Super Spice. Is turmeric the most effective medicinal spice?

Written by Susan Tomassini on 18/07/2016

It’s no secret that many spices have powerful medicinal properties - that’s why they’ve been used to promote healing long before modern-day drugs came along.

Recent studies now support claims that turmeric, one of the many spices used in Indian cooking, may be among the most effective of them all. Well known for its anti-inflammatory effects, turmeric may help fight cancer, autoimmune diseases and promote heart health – conditions where inflammation is a common denominator.

The latest research backs up more than 5,000 years of its use as a traditional medicinal in Eastern cultures – where doctors are much more accustomed to recommending people use real foods to heal themselves.

Potent immune booster

Here are some of the reasons why turmeric (and its’ bioactive ingredient curcumin) may be the absolute number one spice when it comes to stimulating our immune system and protecting us from degenerative diseases such as cancer.

It’s a powerful antioxidant that helps mop up free radicals that can damage our cells.
It helps balance our immune system by acting on a cellular level to destroy cancer cells and prevents them from proliferating.
It promotes anti-angiogenesis, meaning it helps prevent the development of additional blood supply necessary for cancer cell growth,
It blocks dangerous COX-2 enzymes, which play a role in promoting many cancers.
It helps our liver break down and eliminate toxins – by enhancing vital phase 2 enzymes.
It enhances the effects of chemotherapy while protecting healthy cells.

What's more, turmeric has been shown to:

Reduce Triglyceride levels
Improve cholesterol levels
Stimulate digestion
Regulate the metabolism and promotes weight loss
Improve the memory and the brain function
Has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, antiseptic, analgesic properties

Including it in our diet - easy right?

Now that recent studies support the claims that turmeric helps strengthen our immune system (and a whole lot more) it’s easy to understand why it plays an integral part in both India’s Ayurvedic healing and traditional Chinese medicine.

But to reap turmeric’s benefits we need to make it a regular part of our Western diet – which can be a challenge.

To get results, it’s not enough to liberally add turmeric to our food. That’s because natural turmeric powder has low bioavailability - most of the turmeric ingested is not absorbed by our intestines.

Making the most of it

Luckily, there are a couple of easy ways to increase your body’s absorption of turmeric and avail yourself of its healing powers. To increase its bioavailability, researchers suggest a combination of turmeric and black pepper. In fact, piperine, active ingredient of black pepper, increases turmeric’s bioavailability by a whopping 2000% !

Since curcumin is activated with ground black pepper and because turmeric is fat-soluble, it’s advisable to take it with a healthy fat such coconut oil.

Wondering how to do that - apart from in a curry?

We’ve got the perfect recipe for you - Golden Mylk!

Click her for the golden mylk recipe

Note: The immune-boosting goodness of Golden Mylk is delicious and comforting whatever the weather, but if it’s hot outside and you’re more in the mood for a refreshing drink, just chill and pour over ice – delicious and refreshing!

Golden Mylk is just one of the 'drink' recipes featured in the foodwise Inflammatory & Immune Conditions program meal plan

Recommended Nutrition Programs

There are two Foodwise programs we recommend for immune health.

The immune boost progam will help you boost your optimal health and ensure your immunity is built up to withstand day-to-day infections and viruses.

The inflammatory and immune conditions program focuses on the root causes inflammation and the many things that you can do to keep it under control - to minimse the uncomfortable and often disabling effects of chronic inflammation and associated immune disorders.

Alternatively - find the perfect nutrition program with our program finder tool - just identify your obejctive or ongoing health challenge, and we'll direct you to the best healthy foodwise nutritinist program.

You can complete the program online, discover the changes you need to make to your diet and lifestyle according to your unique profil, and be armed with all the knowledge (and deiicous recpies) you need to start a beautiful new relationship with food.

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Potent immune booster

Including it in our diet - easy right?

Making the most of it

Wondering how to do that - apart from in a curry?

Recommended Nutrition Programs

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