If you discovered something that tasted absolutely delicious while also benefiting your health in positive ways, would you eat it? Most of us would! Turmeric, a spice used to make curry, is just such a thing.
It’s easy to find and easy to use and has so many positive health benefits. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t stock up on it today. Need more evidence? Keep reading!
Behind the Research
According to research published by the American Diabetes Association, turmeric might help prevent Type 2 diabetes. In a study of pre-diabetic patients, half of the participants were given curcumin tablets, which are essentially turmeric, and the other half a placebo pill.
After nine months, among the participants who received the placebo, more than 16 percent developed indications of the Type 2 diabetes to which they were prone. On the other hand, the turmeric group of pre-diabetic participants had a zero percent incidence of diabetes.
Turmeric also has benefits for your heart health. Because it is a plant, it contains antioxidants, which can help control oxidation that leads to heart complications. In addition, turmeric is anti-inflammatory, which is beneficial in helping to prevent the arterial buildup that can lead to a heart attack.
In fact, research from Chiang Mai University in China concludes that turmeric is especially beneficial in preventing heart attacks among recent bypass surgery patients.
In addition, according to information from the University of Maryland Medical Center, turmeric can also help control cholesterol levels, which is another way to reduce the risk of heart disease.
More research indicates that turmeric also plays a role in cancer prevention. According to research reported by the American Cancer Society, the antioxidants in turmeric may help prevent cancers of the stomach, mouth, intestines, esophagus, skin and breasts. Researchers chalk this up to its anti-inflammatory properties, as well.
Those anti-inflammation benefits also have a positive effect on pain management. The American Cancer Society reports that regular consumption of turmeric has been shown to be as beneficial, or more so, than over-the-counter pain medications. This includes using it for arthritis, surgical incisions and other types of pain.
Finally, according to researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles, turmeric may play a role in preventing Alzheimer’s disease or slowing its progression. The study theorizes that eating curcumin, a component of turmeric, is at play.
This is because of the lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in countries that eat a lot of curry, such as India. Other studies suggest that a dose of about 80 milligrams of curcumin may be the magic number for adequate prevention.
How To Eat Turmeric
Of course, the most popular way to eat turmeric is to make curry dishes, which often include meats and vegetables. You can also use it in other ways to reap the health benefits it has to offer. You can give egg dishes a kick by adding a dash of turmeric to scrambled eggs, frittatas, omelets or quiche.
No matter how you eat it, turmeric is bound to improve your health in some way. Start small by adding just a bit of the spice to your dishes. Once you get a taste for it, you’ll love experimenting with turmeric and trying it in new and fancy ways all the time.
