The Top 10 Health Benefits of Turmeric:
The Sacred Root that Rejuvenates the Body and Mind

BY BRITT BRANDON, CFNS, CPT

turmeric root has been revered as a staple of Ayurvedic medicine for more than 4,000 years, making it one of the oldest known medicines in human history.

What Is Turmeric?

Used internationally as a staple spice in cuisine, an element of holistic medicine, an offering in religious ceremonies, and even a coloring in cosmetics, turmeric has been providing the world with countless uses and immense health benefits for thousands of years. The scientific name for the plant is Curcuma longa, a well-known perennial belonging to the ginger family of Zingiberaceae.

Turmeric’s beautiful bright yellow root has led to its nicknames “the golden spice” and “Indian saffron.” It has graced countless cultures around the world with its gorgeous coloring, unique aroma, and unmistakable flavor. Available in a natural state of the whole turmeric root or in powdered, pressed, extract or supplement forms, turmeric can provide countless preventative and healing measures.

A Brief History

Native to the southwest of India, this root spice has been a staple of Ayurvedic medicine for more than 4,000 years. Turmeric’s benefits and usage has spread recently around the world to contribute to the healing and preventative medicinal applications of countless conditions, from rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease to heart disease. Around c.e. 700, the turmeric plant is thought to have arrived in China. The earliest record of the plant is in one of the first Ayurvedic scientific and medical documents, the Sanskrit text Compendium of Caraka (written between the fourth century b.c.e. and the second century c.e.), which recommended turmeric as an efficient remedy for food poisoning.

Turmeric became a staple of the culture and cuisine of India, where they utilized the root spice for multiple applications. People in India became such devout believers in the root’s healing and protective powers that they became planters and suppliers; India now produces more than 80 percent of the world’s turmeric root. With more than 3,000 studies published in peer-reviewed journals in the last twenty-five years showing the amazing health benefits of turmeric, turmeric has made quite an entrance into the Western medicinal world of health care.

Turmeric’s Unique Chemical Profile

Turmeric contains more than 100 astounding chemical compounds that contribute to its ability to help treat conditions from stomachaches to respiratory illness. These chemical compounds are what make turmeric unique. Most importantly, turmeric contains curcumin, which is a polyphenol. Polyphenols are organic chemicals that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. Polyphenols are also present in other foods and beverages, such as epigallocatechin in green tee, capsaicin in chili peppers, and resveratrol in red wine and fresh peanuts. Curcumin is what gives turmeric its beautiful yellow-orange color. Curcuminoids, the group of chemical compounds responsible for the health benefits of turmeric, include curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin. Turmeric also contains volatile oils, including tumerone, artumerone, and zingiberene.

Curcumin is the part of turmeric that has been studied most frequently for its uses as the active ingredient in dietary turmeric supplements and in food coloring and cosmetics. One study conducted by the Asian Coordinating Group for Chemistry showed that turmeric extracts may have antifungal and antibacterial properties. The National Institutes of Health lists more than eighty studies that are looking into turmeric’s benefits and ability to treat and heal issues, from irritable bowel syndrome to diabetic nephropathy.

Turmeric’s health benefits are owed to the plant’s unique chemical composition of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals provide the body with:

+ Promotion of immunity
+ Protection against illness and disease
+ Prevention of the development of serious illness and disease
+ Destruction of chronic disease cells within the brain and body

Thanks to these properties, turmeric has now been integrated into natural treatment methods for common and chronic conditions by many health care providers.

The Special Benefits of Turmeric

Turmeric possesses natural oils, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and phytochemicals that combine to provide healing properties for almost every area of the body. Phytochemicals are naturally occurring plant compounds that boost the healthy functioning of cells, tissues, organs, and systems. These compounds include antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, analgesics, and a wide variety of protective, preventative, and health-promoting derivatives that help support the natural functions of the body.

The powerful phenols contained within the flesh of the turmeric root are varieties of curcuminoids: curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin, and bisdesmethoxycurcumin, which not only help combat germs, bacteria, and viruses but also help aid in digestive processes, support immunity, improve energy, maximize metabolic functioning, cleanse the blood, regulate blood sugar, and increase mental processes. It is these compounds that ate responsible for turmeric’s health benefits. Turmeric also contains quercetin, a plant pigment that gives many fruits and vegetables their color. These anti-inflammatory compounds are antioxidants that scavenge free radicals, which can damage cells.

The Health Benefits of Turmeric

1. Reduces the Risk of Cancer

Antioxidants are key to the topic of cancer resistance. With more than 100 types of cancer affecting an alarming percentage of the population every year, the American Cancer Society estimates one out of every four deaths can be attributed to this disease. Pharmaceutical companies promote chemotherapy products that can be effective but have debilitating side effects, so the natural remedies community has studied natural alternatives that can prevent the development of cancer and potentially even kill cancer cells completely. Among its many benefits, turmeric has been one of the natural remedies studied and has produced nearly miraculous results.

Combating chronic inflammation, a known contributing factor to the development of cancer, turmeric promotes the body’s ability to fight the spread of cancerous cells. Its potent antioxidants support the body’s natural immunity to oxidative stress, which can cause cancer to develop and progress. The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has worked extensively to study the effects of turmeric on cancer development and has deemed it to be “one of the most effective cancer combatants,” as reported in Clinical Cancer Research. With the simple addition of 1 tablespoon of turmeric per day, you can naturally and effectively help to keep your body and mind clear of cancer.

2. Provides Natural Anti-Inflammatory Agents

Inflammation is a common cause of pain and discomfort, and can even contribute to the development of serious illnesses and disease. While many people opt to treat their inflammation with prescribed and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and NSAID pain relievers, these treatment options can fail to provide relief and pose serious health risks. For those with contraindicated conditions, or those taking prescriptions that can be interfered with by anti-inflammatory medications, an all-natural treatment option can provide safe, effective relief. Free of synthetics, and supported by scientific studies that have shown it to be free of side effects, turmeric is not only health-improving in a number of ways, it is as safe as it is effective.

Chemical compounds in turmeric, such as curcumin, combine with vitamins and minerals that support the body’s natural processes of fighting inflammation, one of turmeric’s greatest health benefits. Potent and able to provide relief comparable to or exceeding that of synthetic alternatives (according to a 2014 Clinical Interventions in Aging article), turmeric root or its extract can be used topically or orally to fight inflammation inside and out. Ground turmeric powder, when dissolved in water and applied with a compress to the site of swelling, can provide immediate and long-lasting relief. Ingested orally in powdered or compressed pill form, turmeric supplementation can also prevent inflammation in the cells, tissues, and muscles… naturally and effectively. A topical solution can be applied as well to the site of muscle soreness, sprains, swelling, joint inflammation, and even general aches and pains! Best of all, these applications can be used as often as necessary to achieve relief naturally.

3. Boosts Immunity

You probably know that your immune system is responsible for protecting the body from the development of illness and disease. Few people realize, however, that a significant portion of the immune system is directly related to digestion. Ridding the body of waste while retrieving and absorbing essential nutrients from whole foods, the digestive system disperses the essential elements of the diet throughout the body. All of these benefits make the immune system function better, helping to keep the body free of bacteria, viruses, and microbes, as well as harmful oxidative damage from free radicals. With such importance being placed on nutrition for the body’s optimal health, it’s easy to see why digestion plays such an important role, making the quality of the diet consumed something that literally supports or degrades the body’s immunity.

Knowing that nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals support the body’s immune system, researchers started delving into specific natural foods and spices that are especially good at maintaining, protecting, and boosting immunity. Turmeric has shown to be one of the best foods for this purpose. It provides the body with antioxidants; anti-inflammatory properties; and antiviral, antibacterial, and antimicrobial compounds (including curcumin). These proven health benefits of turmeric help to support the digestive system’s ability to function at its best and also support the immune system’s protective capabilities to keep illnesses and disease at bay. A simple addition of a small 1⁄2 teaspoon of turmeric to your daily diet can provide the body with these protective immunity-boosting benefits for greater health naturally.

4. Balances Hormone Levels

Hormones are involved in every imaginable process that takes place in the brain and body. Coursing through the body with ease, these hormones are necessary to support life functions of all kinds. Digestion, muscle contraction, nervous system functioning, sleep, and mood can all be attributed to a specific interaction of hormones, and that’s why hormonal balance is so essential to quality of health and well-being. Researchers know that lifestyle factors and diet definitely play a major role in the maintenance of hormonal production and balance, but there are times when genetics and mutations throw off hormonal balance. While many drugs attempt to restore hormone balance, the scientific and medical communities have begun looking into how natural remedies like turmeric may benefit hormone regulation without synthetics.

Turmeric is able to supply an ample amount of nutritive support to the body’s hormonal production processes. Here are some of turmeric’s health benefits when it comes to hormone regulation.

+ Improves immunity by supplying phytonutrients that prevent illness, disease, and mutations that can hinder hormonal production

+ Cleanses the blood of toxicity

+ Crosses the blood-brain barrier for immediate on-site delivery of phytochemicals

+ Regulates and supports the health of all organs involved in hormone production

One simple teaspoon per day of turmeric root is an easy, safe approach to achieving hormonal balance.

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5. Prevents Hair Loss

Hair loss can almost always be attributed to a nutritional deficiency. Whether the deficiency is due to a poor diet, lifestyle choices, or hereditary conditions, the failure of the body to absorb and utilize essential nutrients can adversely affect multiple physical processes, including the production and retention of hair. The hair follicles can be compromised, leading to a minimal production of new hair growth and inability to retain existing hair. Over-the-counter products that promise to prevent hair loss often include harsh chemicals and synthetic additives that can agitate the skin and inhibit the healthy, natural retention of hair. Surprisingly, using turmeric is one of the natural approaches to preventing hair loss.

Because it contains a number of nutrients that help the skin achieve an optimal level of health, turmeric extract and supplements can be used in both internal and external applications to ensure the scalp remains healthy and hair continues to grow. Fighting free-radical damage that can leave the scalp riddled with health issues, turmeric’s beneficial polyphenols help to counteract the health issues and conditions that can cause hair loss.

6. Encourages Proper Digestion

One way that turmeric benefits the body is by aiding the digestive system. This bodily system consists of multiple parts that work together to move and process the food you eat. From the saliva in the mouth (which starts the dissolution of food) to the muscle movements of the esophagus (which pull food into the intestines) to the release of bile by the gallbladder (which breaks down food), digestion is an intricate process. Because there are so many organs and functions involved in digestion, the process can easily be disrupted, especially if you don’t get enough of the vitamins and minerals that are necessary to support those organs and their functions. The enzymes, acids, and excretions that are needed for digestion to be performed properly are only produced when adequate amounts of the nutrients they depend on are provided in the diet. Since most people find it difficult to adhere to healthy eating and a squeaky-clean diet of whole fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and grains to ensure maximum nutrient availability, you will be happy to discover that turmeric can help.

With turmeric’s assortment of fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds, it can deliver the precise nutrition the digestive system needs to support enzymatic reactions, acid production, muscle movement, and optimal nutrient absorption. Just add 1 tablespoon of grated, powdered, or liquid turmeric extract (along with a grind of fresh black pepper) to one of your dishes every day, or drink a turmeric tea 15 minutes before your meal. All of turmeric’s benefits combine to create the perfect digestive system elements that promote optimal (and regular!) digestion each and every day!

7. Promotes Fat Loss

The body requires specific nutrients to perform each function involved in fat burning. These functions include:

+ Increasing metabolism (improving calorie burn)

+ Regulating blood sugar levels and minimizing insulin resistance

+ Regulating hormone production and levels (ensuring cortisol and other fat-retaining hormones are kept in check)

+ Improving the communication between the digestive system and the brain via neurotransmitters to ensure feelings of satiety are experienced appropriately

If you add turmeric to your daily diet, whether it’s a turmeric supplement that contains curcumin or turmeric root, the essentials required for each of these processes are delivered to the proper organs via the bloodstream, promoting the successful functioning of each system.

When each system is optimized, you’ll find that your:

+ Food is properly digested.
+ Bile production is balanced.
+ Energy levels are higher.
+ Feelings of fullness come easier.
+ Calorie-burn rates are higher.

All of these benefits lead to increased fat burn, as verified in a Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry article in 2015! You can be sure your systems are optimized by incorporating turmeric into your day. With turmeric’s blend of vital vitamins, miraculous minerals, and potent phytochemicals, the body’s natural processes involved in fat burning are supported and optimized. Turmeric tastes great in teas, smoothies, snacks, and meals, so it’s a very versatile and delicious ingredient that can maximize flavor and fuel fat burn. So, if you’re hoping to lose fat without the pills, potions, and products that promise but don’t deliver, opt instead for the natural doses of turmeric and its proven health benefits that can help you lose fat fast and healthfully!

8. Cleanses the Liver

Your liver is tasked with the difficult job of cleansing your body’s fluids of toxins, pollutants, and irritants. The liver therefore plays a major role in maintaining the body’s immunity and its ability to fight infection and preserve overall health. If the liver itself is compromised with toxins derived from the diet, environment, or lifestyle choices, it functions poorly, and that can lead to catastrophic consequences that can adversely affect your body and mind. With a focus on healthy living and by taking advantage of turmeric’s many benefits, anyone can reverse damage done to the liver, improving its health and productivity.

With a fully functioning, healthy liver, the body and mind can thrive, free of oxidative properties and free radicals that can run rampant, killing or mutating cells throughout the body. (Oxidation is a process that produces harmful and potentially dangerous “free radicals” that can move throughout the body via the bloodstream and tissues, causing potentially harmful changes to cells.) Turmeric’s cleansing phytochemicals, including curcumin, act as powerful antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties that protect and cleansethe liver and the entire body!

9. Can Help Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

A disease that affects an estimated 44 million people worldwide, Alzheimer’s has a devastating effect on the human body. Alzheimer’s halts working neurons, eats away at existing brain tissue, and wreaks havoc on the entire nervous system. Despite awareness and research across the field of health care, Alzheimer’s is still considered an unpredictable and uncontrollable disease. We do know that the condition, which affects the masses, is exacerbated by the use of synthetic additives that are often included in food ingredients and storage containers, but we know very few preventative or curative measures at this point in time. However, recent scientific studies, such as a 2008 study published in the Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology, have shown how all-natural phytochemicals like curcumin could transform the treatment approach with fewer side effects and improved results! In addition, studies show turmeric’s ability to increase the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is the building material of new brain cells.

The blood-brain barrier is an extremely selective permeable barrier that separates the circulating blood from brain fluid in the nervous system. This barrier blocks large molecules that can pose potential harm from interrupting the normal functions of the brain, nerves, etc. Unlike medicinal therapies that are unable to pass through the blood-brain barrier to deliver the caustic drugs directly to the brain sites affected by Alzheimer’s, turmeric allows the potent phytochemical curcumin to be absorbed in the blood and delivered directly to the sites of the brain in need. Not only does curcumin fight inflammation and infection, this phytochemical combats protein deposits and nervous system inhibition by excavating these potentially hazardous protein deposits that contribute to the brain degradation associated with Alzheimer’s disease. With a simple teaspoon of turmeric per day, grated fresh or in powdered form, mixed into meals, smoothies, or a simple elixir, you can help combat Alzheimer’s disease naturally and deliciously.

10. Manages Arthritis Pain

Arthritis is pain and inflammation that occurs within the joints. Millions of people suffer from this excruciating condition, seeking relief in physical therapies, medicine, and lifestyle changes. While many things can be done to minimize the pain of arthritis, such as receiving cortisone shots, following daily prescription medicine regimens, and taking painkillers, the underlying cause of the inflammation is rarely affected. All of those treatments still leave the arthritis sufferer with “flare-ups”—aggravated further with synthetic pharmaceutical drug use that can wreak havoc on the body by interfering with normal functioning of the body’s systems. Mood swings, interrupted sleep patterns, and heart complications are just a few of the commonly experienced side effects of pharmaceutical medications intended to treat arthritic conditions. This is where the health benefits of turmeric come in. By taking turmeric as a dietary supplement, an arthritis sufferer can find relief from the condition effectively, safely, and naturally.

In one study on knee osteoarthritis published in Clinical Interventions in Aging in 2014, 1,500 mg of turmeric supplement consumption daily was shown to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties comparable to 800 mg of ibuprofen. That’s how turmeric is able to provide relief from arthritis pain while treating the underlying cause: inflammation. Helping to alleviate inflammation within the joints, turmeric’s phytochemicals also work to cleanse the blood of impurities while promoting proper functioning of the liver to ensure that the toxins that can contribute to arthritis flare-ups are minimized throughout the body or are no longer present. All while delivering essential nutrients to improve the physical functions that help restore and replenish the health of joints throughout the body, turmeric extract might enable arthritis sufferers to enjoy a life without the condition and its limitations—naturally!

When to Be Careful with Turmeric: Side Effects

Turmeric is generally a very safe ingredient and supplement. However, talk with your doctor before beginning any routine that includes it. Here are some specific situations that require extra attention before using the common root spice as a dietary supplement:

+ Eating turmeric in foods is safe during pregnancy, but turmeric supplements may not be.

+ Those with gallbladder problems may find that turmeric exacerbates them.

+ Turmeric might slow blood clotting, so those with bleeding problems or an upcoming surgery should be cautious.

+ Curcumin might decrease blood sugar in diabetics.

+ High amounts of turmeric might affect iron absorption.

+ Turmeric might decrease testosterone levels and sperm movement, which could affect fertility.

+ High levels of turmeric may also increase the production of stomach acid, which could be problematic for those with reflux or ulcers.

This article on turmeric and curcumin benefits is excerpted with permission from Turmeric for Health: 100 Amazing and Unexpected Uses for Turmeric by Britt Brandon, CFNS, CPT. Copyright © 2016 Adams Media, a division of Simon and Schuster. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

About The Author

Britt Brandon, CFNS, CPT is a certified personal trainer; a certified fitness nutrition specialist; and the author of many books, including Apple Cider Vinegar for Health, Coconut Oil for Health, The I Love My NutriBullet Recipe Book, Activated Charcoal for Health, and The “I Love My Instant Pot” Vegan Recipe Book. As a competitive athlete, trainer, mom of three small children, and fitness and nutrition blogger on her own website UltimateFitMom.com, she is well versed in the holistic approaches to keeping your body in top-performing condition.