You probably know of turmeric as the yellow spice used in curries, but it’s benefits as a "natural medicine" extend far beyond just spicing up your favourite exotic food.
Turmeric has been embraced as a medicinal whole food for thousands of years, because of its amazing anti-inflammatory powers.
For this reason, Turmeric is a food that you should consciously add to your diet regularly if you want to avoid inflammation, especially with the flu season just around the corner.
Luckily, it’s not that difficult to include turmeric in your diet.
Turmeric lattes and smoothies are cropping up at cafes everywhere. And it's very easy to add turmeric, not only to your winter cooking - soups, stews and curries - but also as an ingredient in freshly, cold-pressed juices and even certain smoothies as we'll explain here.
The fact is, turmeric is one of mother nature's most powerful disease-fighting, medicinal plants.
So here we want to share with you, the top 7 reasons to include turmeric in your diet, as well as a couple of easy recipes featuring turmeric that you might like to experiment with for yourself.
7 Reasons Why Turmeric Is a Natural Superfood
1. Turmeric Is Anti-Inflammatory
Turmeric contains a potent compound known as Curcumin, which is a natural anti-inflammatory nutrient.
Anti-inflammatory foods are important, because inflammation is one of the main causes of pain, congestion and infection in the body. Inflammation comes in many different shapes and sizes, from mild body pain and obesity, to skin irritations and arthritis.
And all of these conditions are mainly triggered by a heavily processed diet, as well stress and lifestyle factors.
Treating inflammation naturally with foods like Turmeric, is a common-sense step you can take as part of a healthy diet and as a substitute for synthetic anti-inflammatory drugs, which can cause dependencies and unwanted side-effects.
Learn more in our blog 5 Dietary Tips to Fight Inflammation in the Body.
2. Turmeric Is An Amazing Antioxidant
Antioxidants are crucial for the body and few foods in the plant kingdom have more antioxidants than Turmeric.
Antioxidants help protect you from oxidative stress, which is a process of degradation that occurs over time as we age and as free radicals start to damage the body.
The natural compound, curcumin, found in Turmeric, is not only anti-inflammatory, but also a potent antioxidant that helps to neutralise the damaging effects of free radicals, thereby also reducing the impact of oxidative stress and the process of ageing.
It should also go without saying, that adding more more antioxidant-rich foods like Turmeric to your diet, is a smart practice that will help protect your cells for greater health, vitality and longevity.
3. Turmeric Supports Heart Health
Heart Disease is a well known diet and lifestyle condition that can easily be avoided with a healthy diet and moderate exercise over the course of your lifetime.
Turmeric is especially beneficial when it comes to supporting your heart health, because its nutritional components are well known to improve the function of the lining of the blood vessels.
This makes turmeric an amazing food or spice for regulating cholesterol, stabilising blood sugar and reducing blood pressure and even blood clotting in the body.
4. Turmeric Can Help Manage Depression
Turmeric doesn’t just have physical health benefits. It can also be a valuable food for boosting mental health too.
Depression is a common mood disorder that can negatively impact everything in your daily life, including how you think and feel. And there is ample evidence to suggest that depression is an inflammatory disease, caused by low grade, ongoing oxidative stress.
It's for this reason that curcumin - the natural anti-inflammatory compound found in turmeric - is believed to help treat depression effectively and naturally. And it's why turmeric can be a valuable alternative to commonly used and prescribed anti-depressant drugs.
Handy Tip: Another useful self care tool for managing depression and anxiety naturally, are essential oils such as frankincense, roman chamomile and sandalwood.
Pure essential oils have powerful compounds that can improve your mood, focus and promote better sleep. You'll find a complete range of helpful essential oils here in our store at tolmanselfcare.com
5. Turmeric Helps Repel Viruses
One of the most commonly recognised health benefits of turmeric is its ability to help ward off viral infections. It works because curcumin has powerful immune-boosting and antibacterial qualities and is also known to slow histamine release in the body.
Boosting your intake of anti-inflammatory foods, particularly just before and during cold and flu season, is a common-sense step to give your cells the extra protection they need from airborne threats and viruses.
Learn more in our blog Top Essential Oils for Colds, Flus, Immunity, & Seasonal Allergies.
6. Turmeric Supports Health Brain Function
One of the less talked about health benefits of turmeric, is its benefits in supporting brain health.
As we all know, a healthy brain is vital to a healthy, active life as we age and this is where powerful anti-inflammatory foods like Turmeric can help.
The curcumin in turmeric is known to help delay neurodegenerative conditions of the brain and can even help improve memory and cognitive function as you age.
This is why turmeric may also help diseases like Alzheimer’s from developing, which is a key insight to be aware of, since there is no known cure for this disease.
Just by making turmeric a part of your healthy diet, you can go a long way to ensuring that neurodegenerative disease does not impact your quality of life in your golden years.
7. Turmeric Helps Restore Your Skin
If you’ve ever struggled with your skin, this may be one of the most appealing benefits of turmeric for you.
Because of its wonderful anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antimicrobial qualities, turmeric is a powerful food for helping to alleviate a variety of skin irritations from acne to psoriasis and more.
Turmeric is great for the skin because it prevents skin cells from clumping together and clogging the pores. Since it's antiseptic and antibacterial, it may effectively stop the growth of acne-causing bacteria. Additionally, its anti-inflammatory properties promote quicker healing by calming areas that are already inflamed.
By including turmeric regularly in your diet, you’ll likely also start noticing a natural glow and vibrancy to your skin.
Learn more in our blog 7 Secrets to Supple, Youthful Healthy Skin.
Easy Ways To Include Turmeric Into Your Diet & Lifestyle
Turmeric Essential Oils
One of these easiest ways to benefit from turmeric, is to regularly use pure turmeric essential oil.
dōTERRA turmeric essential oil is safe to ingest, and when taken internally, it promotes a healthy immune system and can support achy joints and calm your mood.
Turmeric can also be diffused for mental and emotional balance, used as a spot remedy for skin blemishes, or as an ingredient for natural face masks to help restore youthful glow.
For Internal Health Benefits - Add a few drops of turmeric essential oil to your favourite curries, stews or soup recipes when cooking.
Another simple tip, is to add 1-2 drops to a fresh home made green juice or banana smoothie. Alternatively, warm up your favourite nut milk (coconut or almond are best), add 1-2 drops of turmeric oil, then mix in a dash of raw honey or organic maple syrup for a golden milk latte.
Here's a fantastic breakfast juice recipe you may also like to try using fresh turmeric:
- 2 x Oranges
- 1/2 Ruby Red Grapefruit
- 2 x Carrots
- Knob of Fresh Turmeric
- Knob of Fresh Ginger (optional)
Lightly peel and chop the citrus fruits into large chunks. Rinse and chop the carrots, turmeric and ginger into bite-sized pieces. Gradually feed all of the fresh ingredients into your juicer to prepare a delicious anti-inflammatory breakfast juice.
Note: The best type of juicer to use is a cold expeller press juicer which won't oxidise the ingredients like traditional centrifugal juicers can. We recommend Kuvings Cold-Press Juicers which are available in our store.
For Skin Health Benefits - Rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial components, turmeric essential oil can help reduce fine lines, wrinkles and add glow and lustre to the skin when applied topically.
Customise your daily facial moisturiser by adding a drop of turmeric essential oil before applying, which will promote overall clean and healthy looking skin.
Turmeric can also be used as a gentle spot treatment to naturally reduce the appearance of blemishes by dabbing a small amount to the affected area, as well as to ease and soothe cuts, burns, bruises and insect bites.
For Emotional Balance - Diffuse 2-3 drops of turmeric essential oil next to your bed while you sleep or bathtub while you relax, or in your office or study while you work to help promote feelings or positivity and to improve your mood. We have diffusers available in our store at tolmanselfcare.com. You can also simply place a couple of drops in the palms of your hands, cup over your nose and deeply inhale several times for a similar effect.
The Main Takeaway
Turmeric is a genuine superfood known for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial powers, which is very beneficial for reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in the body.
The good news is that turmeric is a readily available spice year round, but you should be extra conscious of it as the flu season approaches for its protective qualities.
You'll find fresh turmeric at your local farmer's markets or whole food stores, which you can use to spruce up your favourite winter recipes or to spice up your citrus juice combinations.
Alternatively, get your hands on pure turmeric essential oil, which is one of the easiest ways to benefit from this amazing superfood.
However you choose, just be sure to embrace turmeric in your diet and self care lifestyle and to think of it as one of nature's true gifts when it comes to food as medicine.
Tolman Self Care.