Tumeric Extract
Health Benefits of Turmeric: The Spice That Heals
This brightly coloured powder is more than just a pretty face! Find out all you need to know about an ingredient with some real super-powers right here.
The Making of Turmeric Extract
Turmeric comes from the roots of the Turmeric plant. This is not known to grow in the wild anywhere, but is carefully cultivated in tropical climates.
This chunky root is shredded and then soaked in food-grade solvents. The bright orange colour is a sign that this root is rich in phytonutrients. These are the chemicals created by plants to protect them from their environment.
Unveiling the Power of Turmeric as an Antioxidant
One of the main components of turmeric is a chemical called curcumin. This is a strong antioxidant with many health benefits for the body. One of them is its ability to reduce inflammation in the body, making it a great tool in the fight against arthritis (1). Since a lot of arthritic pain comes from inflammation around the joints, turmeric can help to soothe those symptoms. These anti-inflammatory properties extend to the brain where it can have positive effects on anxiety.
How Turmeric Can Improve Bone Health and Reduce Risk of Osteoporosis
It has also shown incredible results as a prevention or treatment for osteoporosis (2). It helps slow the natural breakdown of the bones, so they stay strong. A. Riva et al discovered that Turmeric could help improve bone density by as much as 7% over a six-month period. Bones go through a natural process of breaking down and rebuilding on a regular basis, but as we age, the bones can begin to breakdown quicker than they rebuild, which is when brittle bone disease can occur. Researchers concluded that the curcumin in Turmeric helped slow the breakdown of the bones, so the body could keep up.
How Turmeric Reduces Inflammation
The curcumin in Turmeric works as a bodyguard, blocking the enzymes that cause inflammation before they can do their damage. It also separates platelets before they can join to form blood clots (3), hence often described as a Superfood, which can be either added to your daily diet or topped up with food supplements.