Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is one of the most well-known and commonly used spices in the world, with its brilliant and vibrant yellow colour earning it the title of “Indian saffron” and the “Golden spice of India”. Its use in India goes back nearly 4000 years, where it held religious and cultural significance, found use as a culinary spice and was also highly valued for its medicinal properties and health benefits.
Benefits of Turmeric
Turmeric is considered a symbol of purity, fertility and prosperity and is closely interwoven in the lives of Indian households. A member of the ginger family, it has also been used in the Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. It is listed as tridoshic implying its effectiveness in balancing the three doshas in the body – Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Ayurveda recommends it to purify the blood, and also stimulate the formation of new blood tissue. Mixing it with milk can calm the mind and improve sleep quality. It is also known to regulate menses in women and decrease the intensity and pain of menstrual periods.
Turmeric has long been touted as a superfood; thanks to its compound curcumin that is known to have health promoting properties. Turmeric is used in dried or fresh form in cooking, cosmetics and traditional medicines. It has numerous bioactive compounds that endow several medicinal benefits to this spice. Other compounds that are present in turmeric are volatile oils, potassium, omega-3 fatty acids, linolenic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, fibres, et al, which provide this spice with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, anti-microbial and thermogenic properties. Not only does this spice help in keep your body healthy, it also helps in losing weight. A cupful of turmeric tea is the answer to your weight loss woes. Let’s take you through the benefits of this therapeutic turmeric tea for weight loss.
There is hardly a system in the body that isn’t supported by turmeric. Its bitter and pungent taste and heating nature enable it to have a mobilizing and cleansing energy. Its affinity for the blood renders it the ability to circulate its powerful health benefits throughout the body. Turmeric has been and continues to be used for the following benefits:
Anti-inflammatory: When our system is out of balance, its ability to heal and repair slows down. The consumption of turmeric helps the body’s innate inflammatory response return to normal, and accelerates healing. It is, for this reason, it is used extensively in the treatment of pain and inflammation related to any kind of exercise and strenuous activity as well as in the treatment of arthritis.
Anti-microbial and anti-bacterial: Owing to these properties, turmeric has been a part of our daily diet for generations now. Remember applying turmeric paste on wounds to fight infection and heal faster?
Supports healthy blood sugar level: Turmeric is believed to reduce insulin resistance which causes rise in blood sugar levels. It also improves the functioning of beta cells, which are beneficial for diabetes.
Supports liver function and promotes digestion: Turmeric is rich in anti-oxidants, and this anti-oxidant effect is considered powerful enough to stop the liver from being damaged by toxins. It also increases the secretion and movement of bile.
Turmeric and Modern research
Turmeric is also one of the most widely researched herbs in modern times. This is evident from the fact that more than 3000 publications dealing with the spice have come out in the last 25 years. The active compound in the spice is curcumin though the whole root has small quantities of other vitamins and minerals too. Curcumin has become the focus of many labs across the world, and a variety of curcumin supplements are now easily available over the counter. Studies have shown that curcumin leads to considerable reduction in inflammation and an increase in the levels of endogenous anti-oxidants. Evidence also exists that curcumin supports a small to moderate improvement in the symptoms of depression and anxiety, and pain and function in osteoarthritis. Reduction in LDL-cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure has also been demonstrated in some studies. More recently, research on the potential of curcumin as an anti-carcinogenic substance has also been gaining popularity.
Organic Turmeric tea
Turmeric can be consumed as powder with warm water or warm milk, with honey added for taste. It is also available in the form of tablets and liquid extracts. A highly convenient way of using it is as organic turmeric tea bags. At Sache Wellness, we offer this convenience in unbleached teabags. The goodness of turmeric has been combined with black pepper, whose active compound piperone is known to increase the bioavailability of curcumin, enhancing absorption of curcumin by almost 2000%. There is ginger too, whose anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties need no introduction. Now isn’t that one good drink to add to your daily diet? That’s why we call this delicious cupful of wellness ‘anti-all your body doesn’t need’.
