TURMERIC

Turmeric is native of India, it is  a perennial herb belonging to the ginger family cultivated mainly in Southeast Asia but also in Africa and the West Indies.
The rhizome (subterranean stem of the plant) is the part of the plant used the most for its healing properties.
Turmeric can be use in the kitchen as a spice added to curry preparations, as food coloring (E100). Oriental medicine prescribes it for liver diseases treatment. 
Turmeric is an essential part of the Ayurvedic medicine.
The rhizome also called root contains polyphenols (organic complex molecules), water soluble polysaccharides, essential oils and other lipids.
Turmeric is very nutritive as it contains fibers, a large number of vitamins: C, E, K, B1, B2, B3, B6 and B9. It is also rich in minerals, manganese, iron and is a good source or potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc.

Main Benefits: 

• Turmeric is a powerful antioxydant because of the high curcumin content preventing age linked diseases. It is one of the five plants richest in antioxydant in the world.
• As liver protection. It is used in case of hepatic and gastro intestinal disorders but it has also pain killing properties.
• Turmeric helps with fat digestion as well as sugars digestion and increases bile production.
• The gastric lining as well as the mucosa of the intestine are protected by the antimicrobial action especially in case of Helicobacter pylori, E.coli or even Candida albicans infections.
• As anti inflammatory, it relieves pains linked to arthritis, rheumatisms, and articular pains
• More and more studies of turmeric are being conducted for its anti cancer and anti inflammatory capacities. Country where turmeric is consumed daily have lower cancer rates than western countries.

Low bioavailability

To sprinkle food with turmeric is not enough to take advantage all of the medicinal benefits of the plant as our intestines have difficulties capturing the curcumin molecules. However eating pepper with turmeric will enhance its benefits as the piperine of the pepper will make turmeric more bioavailable.
Turmeric is soluble in fat, so it is best to accommodate it with an oil base for enhance benefits

How to consume?

As a decoction:  1 tbsp of rhizome for 1 cup of cold water (300ml), boil for 5 minutes, infuse for 10 minutes. Drink 2 to 3 cups per day with meals as a treatment for 3 weeks.
Powder: 1 to 2 tsp in the morning at breakfast.
Capsules:  take 2 at lunch and 2 diner with the meal for the the 250mg capsules.

Caution

Turmeric thins the blood, it is recommended to stop taking turmeric 3 days prior any surgery and to be cautious when taking blood thinning medicine.
It is not advisable in case of chemotherapy and gallstones
Not to be used during pregnancy.

Recipe