Turmeric

Turmeric has been used in India and South East Asia for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb. There are bio-active compounds in turmeric, known as curcuminoids, and the one most studied for its medicinal properties and benefits, is called curcumin.

The most powerful aspect of curcumin is that it possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic properties. One highly bio-available form of curcumin was found to be more effective in alleviating rheumatoid arthritis symptoms than common non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs.

One of the more widely accepted properties of curcumin in scientific communities is in fact its ability to manage pain by blocking inflammatory pathways messengers, and so it can be useful for a variety of conditions. For example, people with chronic digestive conditions, such as IBS, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, can dramatically improve symptoms and reduce the use of prescribed corticosteroids that may reduce pain, but damage the intestinal lining over time, actually making the condition worse.

As turmeric benefits include anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, it can be effective in treating skin conditions too. It could help speed up wound healing, calming the pores to decrease acne and scarring, and soothing psoriasis flares.

Of course, most of the studies on this herb were made using turmeric extracts that contain mostly curcumin itself, with dosages usually exceeding 1 gram per day. It’s difficult to reach these levels from the turmeric spice in your foods, but that doesn’t mean using it in your favourite veggie curry or enjoying a warming golden milk won’t have daily health benefits. Just remember to always consume black pepper with it, which contains piperine, as curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream.

When using supplements in high dosage, consult a doctor or qualified nutritionist. People taking certain medications should be careful as turmeric may interfere with anti-coagulants, non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory drugs.