TURMERIC – THE SPICE KING

By Brandon Pieterse

Recent studies have shown that turmeric is the king of spices, not for its flavour but for the health benefit side of things. The main reason for this is the three compounds which make up turmeric known as curcuminoids. The most important of these compounds is curcumin.

Here are just a few of the many benefits of turmeric:

• Turmeric contains curcumin

Curcumin is the primary active ingredient of turmeric. It is an extremely potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. However the amount of curcumin in turmeric isn’t enough for it to be considered an efficacious dose. For this reason it is best for turmeric to be supplemented with curcumin.

Unfortunately curcumin isn’t very easily absorbed by the body. But black pepper known as bioperine greatly increases the bioavailability of curcumin. So when adding turmeric to your diet, add some black pepper too. Andy should you supplement your turmeric with curcumin, make sure that is has the bioperine extract in the supplement. Nutri Advanced has a curcumin supplement that is well dosed with bioperine, making it easily absorbed by the body.

• Curcumin has proven to help with depression

In a study of 60 people suffering from depression, one third were given Prozac, one third curcumin and the other third a combination of the two. The study showed that curcumin could significantly help people struggling with depression. It matched the effectiveness of Prozac, while those taking a combination of the two faired the best. You can read about the study here.

• Curcumin has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease

There have been many studies into heart disease, one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide. There are many contributing factors that can cause it. Curcumin, being the super potent supplement that it is, has been proven to reverse some of the contributing factors that can lead to heart disease. For example curcumin improves the function of the endothelium, the lining of the blood vessels. Endothelial dysfunction is a well-known trigger of heart disease as it causes an inability to regulate things like blood pressure and blood clotting.

As you can see, there are so many benefits of turmeric (and curcumin) that is a must-have for any spice cupboard. Turmeric really is the king of spices.