Turmeric Powder: Health Benefits to Know

Turmeric is a bright yellow spice that is made from the root of the turmeric plant, which belongs to the ginger family. It is widely used in Indian cuisine and gives curry its brilliant color and flavor. Turmeric is also used in traditional medicine (traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine) and is believed to have many health benefits, ranging from pain relief and improved digestive health to cancer treatment. Research in molecular nutrition and complementary and integrative health suggests that turmeric root contains a compound called curcumin that has medicinal properties. Please continue reading to find out some of the potential health benefits of turmeric.

What are the top 3 health benefits of consuming turmeric?

Anti-inflammatory properties

One of the key health benefits of turmeric is its ability to lower inflammatory substances such as histamines and prostaglandins in the body. Research suggests turmeric is most effective against acute inflammatory conditions but also helps reduce chronic inflammation.

Antioxidant properties

Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, protects against damage from free radicals. Studies suggest turmeric may have antioxidant properties comparable to vitamins C and E.

Antiplatelet properties

Curcumin prevents platelets from clumping together, thus lowering the risk of blood clots and improving circulation.

What are the benefits of turmeric powder and supplements?

Some of the health conditions that may benefit from eating turmeric and curcumin in food or taking them in supplement form include:

Active rheumatoid arthritis (peer-reviewed studies have shown turmeric can help reduce inflammation, joint pain, and stiffness due to potent anti-inflammatory properties).
Inflammatory digestive system conditions (turmeric has both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties and may help with inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and other digestive disorders).
Cardiovascular disease (curcumin can delay cellular aging and protect against oxidative stress, reducing the risk of heart disease and acute myocardial infarction or heart attack).
Blood vessel stiffness (research has shown supplementation with curcumin extract has beneficial effects on vascular endothelial function and stiffness in blood vessels).
Major depressive disorder (small studies have shown that 4-8 weeks of treatment with curcumin supplementation is more effective than placebo in improving mood-related symptoms in people with major depressive disorder).
Skin disorders (curcumin can suppress inflammatory molecules that cause chronic diseases such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis).
Cognitive impairment (studies have found curcumin enhances neurogenesis, increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and has a neuroprotective effect, and may therefore be useful in patients with common brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease).
Cancer (curcuminoids interfere with signaling pathways in cancerous cells and may be used to treat cancer and prevent the spread of cancer cells).

Is taking turmeric supplements every day good for you?

Curcumin ingestion in food (fresh turmeric, turmeric extracts, turmeric spices, or turmeric tea) is generally safe. However, consuming large amounts of turmeric and curcumin supplements for long periods of time can cause side effects such as stomach upset and, in severe cases, stomach ulcers. At present, more research is needed to confirm the health benefits of turmeric. Always talk to your healthcare provider before taking a dietary supplement or trying an alternative and complementary medicine therapy.

How much turmeric is safe to take?

Turmeric spices are safe to consume in food. The maximum recommended dose in supplement form is 3 mg/kg (approximately 200 mg for a person weighing 150 pounds), although larger doses have been used without harmful effects during clinical trials.

Common side effects of curcumin include nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness, and headache.

It is worth noting that the majority of studies assessing the safety profile of curcumin were conducted for short periods of time. There is no data confirming that long-term over-the-counter turmeric supplementation is safe.

What do I need to know before taking turmeric?

The active and most researched ingredient in turmeric is a flavonoid called curcumin. However, raw turmeric extract contains less than 5% curcumin by weight. Also, approximately 40-85% of curcumin passes unchanged through the human gastrointestinal tract. What is absorbed is rapidly metabolized in the intestinal wall and liver. Therefore, curcumin supplements have a low rate of absorption, and consequently, very high doses are needed to produce medicinal results. Yet, high doses of turmeric can be harmful.

If you are taking a supplement, it may be useful to take a curcumin supplement that also contains bromelain (an enzyme found in pineapple) or a substance in black pepper called piperine - these substances have been found to increase absorption and enhance the anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin.

Who should not take turmeric?

People with gallstones, bile duct obstruction, diabetes, liver disease, and kidney disease should talk to their healthcare professional before taking supplements containing turmeric. Pregnant and breastfeeding women may safely eat food containing turmeric but should avoid supplements.

People taking diabetes medications, blood thinners, or stomach acid reducers should avoid turmeric in supplement form as it can interfere with these medications. Turmeric can lower blood sugar levels and lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) when taken in combination with diabetes medications. Taking a turmeric supplement can interfere with the action of drugs that reduce stomach acid (for example, Pepcid, Tagamet, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec). Also, turmeric can make blood thinner. Taking supplements containing turmeric while on blood thinning medications (for example, aspirin, warfarin, Plavix, and others) can increase the risk of bleeding. Your doctor may ask you to stop taking turmeric supplements before a planned surgical procedure to lower the risk of bleeding.