The use of Turmeric can be dated as far back as 2000 BC and is thought to have originated in India. The golden spice then gradually spread across South Asia to East Africa, followed by West Africa and Jamaica. The Susruta Samhita, composed around 250 BC mentions turmeric benefits in an ointment form to relieve the effects of food poisoning.
A rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant, Turmeric belongs to the Ginger family and is a product of Curcuma Longa. There are roughly around 133 species of turmeric across the world. The rhizome is filled with inherent nutritious, beautiful, and antiseptic properties and has a high content of a bioactive compound called Curcumin. So what is Curcumin, and what does it do?
Curcumin is a bright yellow compound found in Curcuma Longa plants. There are mainly three types of Curcuminoids found in Turmeric- Curcumin, Desmethoxycurcumin, and Bis-desmethoxycurcumin. This compound gives lends the striking yellow hue to turmeric and is used as a food colourant and dye.
Coming to medicinal turmeric benefits, Curcumin has proven effects in the treatment of blood, skin, mouth, lung, pancreas, and intestinal cancers.
What does turmeric do to your body?
Turmeric is available in a variety of product forms such as capsules, teas, powders, and extracts.
To begin with, let us at first look at the nutritional factors present in 1 tablespoon of turmeric serving:
- 29 Calories
- Protein– 0.91 grams
- Fat– 0.31 grams
- Carbohydrates– 6.31 grams
- Fibre– 2.1 grams
- Sugar– 0.3 grams
Ground Turmeric Uses
- Medicinal Uses: From Ayurveda to modern medicine, turmeric has come a long way when it comes to serving medicinal benefits. Amongst its innumerable uses, listed below are some of the most important ones.
- Pain Relief: Turmeric has wondrous antioxidant properties and is believed to have pain-relieving powers equal to ginger. The ideal dosage on a daily basis for prompt pain-relief effects is 400mg to 600mg daily. However, one must not consume turmeric beyond 2,000 mg a day.
- Anti-Inflammatory Purposes: For patients suffering from prolonged Arthritis complications, turmeric comes as a boon. To utilize this property, turmeric can be consumed in the form of tea. To make turmeric tea, you need to boil 2 cups of water with 1 teaspoon of turmeric and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Simmer the boiling concoction for 10 to 15 minutes and then add lemon, honey, or milk according to individual preference.
- Liver Function: Known for its antioxidant properties, consuming the right proportions of turmeric can delay liver damage from toxins.
- Digestion: Turmeric is widely used in curries and dishes across many continents and sub-continents. Turmeric can ease gut inflammation and help with gut permeability. It is also used as a cure for irritable bowel syndrome.
- Reduced risk of Cancer: Even though the process of using turmeric as a cure for cancer is still under research, it certainly can be used to treat carcinogenic inflammation due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
- Beauty Benefits: Simultaneously, turmeric is incorporated in lots of beauty products due to turmeric’s beauty benefits. To look at a few:
- Acne Scarring: Typically caused by a bacterium named Propionibacterium Acnes, acne often subsides leaving behind long-lasting scars. These can be treated either through antibiotic administration or through herbal procedures. One such magic component that can fade away acne scars in no time happens to be turmeric. Turmeric can be combined with honey, apple cider vinegar, yoghurt, or aloe and applied on the face as DIY masks to treat these scars.
- Sun Damage: UV rays can prove to be extremely harmful to the skin as it may cause sunburn, tan, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, or something as serious as skin cancer. Incorporating Turmeric in your daily beauty regime can soothe these harmful effects on your skin.
- Aging: Turmeric can instantly rewind your skin clock is included in your regular skincare routine. Turmeric blocks the enzyme named elastase that attacks the skin’s ability to produce elastin, a compound that maintains the skin’s elasticity.
- Wounds: With wondrous antiseptic and antibacterial properties, turmeric has been used to treat wounds and infections for ages. Turmeric not only soothes the wound but accelerates the healing procedure by pushing the body to produce new, healthy tissues faster.
- Scabies: Scabies happen as a result of an infestation of mites named Sarcoptes Scabiei under the skin. These cause rashes, redness, and itching. A combination of turmeric and neem can cure Scabies with up to 97% effectiveness.
- Skin Whitening: According to Ayurveda, turmeric is one of the most important agents of skin whitening. Some major ground turmeric uses are to reduce hyperpigmentation, dark patches by imparting a natural glow to the skin. Traditional Indian brides often follow the ritual of Haldi on their wedding day for its skin whitening and glow benefits. An easy DIY turmeric face pack is one that follows:
Ingredients
- Turmeric Powder (1 Tbsp), Lemon Juice (Half), Water/ Cucumber Water.
- lMix Turmeric with Lemon juice and Water/Cucumber Water to make a thick paste.
- Apply to the entire face or the affected areas such as neck, elbows, and knees.
- Let it dry for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Wash it off with tap water.
Turmeric Supplements
However, it might be difficult to find turmeric at local supermarkets throughout the year. In that case, one can substitute them with turmeric supplements and enjoy the same turmeric benefits. They come in the forms of capsules, smoothies, shakes, or liquid tinctures.
Some of the best turmeric supplements are listed below
- Organifi Gold (Powder)
- PuraTHRIVE Curcumin Gold (Liquid Tincture)
- Prime Health Daily Turmeric Restore (Capsules)
- 1MD Curcumin MD Plus (Capsules)
- Turmeric Total Boost (Capsules)
