MostKnown as the golden flavor, turmeric is a slightly bitter spice usually used to add colour to your foods. Turmeric has a warm taste to it and also has body heating properties. Due to its colour, turmeric can used for adding colour to mustards, cheeses and different kinds of curries.
The turmeric plant is native to Asia and Central America and is an essential component in the kitchen. Apart from having properties that induce taste and flavour, turmeric is also a very essential part of homeopathic medicine.
Turmeric is widely used to cure inflammation and conditions that induce pain in the body. It can also used in the treatment of hay fever and even depression.
Now the question comes; is turmeric really good for your health? Let’s find out.
How does it work?
Turmeric consists of a chemical called curcumin, responsible for the health benefits that turmeric has to offer. Other chemicals in turmeric, as well as curcumin, have properties that treat inflammation. That’s why turmeric can be used to treat heat burns and osteoarthritis.
Turmeric was initially introduced by Indians as a useful medicine and is now gaining popularity amongst modern medicine. It is currently being tested in health labs for its pain-relieving traits.
What are the Benefits of Turmeric?
Let’s have a look at some health benefits of turmeric. This will help you decide if the spice is really a healthy choice for YOU.
Turmeric is great for controlling chronic inflammation that is epidemic in today’s world. Inflammation is linked to diseases ranging from depression to cancer. Taking turmeric daily can be extremely beneficial. If you are using fresh turmeric, dry it first (leaving it out in the sun is great), then grind it as fine as possible and make a turmeric paste which you can then add to milk, coffee, or tea for easy ingestion. Below you’ll find a golden turmeric paste recipe that will be perfect to make as a kitchen staple.
1. Anti-inflammatory
Multiple studies confirm the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric. A study shows that patients who have arthritis feel significantly less pain in their joints while using capsules that consist of turmeric.
For effective results, the recommendation is 500mg capsules, three times a day.
2. Improves functions of the liver
Another property of turmeric is that it contains tons of anti-oxidants. For people who have a damaged liver, turmeric can help cleanse your liver from all the toxins.
It can also be used alongside medications that people use to cure diabetes. Hence, it is quite a favorable option to rid your body from toxic substances.
3. Promising prospect in cancer treatment
The main component of turmeric, curcumin has shown very promising results against cancer cells. Adding turmeric into your daily diet is a step in the right direction for prevention of pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer.
4. Aids digestion
Turmeric is an important ingredient of curry powder. On top of adding a nice unique taste to the curry, turmeric also provides help in the digestion of food. Studies prove that with turmeric, you can digest your food more easily because of its anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
In addition, some studies claim that turmeric can be used to treat IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). By ingesting turmeric in its best form, as a cooked paste, it allows ones digestive system to remain calm with the anti-inflammatory properties from curcumin.
For my kitchen staple, I have been using a modified version of Jaqueline’s recipe from Deep Roots at Home for making turmeric paste. Here’s my adapted version and process below.
Ingredients for Golden Turmeric Paste
- ¼ cup organic ghee
- ½ cup freshly ground or organic turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup water
Add ghee to a pan on low heat and let it melt completely
Mix in the turmeric and black pepper. Stir until all the ghee is absorbed into the spices (a couple minutes)
Pour in the cup of water and continue stirring for a few more minutes as it continues to thicken (another few minutes)
Let it cool and store it in a mason jar at room temperature or in the refrigerator
Use within a few weeks
One of my favourite ways to use this recipe is a teaspoon full in a cup of bone broth. It also works well in some warm nut milk with some honey. Since you’re using ghee as the fat in this recipe, you can even spread a thin layer on toast with some honey and it’s amazing! The honey helps disguise the slight bitterness of turmeric.
The Dark-Side of Using Turmeric
The benefits of turmeric can convince quite a few people to make use of this spice in their everyday routines. However, with benefits, there are some drawbacks if using turmeric excessively.
Some side effects and risks of using turmeric include:
1. Can upset your stomach
While it does sound contradictory, it is true. Though it helps digestion, excessive turmeric usage may be a reason for your upset stomach. Ingesting turmeric in large and excessive quantities it may cause irritation in your stomach.
Turmeric helps in producing gastric acid for your stomach which, if produced in above-average quantities, can upset the stomach. The effect is real. In one cancer study, a group of people had to leave the program because excessive amounts of turmeric gave them stomach aches.
2. Thins blood
Another disadvantage of turmeric is that it can cause your blood to thin down below average levels if taken excessively. Using a spoon of it daily will not have any detrimental effects. The reason behind this is still unknown. One of the assumptions is that the purifying properties of turmeric are what enable it to thin blood.
It’s recommended that anyone using blood thinners should avoid consuming turmeric excessively. It can impose a risk for their health. An example of a blood thinner would be warfarin.
3. Stimulates Contractions
This is something that pregnant women should read carefully. It is the turmeric in the curry powder that stimulates labor and can induce symptoms of PMS.
Turmeric, with its blood-thinning properties is not ideal in excessive amounts for pregnant women. However, using it as a spice in food is not dangerous. Consuming higher amounts- 2000mg or more of turmeric daily can stimulate contractions.
Turmeric, known as the Indian saffron – a pretty special spice! It is important to note that most of these negative aspects are results of consuming extremely large quantities of turmeric.
In moderation, this spice can help you keep a healthy tummy and also drain your body of all the toxins. This spice definitely has benefits that outweigh the risks.
xo, Zarine
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