Top 10 Health Benefits of Turmeric

What Is Turmeric?

• Turmeric, a plant related to ginger, is grown throughout India, other parts of Asia, and Central America.
• Historically, turmeric has been used in Ayurvedic medicine, primarily in South Asia, for many conditions, including breathing problems, rheumatism, serious pain, and fatigue. Today, it is used as a dietary supplement for inflammation; arthritis; stomach, skin, liver, and gallbladder problems; cancer; and other conditions.
• Turmeric is a common spice and a major ingredient in curry powder. Its primary active ingredients, curcuminoids, are yellow and used to color foods and cosmetics.
• Turmeric’s underground stems (rhizomes) are dried and made into capsules, tablets, teas, or extracts. Turmeric powder is also made into a paste for skin conditions.

1. Helps Prevent and Treat Cancer 

Curcumin is the main ingredient in the ‘golden spice’. It will be used interchangeably with Turmeric throughout this article. It has proven to protect cells from damage.

This is because it is an anti-inflammatory. This effect lowers the risk of cell mutation and thus lowers the chances of getting cancer. This herb also has anti-cancer effects.  This means it can kill cancer cells and slow down tumor growth.  Even the National Cancer Institute sees the spice as a cancer-preventing agent.

2. Strengthens Immune System

Curcumin is also an anti-oxidant. Any kind of cold symptoms, cough or fever can go away when you take it. Curcumin has proven to up your body’s sickness-fighting response. This means you won’t have to worry about the horrors of a cold with this tea. These effects also apply to infections. This is because Turmeric benefits include anti-bacterial effects too. It can fight it a lot!

3. Lowers Cholesterol and Risk of Heart Problems

Research shows that Turmeric softens your arteries and lowers levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol. Stiff arteries can cause major heart problems such as a stroke or a heart attack. LDL can clog your arteries and also cause heart problems. The studies show that only a small dose of curcumin can lower these symptoms. So even trying a little bit of this spice can make a big difference.

4. Reduces Arthritis Symptoms

Turmeric can be helpful in managing arthritis. Since it is an anti-inflammatory, it reduces swelling in the body. Reduced swelling means fewer pain symptoms. This makes arthritis a lot more manageable.

5. Helps Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s is a very complex disease. We don’t know everything about Alzheimer’s, but we do know that Turmeric can help prevent it. A big symptom of Alzheimer’s is the dark plaques that show up in the brain. Curcumin has the ability to prevent these plaques from growing. Also, since it’s an anti-inflammatory, it lowers the loss of brain cells that comes with aging. This means that this tea can make your brain stay smarter for a long time. Who doesn’t want that?

6. May Help with Depression

Most evidence on this topic comes from animals. Studies have shown that Turmeric can reverse depression in animals. However, the results look good for humans too. One study on humans used 60 people who had depression. Some of the participants took Prozac for their symptoms and the others took curcumin. Both groups said that each treatment helped them out. Though evidence is still in early stages, it might be worth giving this tea a try for depression.

7. Helps with Diabetes and Obesity

Turmeric tea has proven to prevent diabetes and help control it. It does this by reversing insulin-resistance issues and managing blood sugar.

This goes hand in hand with our next point. High blood sugar can turn into fat in the body. Since curcumin can help manage your blood sugar levels, it can help with fat loss. Curcumin also boosts metabolism, which means you will burn more calories. This makes the spice a great fat burner.

8. Improve the Digestive System

If you have digestive issues, the ‘golden spice’ might be able to help you. It can promote good bacteria in your gut while killing bad bacteria. This makes sure you get the right nutrients you need from your food. This makes digestion easier for your body. Also, because curcumin helps with pain, it can help the cramps that come with many digestive issues. Some issues include IBD, Crohn’s disease, and acute diarrhea. Turmeric can also protect your liver and gallstones. It does this by making more good enzymes while protecting from bad bile.

9. Helps Treat and Manage Lung Conditions

There isn’t much evidence on this, but some studies show that Turmeric can treat some lung conditions. This works because curcumin reduces inflammation, which is what causes a lot of lung problems. Some of these conditions include asthma, lung cancer, COPD and cystic fibrosis.

10. Stimulates Skin Care

The effects this tea has on your skin is also worth noting. The powder can prevent acne, psoriasis, and eczema from flaring up. This is because of its anti-inflammatory effects. The spice can also prevent skin infections from popping up. Wrinkles and blemishes can also go down.  The components in Turmeric stimulate skin cell growth, which keeps your skin nice and healthy.