Turmeric; Nutritional Value, Ingredient, Turmeric Health Benefits

Turmeric Health Benefits,turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial flowering plant of the ginger family. Plants are gathered annually for their rhizomes and propagated from some of those rhizomes in the following season.When not used fresh, the rhizomes are boiled in water for about 30–45 minutes and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are ground into a deep-orange-yellow powder commonly used as a coloring and flavoring agent in many Asian cuisines, especially for curries, as well as for dyeing. Turmeric powder has a warm, bitter, pepper-like flavor and earthy, mustard-like aroma.Although long used in Ayurvedic medicine, no high-quality clinical evidence exists for use of turmeric or its main constituent, curcumin, as a therapy.

Turmeric Health Benefits

Possibly Turmeric Health Benefits

• Hay fever – Taking curcumin, a chemical found in turmeric, seems to reduce hayfever symptoms such as sneezing, itching, runny nose, and congestion.
• Depression – Most available research shows that taking curcumin, a chemical found in turmeric, reduces depression symptoms in people already using an antidepressant.
• High cholesterol – Turmeric seems to lower levels of blood fats called triglycerides. The effects of turmeric on cholesterol levels are conflicting. There are many different turmeric products available. It is not known which ones work best.
• Osteoarthritis – Some research shows that taking turmeric extracts, alone or in combination with other herbal ingredients, can reduce pain and improve function in people with knee osteoarthritis. In some research, turmeric worked about as well as ibuprofen for reducing osteoarthritis pain. But it does not seem to work as well as diclofenac for improving pain and function in people with osteoarthritis.
• Itching (pruritus) – Research suggests that taking turmeric by mouth three times daily for 8 weeks reduces itching in people with long-term kidney disease. Also, early research suggests that taking a specific combination product (C3 Complex, Sami Labs LTD) containing curcumin plus black pepper or long pepper daily for 4 weeks reduces itching severity and improves quality of life in people with chronic itching caused by mustard gas.

Possibly Turmeric Health Benefits

• Stomach ulcers – Some research suggests that taking turmeric three times daily for 8 weeks does not improve stomach ulcers. Also, taking powdered turmeric four times daily for 6 weeks seems to be less effective than taking a conventional antacid.
• Skin problems related to radiation cancer treatments – Curcumin is a chemical in turmeric. Taking curcumin does not seem to prevent skin problems during radiation treatment.
• Alzheimer’s disease – Early research shows that taking curcumin, a chemical found in turmeric, daily for 6 months does not benefit people with Alzheimer’s disease.
• Eye inflammation (anterior uveitis) – Early research suggests that taking curcumin, a chemical found in turmeric, might improve symptoms of long-term inflammation in the middle layer of the eye.
• Mental function – Curcumin is a chemical in turmeric. Some research shows that curcumin can improve memory and attention in older adults. Some of these adults showed signs of mild mental decline before taking curcumin. But other research shows that curcumin does not improve mental function in older people who don’t show signs of mental decline.
• Colorectal cancer – Early research suggests that taking a specific turmeric product containing turmeric extract and Javanese turmeric extract (P54FP, Phytopharm plc., Godmanchester, United Kingdom) might stabilize some measures of colon cancer. There is also early evidence that taking curcumin, a chemical found in turmeric, daily for 30 days can reduce the number of precancerous glands in the colon of people at high risk of cancer.
• Bypass surgery (coronary artery bypass graft surgery) – Early research suggests that taking curcuminoids, which are chemicals found in turmeric, starting 3 days before surgery and continuing for 5 days after surgery can lower the risk of a heart attack following bypass surgery.
• A type of inflammatory bowel disease called Crohn’s disease – Some evidence suggests that taking curcumin, a chemical found in turmeric, daily for one month can reduce bowel movements, diarrhea, and stomach pain in people with Crohn’s disease.
• Diabetes – Early research shows that taking turmeric might prevent diabetes in people with prediabetes.
• Stomach upset (dyspepsia) – Some research shows that taking turmeric by mouth four times daily for 7 days might help improve an upset stomach.
• Gum disease (gingivitis) – Early research suggests that using a turmeric mouthwash is as effective as a drug-therapy mouthwash for reducing gum disease and bacteria levels in the mouth of people with gingivitis.
• Stomach ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection – Early research suggests that taking turmeric daily for 4 weeks is less effective than conventional treatment for eliminating certain bacteria (H. pylori) that can cause stomach ulcers.
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) – Early research suggests that taking a turmeric extract (Cynara Turmeric, Lichtwer Pharma) daily for 8 weeks reduces the occurrence of IBS in people with IBS who are otherwise healthy.
• Joint pain – Research shows that taking a specific combination product (Instaflex Joint Support, Direct Digital, Charlotte, NC) containing turmeric and other ingredients three times daily for 8 weeks reduces the severity of joint pain. But it does not appear to help joint stiffness or improve joint function.
• Skin rash (Lichen planus) – Taking a certain product (Curcumin C3 Complex, Sabinsa Corp) containing chemicals found in turmeric three times daily for 12 days can reduce skin irritation caused by lichen planus.
• Prostate cancer – Research suggests that taking a formula containing broccoli powder, turmeric powder, pomegranate whole fruit powder, and green tea extract three times daily for 6 months prevents an increase in prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels in men with prostate cancer.
• Inflammation in the mouth and/or esophagus from radiation treatment – Early research suggests that swishing a turmeric solution in the mouth six times daily for 6 weeks reduces the risk of inflammation in the mouth and/or esophagus caused by radiation treatment in people with head and neck cancer.
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) – Early research suggests that curcumin, a chemical found in turmeric, might reduce some RA symptoms, including pain, morning stiffness, walking time, and joint swelling. Other research shows that taking a turmeric product (BCM-95, Arjuna Natural Extracts, India) twice daily reduces RA symptoms more than conventional medication.
• Skin cancer – Early research shows that applying a turmeric ointment might help to relieve odor and itching caused by cancer-related wounds.
• Recover from surgery – Early research suggests that taking curcumin, a chemical found in turmeric, daily for up to one week after surgery can reduce pain, fatigue, and the need for pain medications.
• An inflammatory disease called systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) – Early research suggests that taking turmeric by mouth three times daily for 3 months can reduce blood pressure and improve kidney function in people with kidney inflammation (lupus nephritis) caused by systemic lupus erythematosus.
• Tuberculosis – Early research suggests that taking a product containing turmeric and Tinospora cordifolia can reduce bacteria levels, improve wound healing, and reduce liver toxicity caused by antituberculosis therapy in people with tuberculosis who are receiving antituberculosis therapy.
• A type of inflammatory bowel disease called ulcerative colitis – Some early research suggests that taking curcumin, a chemical found in turmeric, daily for up to 6 months can reduce symptoms and the recurrence of ulcerative colitis when used in combination with conventional treatments. Other research shows that taking turmeric extract as an enema might help people with this condition.
• Acne
• Jaundice
• Hepatitis
• Diarrhea
• Fibromyalgia
• Liver and gallbladder problems
• Headache
• Menstrual problems
• Pain
• Ringworm
• Bruising

References

1.  “Turmeric”. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Retrieved 31 January2017.
2. Turmeric and curcumin: Biological actions and medicinal applications” (PDF). Current Science. Indian Academy of Sciences. 87 (1): 44–53. ISSN 0011-3891. Retrieved 16 March2013.
3. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-662
4. Herbs at a Glance: Turmeric, Science & Safety”. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), National Institutes of Health. 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
5. “Turmeric”. Unabridged Random House Dictionary. Dictionary.com. 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
6. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/
7. https://nccih.nih.gov/health/supplements