Turmeric
Proven Health Benefits of Turmeric
- Turmeric is able to prevent cancers
- Turmeric has potent wound-healing and cell repair abilities
- Turmeric has been shown to help prevent and manage cardiovascular diseases
- Turmeric supports brain activity and cognitive function
- Turmeric has antimicrobial, antifungal and antiseptic abilities
- Turmeric is useful in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and arthritis
What is Turmeric?
Turmeric, also known as Curcuma longa, is of the Zingibereceae family just as ginger. Turmeric is a perennial rhizome. And again, just like ginger, the part of concern is its food-laden underground stem, that is a joy to one, who is either preparing food or preparing medicine. The rhizome is harvested on maturity and ground into powder as a stand-alone food colorant or flavoring or mixed in mustards or curry powder. Turmeric is also recognized as a pharmaceutical crop, where one can obtain standardized therapeutic extracts (STEs) or Small Therapeutic molecules (STMs). The turmeric plant grows up to 1m high, the height being largely contributed to longitudinal arrangement of leaf sheaths to form a false stem. The rhizome is an irregular cylinder, ranging from yellow to bright red in color.1
What is the usefulness of Turmeric?
Curcumin, the chief player in turmeric has been extensively studied as a chemo-preventive agent. It has been found to inhibit cytokines, enzymes, transcription factors and antiapoptotic genes in different pathways to prevent colon and pancreatic cancer and cervical neoplasia.1 The antioxidant activity of turmeric is also led by curcumin, which slows down linoleic acid oxidation by binding to free radicals and donating H+, especially in liver function, where it reduces hepatic oxidative stress.2 In the area of anti-inflammation, turmeric phytochemicals are able to reduce the response of intermediary proteins for inflammation such as TNF-α, chemokines and interleukins. Curcumin is also able to prevent s9-mediated mutagenicity, as well as growth of both gram positive and negative bacteria. Especially pneumonia caused by S. aureus and enteric disorders caused by Helicobacter pylori.
Health benefits
- Cancer prevention
- Skin care
- Diabetes
- Cholesterol sequestering
- Prevents cell mutagenicity
- Arthritis
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Pulmonary diseases
- Wound healing
- HIV
Nutrition
The strong earthy and musty aroma of turmeric invariable ensure that only small amounts make it into a culinary or medicinal pot at a time. Hence, the effects of its 65% carbohydrates, 6% proteins, 5% fat and 3.5% minerals are not much felt, or even needed. The much-appreciated essential oils make up about 5.8% and are comprised of sesquiterpenes, zingiberene, α-phellandrene, cineole and sabinene. The important terpenoids include diarylheptanoids, where the all-mighty Curcumin belongs.
Toxicity
There is hardly any talk about the safety of turmeric. However, some people chase after isolated curcumin to take as food additives. Studies report that only up till 400mg/kg body weight may curcumin be detected in tissues, and even so, it is without adverse effects. Better still, one is advised to keep pure doses of curcumin between 36 and 180mg per day. But go on and enjoy your turmeric without any worries.