7 things that happen when you eat more turmeric

Turmeric, better known as ‘haldi’ in India, is the spice that gives curry its yellow colour. It has been used in the country for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb. It has a warm, bitter taste and is frequently used to flavour or colour curry powders, mustards, butter, and cheeses. The root of turmeric is also used widely to make medicine. It contains a yellow-coloured chemical called curcumin, which is often used to colour foods and cosmetics.

There is no doubt about the fact that Indian cuisine is incomplete without turmeric. It is used in curries, gravies, and even some desserts. Thus, Indians consume turmeric daily in different measures and quantities. It is commonly used for conditions involving pain and inflammation, such as osteoarthritis. Here is a look at 7 things that happen when you eat more turmeric.

Oxidative damage, which involves free radicals, is believed to be one of the mechanisms behind ageing. The curcumin found in turmeric is a potent antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals due to its chemical structure. Besides, it boosts the activity of your body’s antioxidant enzymes.

The curcumin in turmeric may suppress particular inflammatory markers that play a role in obesity. As per Patricia Bannan, a Los Angeles-based dietitian nutritionist, “While increasing your intake of turmeric alone isn’t a great strategy for weight loss, it may help you mitigate the inflammation associated with obesity and give you a slight boost in fat burning.”

Turmeric is beneficial in cancer treatment and has been found to affect cancer growth, development and spread at the molecular level. Curcumin can contribute to the death of cancerous cells and reduce angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels in tumours) and metastasis (spread of cancer).

Scientifically, inflammation may play a role in depression. Also, depression is linked to reduced levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and a shrinking hippocampus, a brain area with a role in learning and memory. Curcumin in turmeric boosts BDNF levels, potentially boosting your mood.

Turmeric has properties that help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which are factors that appear to play a role in diabetes. For this reason, scientists believe that turmeric may be useful for people with diabetes.

A study published in March 2018 in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found that in adults between ages 51 and 84 without Alzheimer’s, a supplement called Theracurmin — containing 90 milligrams, or about a quarter of a teaspoon, of curcumin — taken twice daily improved memory and cognitive function. Thus, turmeric may prevent Alzheimer’s.

Using turmeric for high cholesterol is beneficial because it contains curcumin. Curcumin has been proven to lower LDL cholesterol and prevent its oxidation, suppressing plaque build-up in arteries.