Turmeric is a yellow-colored spice that can do more than add flavor to your food. Here are some amazing turmeric benefits you may experience.
Turmeric is more than just a spice that adds great flavor and color to your meals – it also has anti-inflammatory properties. As a result, using turmeric as an ingredient or taking turmeric supplements may provide some amazing health benefits.
At the heart of turmeric’s benefits is curcumin, its major active ingredient. Curcumin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; it also gives turmeric that yellowish color. To learn about all the benefits that turmeric and curcumin can provide, then keep reading below.
Inflammation Benefits
According to one study, participants who took 2 grams of curcumin a day along with their prescription medication for ulcerative colitis had a higher chance of staying in remission than those who took their medication alone. “It won’t necessarily help during an active flare-up, but it may help prolong remission,” explains registered dietitian Nicole Hopsecger, RD.
Memory Benefits
A clinical trial suggests that taking 90 milligrams of curcumin twice per day for 18 months may help improve memory in adults without dementia. “Researchers thought that the reduction in brain inflammation and curcumin’s antioxidant properties led to less decline in neurocognition, which is the ability to think and reason,” says Hopsecger. “Curcumin may also have a role in preventing the development of Alzheimer’s disease – however, that’s an area where we need more research.”
Pain Benefits
Both Chinese traditional medicine and Ayurvedic medicine have used turmeric as a treatment for arthritis. While research suggests that taking turmeric extract may have potential benefits for pain reduction in osteoarthritis, more research is necessary. “I wouldn’t rely on a curcumin supplement alone,” says Hopsecger. “Medical management should come first.”
Heart Benefits
Due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, turmeric may help lower the risk of heart disease. Some studies suggest that curcumin may help manage high blood pressure, heart attack risk, cholesterol levels, and more.
Mood Benefits
People with depression have a reduction in the protein known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and a shrinking hippocampus. One study suggests that curcumin may help boost BDNF levels and may even reverse the changes. Other studies suggest that curcumin may also help increase serotonin and dopamine, which are chemicals that regular mood and other functions.
Taking Care of Your Health
By taking turmeric supplements, you may help boost your health and experience these benefits. However, it’s important to note that supplements alone won’t work as treatments. For this reason, you need to make healthy lifestyle changes that will work alongside supplements to enhance your health.
In addition to turmeric, you can take other supplements like L-arginine Plus to promote your heart health. Its ingredients support healthy circulation, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and more. Give your health the extra help it deserves by leading a healthy lifestyle, taking turmeric, and taking L-arginine Plus.