You know Turmeric – that bright orange spice, which gives curry its color, well – turns out that it’s something that we should all probably be eating…EVERYDAY!
Turmeric is part of the ginger family. Actually it’s a root that looks pretty similar to ginger, and it contains medicinal compounds called curcuminoids, the most important of which is curcumin. It turns out that India has one of the lowest rates of Alzheimer’s Disease in the world, and upon further investigation it was found that this compound, curcumin, is not only a potent antioxidant, but it’s also an anti-inflammatory.
Studies have found that inflammation plays a key role in degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s Disease, as well as cancer, heart disease, metabolic syndrome and Osteoarthritis. So the medical community started to put two and two together and began testing curcumin on Alzheimer patients, with really impressive results.
In the studies, curcumin compared favorably to pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory drugs, but without the side effects. Cucumin boosts levels of a brain hormone called BDNF, which helps to build new brain neurons, and prevent further damage.
The great news is that we can all start introducing Turmeric into our diets now. In it’s dried form in the Spice section of any grocery store, it’s inexpensive, and can be added to: egg salad, veggie or chicken Tagines, salad dressings, or even your morning smoothie. If you like curry as much as I do, you’re in luck because you can load up your curry with the stuff. You can also make a Turmeric Tea by adding 1 tsp to a cup of hot water or almond milk and 1tsp of raw honey.
You can also take a supplement if you don’t want to eat it. I like New Chapter’s Turmeric Force.
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