Turmeric is Talk of the Town. Every Time I go on the Internet, I stumble upon one or two articles on Health Benefits of Turmeric. What’s with the craze? If you have not read even one single article on Turmeric, you’re probably living under a rock.
Let’s find out the properties and the health benefits of Turmeric:
Properties of Turmeric:
Turmeric has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years.
In recent times, even scientists have approved of the many health benefits of Turmeric.
What is so special about it? Well, pretty much everything. Turmeric accounts for about 26% of our daily need for Magnesium, 16% of our daily need for Iron. It is also rich in Fibre, Potassium and other essential vitamins.
Now, we will talk about the active compound of Turmeric: Curcumin. Curcumin is the most important constituent of Turmeric. It is the factor responsible for various health benefits of Turmeric.
It has Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidative Properties.
Finally, let’s move on to the health benefits of Turmeric:
1. Turmeric is an excellent Anti-Inflammatory Agent:
Turmeric has been extensively used to treat Inflammation. Inflammation is usually not something to worry about. It is one of our body’s mechanisms to repair the damage.
But, Long-term Chronic Inflammation leads to heart problems and other Metabolic Syndromes. Hence, it is important to prevent Chronic Inflammation.
Curcumin has high anti-inflammatory properties. So, you can use Turmeric to avoid or treat Chronic Inflammation.
2. Turmeric boosts the activity of Anti-Oxidants in our body:
Well, to understand how Anti-Oxidant works, we need to first talk about something called Free Radicals. These Radicals damage the cells and can cause ageing and a range of other diseases. Anti-Oxidants protect our bodies from such invaders.
Curcumin is an excellent Anti-Oxidant. Because of this property, Turmeric has proven to be beneficial for Brain and Immune System.
3. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor:
Turmeric increases the supply of BNDF in blood. It is a protein that is associated with increased cognitive abilities of the brain.
Lower levels of this protein can cause various brain disorders which include Alzheimer’s disease and Depression. Curcumin is able to reverse a lot of brain diseases and it also maintains a healthy, functioning brain.
4. Turmeric helps fight Depression:
Lower levels of BNDF in your body can cause Depression. Turmeric increases the levels of BNDF in our blood. This way, it helps to fight Depression. This is simply a theory and we need strong scientific evidence to back this up.
5. Helps Patients with Alzheimer’s disease:
Alzheimer’s disease is one of the leading neurodegenerative diseases today.
Because of the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties of Turmeric, it helps in slowing down the process. It also increases BDNF levels in our blood. Hence, it is useful for treating Alzheimer’s disease.
6. Turmeric can cure Headaches:
Turmeric is a close relative of Ginger and ginger is a well-known headache remedy. No wonder, Turmeric is used to cure Headaches. It helps Migraine Patients too.
7. Turmeric can also treat PMS Symptoms:
Turmeric and Ginger are both useful in treating PMS Symptoms. It helps relieve Menstrual Cramps.
8.Turmeric vs. Viral Infections:
Turmeric is one of the oldest and the most beneficial medicinal herbs. It treats various viral infections due to its anti-viral property.
It has the potential to treat\cure various diseases, diseases like HIV infections, Cough, Cardiovascular diseases, Cancer etc.
9. Turmeric can be useful in preventing Cancer:
Cancer is the most dreaded of all diseases. It is characterized by the formation of Tumours in different parts of the body.
In recent times, Scientists have shifted their focus toward the possibilities of Turmeric being able to prevent certain types of Cancers.
Curcumin can stop\delay the growth of Tumour cells. It works especially for skin and digestive cancers. It might be able to cure cancer too, who knows?
This is a very broad field. Scientists have conducted various in-vitro studies to support this theory. Research is going on but as of now, we are in no position to declare that Turmeric fights off Cancer.
10. Turmeric and Acne:
Curcumin has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. So, it is a very effective remedy to cure\prevent acne.
You can use Turmeric for various skin treatments. Treatments like dark spots, pimples, complexion etc. It removes the excess oil and acts as an anti-microbial agent, thus clearing up your skin.
11. Studies show that Turmeric lowers the risk of Heart Diseases:
Curcumin is also known to improve heart functions and fight off heart diseases. Endothelium Membrane is the inner lining of the heart and the blood vessels.
Endothelial Dysfunction is one of the major reasons behind certain heart problems. Curcumin improves the endothelium activity. So, it can prevent various heart diseases.
We have talked about the health benefits of Turmeric. Now, let’s move on to the bigger question. How much Turmeric should we consume? What are the possible side effects?
Turmeric does not have a lot of side effects. It is safe to consume. But, too much of anything is not good.
You may experience symptoms like a headache, nausea, skin rashes and certain digestive problems because of the high dosage of Turmeric.
It is a wonderful herb and it has so many health benefits.
But, is important to maintain a healthy balance in everything you eat. Controlled consumption of everything is the key to living a healthy life.
Read also: The Golden Spice: Why Turmeric is the king of all spices?
