfort compared to the placebo group they had.
Balances Blood Sugar Levels
An investigative study that was published last 2014 by the Journal of Endocrinology stated that curcumin showed positive effects on Beta cells and Islet cells in the pancreas. These cells are in charge of producing insulin in your body. According to this study, turmeric has helped normalize imbalanced sugar levels and shows promising benefits on diabetic patients.
Improves Stomach Lining
One major reason why turmeric has a longstanding popularity is due to its soothing properties on the gastrointestinal tract. This is why many curry eaters feel the need to go to the bathroom after their meal – it starts by improving digestion.
Researchers have tested its ability to support the stomach lining by introducing acidic agents (such as alcohol) in the stomach. But before that, turmeric was administered before ethanol, and it was observed that the damage the alcohol can bring about on the stomach was reduced. This explains why turmeric was traditionally used in treating stomach ulcers.
Turmeric Supplementation
The only way for you to take advantage of turmeric’s strong health benefits is by taking it in it’s pure form and researchers say that you should get at least 95% curcuminoids to notice its healing effects.
Many companies are now offering this dosage in pill and extract forms. Side effects of turmeric pills are not common, but choosing a reputable brand that produces quality products should still be a priority. You can start by researching online and reading product reviews and testimonials.
