You can improve your nutrition without adding extra calories by sprinkling on herbs and spices. One those spices to add is turmeric. There are a number of health benefits of turmeric, including helping you recover faster after a tough workout. Studies show that it can be beneficial in reducing soreness after you workout, especially from high intensity training. The curcumin in turmeric also boosts the benefits of exercise.
Curcumin is the naturally occurring chemical in turmeric and it helps depression.
People taking Prozac for depression got a boost when they included turmeric. Studies show that people taking both turmeric and Prozac fared far better in overcoming depression than those just taking Prozac or turmeric. However, people consuming curcumin alone matched the improvements of those on Prozac. The curcumin boosts the brain-derived neurotrophic factor and improved the level of serotonin and dopamine.
Liberal use of turmeric could make you look and feel younger.
That golden yellow color that turmeric adds to the dish might be considered real gold. It’s a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. When you consider that both free radicals and inflammation can produce cell damage that shortens your life, speeds aging and makes you sick, it’s only logical to think that increasing both anti-inflammatory and antioxidants could do the reverse. Preventing cell damage can slow the aging process.
Reduce inflammation with the curcumin in turmeric.
Inflammation is necessary to fight off infection, but it also can be the cause of serious conditions if it’s chronic. Heart disease, metabolic syndrome, cancer Alzheimer’s and degenerative conditions like arthritis are increased if there’s chronic inflammation. Several studies show that the inflammation fighting properties of turmeric match that of several pharmaceuticals, but with no side effects. While it takes far more than just a few sprinkles on food to cure Alzheimer’s, studies show that the curcumin in turmeric can help slow inflammation, stop oxidative stress and aid in clearing beta-amyloid from the brain that occurs with Alzheimer’s.
- If you sprinkle on a bit of turmeric here and there, you might not get all the benefits touted in studies. Only 3 percent of the weight of turmeric is curcumin, so you’d have to eat quite a lot. However, every little bit helps! Use it with black pepper for better absorption.
- If you want a colorful dressing with an exotic tang, mix olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, turmeric, black and cayenne pepper. You’ll love the taste and boost your turmeric intake.
- Mix turmeric into your rice dishes. Not only will it add a mellow, earthy flavor, it will have a brilliant yellow color. Adding it to homemade egg noodles gives them a golden goodness and extra nutrients.
- You might not notice the difference in flavor when you sprinkle turmeric over steamed vegetables, but you’ll see it. Be aware that turmeric can stain when it gets wet, so wear an apron when you cook with it.
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