Our bodies are equipped with mechanisms that help them heal and protect themselves from infection. However, these mechanisms are sometimes not enough to fend off pathogens or counter the damage caused by the body's own metabolic processes. There are also vital nutrients that we only get from food. Hence, we really need to be mindful and purposeful with the food that we consume.
Turmeric is one of the food items that are touted to provide a myriad of health benefits. In this article, we present three of the most well documented benefits of consuming turmeric.
It has proven medicinal properties
Turmeric is a yellow spice that is known for its strong flavor. Indian people have been using this spice in their curries for thousands of years. Aside from its flavor, what makes turmeric really enticing is the fact that it contains curcumin. This is a powerful anti-inflammatory substance. True enough, several studies have documented the effects of curcumin treatment on people who suffer from arthritis. You may recall, arthritis is a painful disease caused by the inflammation of the joints.
However, there is a caveat here. Turmeric does not have curcumin in high amounts; it's only about 3% of its weight. Hence, the average amount of turmeric in food might not be enough to give the body enough curcumin. Hence, there is a need for more targeted supplementation. The good thing is that the market is replete with products like Curamed that contain high curcumin concentrates.
It helps combat oxidative damage
Curcumin and other curcuminoid compounds in turmeric are also seen to have a role in mitigating or protecting against oxidative damage, which is usually caused by free radicals that react with DNA and fatty acids in the body. Such reactions contribute to aging.
As antioxidants, curcuminoid compounds destroy free radicals, which may have a delaying effect on the aging process. Turmeric and curcumin might be the "cosmetic products" that you are missing.
Curcumin in turmeric affects mood and learning
Though not yet conclusive, findings of a groundbreaking study suggests that curcumin can help eliminate depressive symptoms in clinically diagnosed patients. This study even concluded that curcumin has the same effects as Prozac, a widely used anti-depression medication.
It's not yet very clear, but it appears that curcumin gets its anti-depression properties from its capacity to boost serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain. These are neurotransmitters associated with pleasure and feelings of calmness and contentment.
In addition to that, it has also been seen that curcumin consumption leads to an increase in the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which plays a very important role in neuronal growth and neuron maintenance. Given this, it is not anymore surprising that curcumin can also help prevent and even treat mental disorders such as Alzheimer's.
Touted as one of the most effective and useful foods, turmeric is rightfully consumed by a large portion of the global population. However, some cultures, like the U.S., are just discovering its health potential. We hope that by presenting turmeric's (and curcumin's) undeniable benefits, more people will be enticed to give it a try, at least as an ingredient for some of their meals.
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of foodworldnews.com
