Turmeric is a popular culinary spice collected from the southern provinces of Asia, which is valued in numerous cuisines for its color and unsophisticated savor across the world. Turmeric is one of the fundamental elements in many Asian dishes, providing mustard sort, unpretentious tang and to some extent bitter taste to foods. Turmeric is basically the parched rhizome or underground stem of a ginger like plant with an uneven and segmented skin. Most turmeric is used in the form of stem powder or fine particles to impart a golden yellow hue. (1) It is a principal ingredient in curry powders. It has various uses in East Asian recipes, as a condiment and cookery dye. In India, apart from its extensive usage in cuisine, it is also used as a dye or colorant.
Turmeric and Curcumin:
The principal compound Curcumin is basically responsible for various health benefits. It is the main ingredient in the root, while the root itself is the bright yellow spice in a complete form. (2) Therefore curcumin makes up about 3%-4% of its mass along with many other valuable compounds.
Health Benefits of Turmeric:
Turmeric has been used widely in regular and conventional medication for spans. Even modern medicine also identifies its health welfares. (3) Some of the health benefits are-
1. Beneficial for Alzheimer:
Curcumin is a high intensity protein receptor which refurbishes strong glutathione level; averts memory loss, and condenses complete oxidative pressure. (4) Anti-inflammatory characteristics of curcumin prove beneficial for neurodegenerative ailments like Alzheimer’s. (5)
2. Good for Diabetes and Obesity:
The anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin drop blood sugar by encouraging insulin exudation from pancreatic cells (6). It decreases urine sugar, expands insulin emission and converses diabetes (7). Curcumin also aids in retreating numerous inflammatory and chemical imbalances linked through obesity. (8)
4. Relief from Joint Problems:
The anti-inflammatory welfares of curcumin may support in providing comfort from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. (9)
5. Combats Cancer:
If detected during initial stages, curcumin shows to be effective in the fight against cancer and aids in improving the results of chemotherapy. It encourages cell death in protracted lymphocytic leukemia, without offering any threat to ordinary body cells (10). It also slabs cell growth in cases of pancreatic cancer (11).
Benefits of Turmeric for Heart:
Cardiovascular predicaments are the prominent cause of death worldwide. It has advantageous impact on a number of features responsible for heart ailment.
Turmeric contains vitamins, riboflavin and nutritional roughage as well which helps in maintaining cholesterol levels (12).
Curcumin averts hypertrophy and regulates heartbeat so that blood can flow more uniformly and proficiently from heart to the other parts of the body (13).
Curcumins distinguished anti-inflammatory capabilities decrease peril of heart attack or stroke (14).
Benefits of Turmeric for Skin:
The antioxidants in turmeric play a vital role in enhancing skin health. This golden spice is an inordinate constituent used in homemade face packs and face washes for various skin complications. Some of the benefits are-
Turmeric contains curcumin tinctures which help the body in amalgamating antioxidants. (15). Antioxidants in turmeric safeguard the skin cells from unrestricted drastic damage, (16) which in turn, helps refurbish your natural glow.
The anti-inflammatory properties stimulate cell inflammation and also lower the levels of cytokines which might eventually lead to psoriasis (17).
Turmeric has shown to prevent many of the adverse effects of exposure to ultraviolet B radiation. Certain enzymes when galvanized destroy collagen stuck between the external stratum and interior layer of the skin. (18)
Turmeric Milk/Golden Milk:
Indian cooking depends comprehensively on the addition of turmeric. Besides being used as a spice, turmeric is also used to make turmeric milk as a therapy for practically all conceivable sicknesses. (19) Also known as golden milk or rhizome in milk; It is a mixture of either dry turmeric powder or fresh turmeric root. It is customarily used in Indian households for various explicit diseases and as a stimulant for overall health. This drink is easy to prepare and extremely appetizing, the milk taking most of the piquancy and sharpness out of turmeric.
Preparation of Turmeric Milk:
Warm milk and water over low heat and add turmeric powder. Bring to a boil and allow it to simmer for 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat. Strain turmeric milk into a cup and drink it warm. You can add sugar for children to impart that precise sweet flavor. You can also use coconut milk or skimmed milk instead of full fat milk. (20)
Benefits of Turmeric Milk:
It gives instantaneous assistance to a sore throat, cough and cold (21).
Turmeric milk is a prevailing antiseptic that encourages intestinal health (22).
Withdrawing of blood naturally expands blood circulation, so people suffering from frequent headaches and migraine would do well drinking turmeric milk regularly (23).
Warm turmeric milk yields tryptophan that prompts a peaceful and pleasurable sleep (24).
How Much Turmeric Is Beneficial?
Turmeric and curcumin add-ons are considered safe when taken at acclaimed doses. Idyllic turmeric dosage is thus around 10 g. per day. (25)
Does Turmeric Have Any Side Effects?
Turmeric usually does not cause any substantial side effects; nevertheless, some people can experience allergic reactions (26) and slow blood clotting (27). Moreover, it is not safe to take turmeric as a type of unconventional medication during pregnancy (28). Turmeric may kindle the uterus or promote a menstrual period. NIH also commends not taking it for the duration of breastfeeding.
Turmeric and curcumin itself is not the cure-all explanation that people consider. But the compound still grasps a lot of promise. Probably, future studies and revisions would take a more universal tactic to account for all of its prospective compounds and composites.
References-
(1)https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turmeric.
(2)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4686230/
(3)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92752/#!po=0.381679.
(4)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20026275
(5)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2781139/
(6)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20395228
(7)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3857752/.
(8)https://academic.oup.com/endo/article/149/7/3549/2455072
(9)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20657536/.
(10)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20032896.
(11)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20538607.
(12)https://www.nutrition-and-you.com/turmeric.html
(13)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/18292803/
(14)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/25618800/
(15)https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/ol000173t
(16)https://www.turmericforhealth.com/turmeric-benefits/why-is-turmeric-a-great-antioxidant
(17)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300908416000390
(18)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/19577913/
(19)https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/may/11/turmeric-latte-golden-milk-cult-following-alternative-coffee
(20)https://draxe.com/recipe/turmeric-latte-recipe/
(21(http://www.remediesforme.com/natural-home-remedies-cold-cough-flu/)
(22)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3882399/#!po=13.6872
(23)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4436156/
(24)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/469515/
(25)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12680238?dopt=Abstract
(26)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4689497/
(27)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17908423
(28)https://www.m.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-662/turmeric