Last Updated on May 27, 2021 by Lori Geurin
Get 13 turmeric curcumin health benefits, learn how to use it, plus the potential side effects.
Turmeric is a spice belonging to the ginger family. It’s commonly used in Asian dishes, like curry. The vibrant yellow-orange color and zesty flavor make a delicious and healthy addition to a variety of dishes.
Curcumin is a yellow chemical produced by the turmeric plant and it’s loaded with antioxidants!
Studies show that turmeric is more effective than many prescription drugs. And, because turmeric is completely natural, it doesn’t have all the side effects.
As you can see so far, turmeric is one of the most impressive nutritional supplements available. So keep reading to learn what makes this
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13 Turmeric Curcumin Health Benefits
1. A Powerful Anti-Inflammatory
Most Western diseases involve ongoing inflammation in the body. These include:
- cancer
- metabolic disorders
- Alzheimer’s
- heart disease
and others.
Amazingly, the curcumin in turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory. And, as mentioned earlier, it’s as powerful as some pharmaceuticals. But without the side effects. (1)
2. Can Help Prevent And Treat Cancer
Cancer is a terrible disease caused by the out-of-control growth of abnormal cells. Research shows that curcumin may help prevent and treat different types of cancer. (2)
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3. A Natural Painkiller
A study in the European Journal of Pharmacology shows that curcumin turns on the opioid systems in lab animals. This is our body’s natural pain-killing response.
4. May Reverse Depression Symptoms
In one study, curcumin was shown to be as effective as Prozac at treating patients with depression. (4) And, again, without the negative side effects.
Data also suggest that curcumin boosts the brain’s serotonin and dopamine levels. (5, 6).
5. A Natural Treatment For Arthritis
Arthritis is a common condition that causes pain, inflammation, and stiffness in the joints.
In a study published in Phytotherapy Research in 2012, patients with rheumatoid arthritis were given curcumin. Curcumin was found to be more effective than an anti-inflammatory drug for treating their arthritis symptoms. (7)
6. May Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. Over time it damages the brain, impacting the memory.
One hallmark of Alzheimer’s is the buildup of Amyloid plaques. Research shows curcumin can help get rid of these plaques. (8) This is promising!
7. Lowers Heart Disease Risk
Heart disease kills more people worldwide than any other disease.
There are many things that add to it. But curcumin may help reverse some of these processes. (9)
The endothelium is the lining of the blood vessels. It’s vital for supporting proper blood pressure and clotting. Studies show that curcumin can improve endothelial function. And this is vital to prevent heart disease. (10)
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8. A Powerful Antioxidant
Antioxidants protect your body from damage caused by free radicals. Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant that can counteract free radicals. (11)
Curcumin can also activate the body’s antioxidant-producing enzymes. (12)
9. Lower Blood Sugar And Reverse Diabetes
Biochemistry and Biophysical Research Communications published a study in 2009 out of Auburn University. They found that turmeric can help reverse Type 2 Diabetes.
Also, the study saw that curcumin is 200 times more potent than Metformin (a leading diabetes medication) at initiating AMPK, improving insulin sensitivity. (13) Amazing!
Related: 6 Natural Ways To Prevent Diabetes
10. Can Help Heal The Gut
Over time, taking prescription drugs can damage the stomach flora and intestinal lining. As a result, this can cause
A review of all the studies evaluating curcumin’s ability to manage inflammatory bowel disease was done. It was found that many patients dramatically improved by taking curcumin. So much so that they were able to stop taking the prescription steroids they’d been using before. (14)
11. Regulates Cholesterol
A 2008 study published in the journal Drugs in R & D found that curcumin was as effective or more effective at treating symptoms of high cholesterol than Lipitor. (15)
Impressive, right?! Plus, Lipitor has been in the news with tons of controversy about consumer safety.
12. Reduces Risk Of Childhood Leukemia
Children under 5 are more susceptible to leukemia. However, in Asian countries, there is a lower rate of leukemia, likely related to diet. For example, curry is a popular dish there and curry contains turmeric.
Research shows that consuming turmeric may reduce childhood leukemia (12).
13. May Increase Longevity
Because turmeric is rich in antioxidants and helps prevent and reverse many serious diseases, it may add years to your life.
Turmeric and curcumin are great choices if you’re looking for an anti-aging supplement. So read on for information about how to benefit from this amazing spice.
Related: 10 Habits To Help You Live Longer And Boost Longevity
What does turmeric and black pepper do?
Black pepper contains a compound called piperine that has several benefits and is high in antioxidants. Piperine enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2,000%.
This makes is more available to be used by your body.
What are the negative side effects of turmeric?
Though it’s generally safe to take curcumin, some people may experience side effects including:
- headache
- nausea
- skin rashes
Simply follow the recommended dosage on your supplement package to help prevent any side effects.
The recommended daily intake of curcumin is 1.4 mg (or 3 mg/kg) per pound of body weight.
How To Use Turmeric For Health
- Add turmeric powder to your food. Popular in curry dishes, it’s also a great way to spice up soups, eggs, meat, and veggie dishes.
- Take a turmeric supplement. Choose one with black pepper, which contains piperine. The piperine improves the absorption of turmeric – as much as 2000%. Here’s a turmeric supplement with piperine that I love using.
- Drink turmeric tea, turmeric milk, or golden milk. Here’s a simple recipe, courtesy of realsimple.com:
Replace the water with coconut or almond milk if you prefer, and modify according to taste, adding spices such as cinnamon, ginger, or cayenne, and natural sweeteners.
- 1-2 cups of boiling water
- Add 1-2 teaspoons of ground or freshly grated turmeric (preferably USDA certified organic to avoid contaminants and pesticides) to the boiling water. If too strong, use less turmeric. Simmer for about 10 minutes along with any additional spices. If using freshly grated turmeric, simmer for a few minutes longer.
- Strain the tea into a cup and add lemon, milk, or honey to taste.
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Summary – Curcumin Turmeric Health Benefits
To wrap up, the health benefits of turmeric and curcumin and black pepper are impressive. As you’ve seen, they include:
- reversing diabetes and depression
- preventing Alzheimer’s, cancer and childhood Leukemia
- managing cholesterol and pain
- and more
Turmeric is easy to take as a supplement. You can also use it to flavor your food or beverages. Here’s a recipe you may enjoy for a 24K Gold Vanilla Turmeric Latte. Yum!
I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about these turmeric benefits because it really is an awesome spice!
How do you use turmeric curcumin? Share below!
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My grandmother’s been taking tumeric supplements to help her joints and she says it works so well!! I love the idea of taking something natural to help with inflammation!
This is great to hear, Julie! I’m so happy she’s finding relief for her symptoms with turmeric! And, I agree – natural is the way to go. 🙂
WOW! I had no idea it had all these benefits. I don’t even think I have this spice in my cabinet. Definitely going to pick some up now though. Thanks for sharing!
Right?! I’m so happy you’re going to try it out. Thanks for sharing!
I love sprinkling it on mixed veggies or potatos!
Sounds amazing, Amanda! Thanks for sharing this great tip!
This is very informative. I was telling someone just today that there are many healing/restorative spices that have been overlooked by patients looking for an alternative “cure” for what ails them. Thanks for the article.
Thanks, Vanessa, I agree with you 100%!
And I can say from personal experience that (for me) turmeric has helped so much with chronic pain I was having. Thanks so much for sharing this!
thanks Lori! Informative article! These are an impressive healing spices indeed. I tried another strong natural supplement Colostum, it’s great for immune system and has anti-inflammatory properties also.
Hey Mike, Thanks for the kind words – glad you enjoyed the article!
And thanks for sharing about Colostrum. For years I’d only heard / read about it in relation to newborn babies and the benefits of colostrum in a mother’s breast milk. But the more I read, like you mentioned, this is some amazing healing stuff! I want to learn more and then hope to share in a future blog post.
Thanks again for reading and commenting! Hope you come back soon!
Nice to hear about it Lori! You’re right, colostrum is the first food before mother’s milk, every newborn baby should get in order his/her immune system to function properly in the future and fight all the viruses and bacteria successfully. Colostrum “teachers” immune system how to work correctly so to say))
it works great for adults also
will come back in the future, you have lots of good reading!