Let’s Talk About Turmeric!

I love learning new things and if it’s wellness related, I’m even more stoked about it.  A couple of weeks ago, I partnered with Sprouts and their nutrition partner, Suzanne Farrell, to learn about turmeric and how to incorporate this trendy herb into snacks and meals.  I knew a little about Turmeric – like how many consider it “gold” but I couldn’t wait to learn more about the goodness it holds. The History of Turmeric
The use of Turmeric has been dated all the way back to 600 B.C. from India.  Surprisingly it’s a tuberous rhizome – which means underground root – from a plant that looks quite similar to ginger. Turmeric has been used for a variety of uses outside of food such as color enhancement and fabric coloring due to it’s extremely vibrant color.

Nutrients
Iron, Potassium, B6, Vitamin C, and Cercumin.  Cercumin is a compound that has the antioxidants and concern fighting essentials, which is one of the main reasons Turmeric is so valuable for health. 

• A great Anti-Inflammatory aid – arthritis, injury support
• Aids in Digestive Health – acids reflux, gas, bloating.
• Supports and Aids in a Immune system 
• Helps Lower Blood Sugar 
• Supports Brain power – memory, dementia, depression (Boosting serotonin In the brain), Alzheimer’s 
• Cancer – colon (decreases polyps sizes), breast cancer, prostate cancer

There is a healthy study running currently that has colon cancer patients using turmeric supplements daily to see the effects on the cancer. India has currently no cases of colon or prostate cancer and it’s believed to be because of Turmeric being a staple in their diets.  Studies on alzheimers are also regularly occurring because of the high amounts of cercumin. 

• Cook with It! Curry is a great way to incorporate turmeric because it’s the main ingredient in curry blends. We eat curry frequently in our home and I really enjoy it. I plan to share a few recipes in the coming months. You can also add some to your yogurt, popcorn or another fruit like pineapple to give it some extra flavor.
• Use it in other Yellow Foods. Macaroni and Cheese on the menu? Excellent. Sprinkle in some turmeric and it’ll enhance the flavor without hindering it, plus you’ll get the benefits. 
• Take a Supplement. There are a variety of Turmeric Supplements that help with a variety of needs.  There are supplements specifically for adrenal health, anti-inflammatory and more that come in capsules.  This makes consuming turmeric easy. I like the Gaia brand that can be found at Sprouts because they participate in the meetyourherbs.com where you can track where you herbs came from! 
• Drink it!  Teas are available in your local Sprouts, as well as, liquid drops that can be dropped into water. Another product that I learned about was the Golden Milk by Gaia which is delicious. That’s another recipe and product I need to share more with you about in the coming weeks.

Other Uses: 

• Mix it with some aloe to take the pain and inflammation out of sunburns
• Use it as a fabric dye or to dye Easter eggs (or dye your counter on accident)
• Use it as a teeth whitener – this one sounds insane but a gal that was in my group said she’s tried it and by the 4th time of using it on her teeth she saw a difference! And no – her teeth weren’t yellow.

After learning all about Turmeric I loved it even more than I did before. I’ve been using supplements – cautiously, I might add because I am breastfeeding and high amounts of turmeric are not recommended while pregnant or breastfeeding – but I’m really enjoy it even more than before. I love that something we already have been using is even better for us than I really even realized. 

Do you use Turmeric? If not, what are some ways you think you might begin to integrate it into your health regimen? I challenge you to find one way to start using it more – whether in your cooking or as a supplement this week. It has so many benefits, I don’t know why you wouldn’t!