Did you know this rich yellow spice was so healthy?
Turmeric is so much more than just a delicious addition to Oriental cuisine–it’s also one of the healthiest spices around! Read on for 10 turmeric health benefits that’ll inspire you to add a dash to your next dish:
You’ll find turmeric in Indian, Malaysian, Chinese, and Pakistani food, but it’s used in most Southeast Asian cuisine as well. It’s a spice that gives your food a bright yellow color and a rich flavor, and it offers A LOT of turmeric health benefits:
- Arthritis — Turmeric contains anti-inflammatory properties, meaning it can help to treat swelling in your body. Arthritis is a condition wherein your joints swell up, but turmeric is a useful remedy to prevent arthritic inflammation. It can help to manage the pain as well as the swelling.
- Cancer –– Eating turmeric regularly is a great way to reduce your risk of prostate cancer, as the antioxidants in the root will help to prevent cancer cell formation and treat existing cancerous cells. It can also prevent radiation from causing tumors to grow, and helps to protect against carcinomas in the breasts and colons, as well as leukemia cells.
- Diabetes –– Did you know that turmeric is one of the best spices to eat to prevent diabetes? The spice is highly effective at controlling insulin levels in your body, preventing the insulin resistance that leads to diabetes. Turmeric helps to reduce blood sugar levels. (Warning: Eating turmeric after taking strong medications can lead to low blood sugar!)
- Immune System –– Turmeric contains lipopolysaccharide, a substance that boosts your natural immunity. It can fight off bacteria, viruses, and fungi, and it will reduce your risk of developing colds, coughs, and the flu. The spice will also help to treat existing colds, coughs, or bouts of the flu.
- Cholesterol –– Turmeric is a delicious seasoning, but, when added to your food, it makes for one heck of an effective cholesterol controller. It helps to reduce blood cholesterol, preventing the buildup of plaque around the arteries. Keeping your cholesterol low helps to reduce your risk of heart disease significantly!
READ MORE: 12 Health Benefits of Rosemary
- Wounds –– Turmeric is effective at disinfecting wounds, and it will help to kill off any bacteria that would try to set in. Sprinkling a bit of turmeric powder on a wound will help to disinfect the wound, and can even speed up healing. As a bonus, turmeric is great for improved skin health!
- Brain –– Turmeric is effective at reducing inflammation in the brain, thereby lowering your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Turmeric also helps to eliminate plaque from the cerebral arteries, which will increase blood flow and boost overall brain function.
- Weight Loss –– If you’re trying to lose weight, why not have a bit of turmeric? Turmeric helps to increase the production of bile, which breaks down fat in your diet. A bit of turmeric at every meal may help to speed up weight loss surprisingly efficiently.
- Digestion –– If you’re worried about indigestion, add a bit of turmeric to your diet. It helps to produce bile, which aids in digestion and reduces gas and bloating. It can treat most inflammatory bowel diseases, and can help to manage all manner of digestive upsets.
- Liver Health –– Concerned for your liver? Turmeric helps to detoxify your liver, increasing the production of enzymes that flush toxins from the organ. The spice will also increase the flow of blood to and through the liver, and you’ll find that this vital organ will work a lot better thanks to the turmeric that you add to your diet.
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