No matter how it’s taken, turmeric can help the body in a variety of ways.
For thousands of years, this incredible spice has proved its worth in both culinary circles and healthy living practices. Turmeric’s powerful antioxidant, antiviral, and antifungal properties have made it popular in Ayurvedic and traditional medicine. for centuries
Due to its active ingredient, curcumin, the root has long been used for reducing inflammation, speeding up wound healing, and even improving skin appearance.
A daily dose of turmeric will keep inflammation at bay, delay aging, and more. Not only that, but it contains a host of vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, E, and K, potassium, calcium, copper, iron, and zinc.
Basically, it’s the superstar of the produce department along with its fellow root sibling ginger.
Here's a little reminder of how this hearty root can elevate your health. Read on to discover how turmeric benefits can add even more vitality to your lifestyle!
Seven Turmeric Benefits to Love
No matter how you enjoy turmeric — whether in teas, extracts, or capsules and tablets — it’s uber good for you. Here are seven reasons to keep turmeric on hand at all times.
1. Goodbye, Pain
Achy knees? Sore back? Skip the drugstore and go straight for nature’s best pain reliever: turmeric. The bioactive ingredient of turmeric is curcumin, which is what’s responsible for most of the root’s best health benefits, including its anti-inflammatory properties. This reduces swelling after workouts and minimizes pain from health concerns like arthritis.
2. What Wrinkles?
If you’re looking to slow the aging process, you may be able to consider turmeric as a “Fountain of Youth” supplement. Both turmeric and curcumin have been found to potentially prevent DNA damage, which is useful in disease prevention and slowing down the body’s overall aging process. Turmeric is also thought to encourage new cell growth.
3. Buffs Up Your Immunity
Tired of popping your daily over-the-counter allergy pill? Even low doses of turmeric are thought to improve inflammation-type issues like allergies by reducing swelling in the nasal passages and body. It’s also known to enhance antibody responses for issues like asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis.
4. Hello, Glowy Skin
Need to nix some maskne? (You know, the acne you’re getting from wearing a face mask all the time?) Turmeric can be useful in treating skin conditions, including acne scarring, psoriasis, and more. Thanks to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it can calm the pores and soothe the skin. A turmeric mask can potentially clean up cysts, nodules, and other skin problems.
Combine turmeric powder with warm water and honey to knock out maskne skin issues!
5. Cleans Up Your Mouth
And we don’t mean your swearing habit. 😉 Studies show turmeric benefits oral health with its antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. Dentistry practices in India often use turmeric for a variety of oral health procedures. For example, rinsing your mouth with (cooled) boiled water containing turmeric powder, two cloves, and two dried guava leaves can relieve oral mouth pain.
Want to create a DIY turmeric mouthwash? Try a mix of 10 mg dissolved curcumin extract in 100 ml of distilled water with a few drops of peppermint oil.
6. Gives Your Body the Good Stuff
A single tablespoon of turmeric powder alone can give you a great boost of minerals and vitamins. You’ll find a single serving gives you your daily dose of manganese (26% DV); iron (16% DV); potassium, (5% DV), and vitamin C (3% DV). Hello, little multivitamin!
7. Keeps Your Ticker Pumping Well
Thanks to the incredible anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin, a regular dose of turmeric can help the heart pump on! Studies have shown that curcumin can lower triglycerides and total cholesterol, which both impact heart health. Turmeric’s active component also is known to lower LDL or the “bad” cholesterol, further improving heart health and reducing the risk of stroke or heart attacks.
Use Turmeric Benefits to Your Body’s Benefit
As you can see, turmeric can benefit you in more ways than one.
Turmeric is the all-inclusive health perks root to try — whether you’re dealing with inflammation, need an immunity boost, or just want good oral health!
Best of all, it’s a root that’s versatile in the ways it can be used. You can shred it, juice it, blend it, and mince it; there are tons of ways you can start incorporating it into your daily diet! From turmeric shots to curries and soups, add this root into your cooking methods as you see fit.
Have a favorite turmeric recipe you absolutely love? Feel free to share it in the comments below!
Check out our post The Health Benefits of Turmeric and Ginger Your Body Will Love for even more insight as to why these roots should be a kitchen staple in your household!