Turmeric: properties and benefits

Turmeric or Indian gold, named for its color, belongs to the botanical family of ginger . Its use is ancient and is cultivated in countries belonging to Southeast Asia such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, among others. It is used as a plant of great medicinal value and also as a flavored spice commonly used in Indian culture and in Chinese medicine as remedies. Its color is a very bright yellow, and has a neutral flavor; although a little spicy and is a main ingredient in curry.

Health benefits of turmeric

The value of this plant is proven through all the benefits it brings to our health and supported by its ancestral use in the East and West.

The active ingredient that allows to obtain excellent results in nutrition is curcumin, which, in addition to giving it its peculiar yellow color, is the carrier of numerous properties, including those related to the liver, the gallbladder, as well as being an exceptional anti-inflammatory . Also, turmenone is another of the substances included in turmeric, which acts as a stimulator and regulator of bile.

From a nutritional point of view, turmeric is beneficial because it integrates many of the convenient nutrients for the proper functioning of our body: potassium , iron, zinc and magnesium along with vitamins K, E and C, among others.

Turmeric can be found, like many other spices, in specialist nutrition and health stores. The most common form is in powder form, although it is also possible in capsules.

These are some of the properties and benefits that characterize the consumption of turmeric on a regular basis in our diet and it is especially positive when one suffers from any of the body ailments that are listed below.

The great liver benefactress

It is the most widely used remedy par excellence to treat difficulties related to the liver. It collaborates in the elimination of stones or gallstones, and cooperates in the liver drainage, as well as in the gallbladder.

Its consumption is carried out in the case of diseases such as jaundice , where the skin and the whites of the eyes take on a yellow tone, and cirrhosis or liver tissue dysfunction, whereby the liver ceases to function in the production of proteins and is unprotected against infection. In the same way, it contributes to liver detoxification, due to the intervention of antioxidants, protecting the liver from carcinogenic substances.

In people diagnosed with hepatitis , cholesterol or biliary conditions, it has been proven that the incorporation of turmeric, in small daily amounts, produces an improvement.

The anti-inflammatory

Another of the properties assigned to turmeric has to do with its anti-inflammatory power. In addition, in cases of arthritis , it is essential to mitigate pain. In relation to sports practice, it manages to keep the joints in adequate conditions for regular exercise, preventing pain and inflammation.

Another of the great favors is blood circulation, collaborating in the fluidity of the blood.

The qualities of Curcuma Longa L. are accredited by herbal medicine and molecular biologists from various universities thanks to its performance in inflammatory processes, in addition to providing excellent healing in tissue recovery.

Goodbye to heartburn

It is inevitable to talk about the toning effects that turmeric has when talking about stomach disorders, produced, among other causes, by current stress or copious meals.

Turmeric also facilitates digestion and its use is recommended in situations of gastritis, dyspepsia or slow assimilation of food.

We have to add that, due to eugenol, it calms colic and helps to eliminate the gases that accumulate in the intestine.

The spice of happiness

Whether it is in extract or powder form, turmeric is also a great stimulant of the neurological system for depressive pictures or emotional disorders as in the case of feelings of unhappiness and melancholy.

The usefulness of this spice in mood disorders has been very present in Chinese medicine for many generations, since it favors the development of serotonin , the neuronal substance that works as a neurotransmitter to balance the emotional state.

The microbes filter

Another of the properties highly valued by experts is the positive action of its antibacterial active components. It prevents the infection of wounds and the appearance of fungi in the body.

Regulatory menstrual

Turmeric, in addition, is a mediator in menstrual cycles, appeasing premenstrual symptoms. In these cases, it is advisable to ingest lower doses so as not to harm ovulation.

Culinary uses with turmeric

The crushed turmeric root is widely used in cooking as a spice that adds flavor to many recipes.

It is a spice that can be added to the vast majority of dishes, as it is very versatile. Legumes, vegetable purees and creams, rice, etc. Its yellow color manages to function as a perfect colorant due to its color and it is recommended that it be applied once the food is cooked.

• In a sandwich or cheese sandwich, sprinkle lightly over all the ingredients.
• In sauces such as mayonnaise, guacamole, gazpacho or purees, we recommend seasoning at the end of cooking.
• In legumes and pasta, once boiled and filtered, add one or two teaspoons.
• In drinks such as tea or other infusions, as well as with coconut milk combined with other ingredients such as cinnamon and lemon.

Turmeric contraindications

Its consumption is not recommended in case of pregnancy or breastfeeding, since there is a health risk in babies. It is also contraindicated in situations of complications in the gallbladder and in operated people, since it delays clotting.

In short, we encourage you to experience all the privileges that turmeric consumption offers in our daily diet. It is an excellent supplement that provides our health with many benefits that restore and maintain vital balance.