What is turmeric and what are its benefits?

Turmeric is a familiar spice, thanks to all the curries! But why should you be incorporating it into your diet?

You may be most familiar with turmeric through the curry dishes you have eaten. The golden colour of curry comes from its main ingredient, the turmeric spice.

Turmeric is an ingredient that has been used in culinary dishes and traditional medicine for centuries. It is often used as a spice in South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking.

A relative of ginger, the turmeric plant grows in the tropics of Southern Asia. The roots are typically boiled and then dried and ground into a yellow powder.

According to the book Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects, India produces nearly all of the world’s turmeric crops and consumes 80% of it. However, it is also well recognised and used in other countries, such as in mustard in the United States, in tea in Japan, in cosmetics in Thailand and drinks in Korea.

The health benefits and golden colour of the spice come from its active compound, curcumin, forming the main health benefits and its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Health benefits of curcumin from turmeric

Anti-inflammatory

One of turmeric’s main traditional medicinal uses has been as an anti-inflammatory. This makes it a beneficial ingredient, given inflammation is known to be linked to many joint health conditions.

Antioxidant

Curcumin has antioxidant properties, helping to fight free radicals, the molecules that can cause cell damage.

Supports joint health

Because of its anti-inflammatory action, turmeric can aid in maintaining joint health.

How to incorporate turmeric into your diet?

You can use turmeric powder as a spice in your cooking by adding it to smoothies, muffins, rice, roasted veggies, salads and soups. Turmeric adds golden colour and flavour to dishes such as Asian dishes, rice and lentil dishes, stews and soups such as chicken soup.

You can also use the fresh root and place it in an airtight container in the fridge. Then peel, chop or grate it to use in your cooking. For instance, you could add it to your tea, adding lemon and honey for flavour.

The Arthritis Foundation notes a few factors affecting turmeric’s effectiveness. It only contains about 2 to 6% of the active compound, curcumin, and alone has poor bioavailability, as it is not easily absorbed by the body, a review published in the Foods Journal explains.

Its bioavailability may be enhanced by adding certain components such as piperine, the major active component of black pepper. Plus, according to the Arthritis Foundation, it is best to consume curcumin in meals with fats such as nuts, avocado, seeds and olive oils to further enhance absorption.

Tips

Avoid getting turmeric on your clothing or benchtops as it stains and can be difficult to remove.

If you are considering taking curcumin as a supplement, talk to your healthcare professional about whether this is ideal for your personal health situation and to determine the right dose, as it could interact with some medications.