The Benefits of Turmeric | U.S. News

If you’re aiming to eat your way to better health, don’t forget to look in the spice cabinet. In particular, the vibrant yellow-orange spice turmeric is often hailed for its apparent ability to supply a range of health benefits.

“Turmeric is a popular spice, sometimes known as the ‘golden spice,’ that’s derived from the root of the turmeric plant,” says Reema Kanda, lead registered dietitian with the Hoag Orthopedic Institute in Irvine, California.

Part of the ginger family, turmeric hails from India and Southeast Asia and shows up frequently in cuisine from that region.

In addition to enhancing flavor and color, turmeric has long been revered for its therapeutic benefits. As such, it’s a key ingredient of certain Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines. These two eastern health practices “have used turmeric for treatment of pain and inflammatory disorders” for centuries, Kanda adds.

More recently, Western medicine has started to study this spice to better understand its benefits.

Turmeric provides a solid dose of phytochemicals, which are plant compounds that help fight inflammation and oxidative stress, or the daily wear-and-tear our bodies endure every day. In addition, this spice contains plenty of vitamin C, which can aid the immune system, and is a good source of manganese, iron and potassium.

But when it comes to health benefits, turmeric’s biggest selling point is its hallmark compound, curcumin, which may play a role in the following areas:

Turmeric and curcumin may reduce systemic inflammation and increase the body’s ability to resist the effect of free radicals, which are chemical compounds that essentially age cells and can contribute to the development of chronic diseases.

Among the conditions that benefit from consistent turmeric consumption are arthritis, muscle soreness, macular degeneration and heart disease, says Megan Wroe, wellness manager and registered dietitian at Providence St. Jude Medical Center in Southern California.

However, while turmeric has shown promising results in some studies, it “should never be considered the one and only strategy for these conditions,” Wroe says. “But it can certainly help to calm rampant inflammation.”

Turmeric is sometimes used to relieve joint pain associated with arthritis. The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, a searchable tool for consumers, rates turmeric as “possibly effective” for this use.

In its listing of supplements and herbs used for arthritis symptoms, the Arthritis Foundation notes that a industry-sponsored systematic review from 2016 found that 1,000 milligrams a day of curcumin reduced osteoarthritis pain and inflammation, as well as the need for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

A more recent meta-analysis completed in 2021 also found that turmeric extract and curcumin may be a safer supplement for osteoarthritis patients than NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen. This supplement has fewer side effects but appears to be similarly effective to NSAIDs when taken for at least 12 weeks.

Yet a systematic review published in 2021 in the journal BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine suggests that turmeric appears to have a specific benefit similar to that of NSAIDs on knee osteoarthritis pain and function.

For instance, some research, including a 2019 systematic review in the journal Nutrition Research, supports the use of curcumin supplementation for increasing BDNF levels in the body.

However, the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates turmeric as “possibly ineffective” for Alzheimer’s disease, with “insufficient evidence to rate effectiveness for decline in memory and thinking skills that occur with age.”

“Even if it turns out turmeric can boost BDNF, it’s not the only thing,” notes Carrie Dennett, a Pacific Northwest-based registered dietitian and owner of Nutrition by Carrie. “Generally, living an active, healthy lifestyle also helps us with BDNF levels.”

Exercise, as noted in a 2022 study in the Journal of Sport and Medicine, has also been found to be an effective way to increase BDNF levels.

Turmeric improves the ability of the lining of the blood vessels to repair themselves, which could reduce blood pressure and the risk of blood clots, strokes and heart disease.

For example, a small study in the 2017 issue of the journal Aging suggests that short-term curcumin supplementation improved artery function and stiffness in healthy middle-aged and older adults.

Similarly, a 2022 study in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine notes that curcumin can attenuate vascular calcification, meaning it can slow or stall the process by which calcium and other minerals build up in the blood vessels. This common, age-related process can otherwise potentially lead to high blood pressure, heart attack or stroke.

Turmeric’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties have implications for cancer prevention, particularly its potential to slow or halt the growth of cancer cells.

Many types of cancer thrive on inflammation throughout the whole body, and some evidence suggests turmeric might one day be used as a treatment for cancer. For instance, curcumin may help counter the cell signaling action involved in the development and spread of cancer within the body, according to a study in the 2019 issue of the journal Nutrients.

Turmeric may work directly on the digestive system to reduce inflammation.

“Turmeric has prebiotic-like properties, which enable it to positively influence gut microbiota, supporting the gut-immune connection,” says Acacia Wright, a Seattle-based registered dietitian at Orgain, a clean protein brand.

Prebiotics are a kind of indigestible fiber that feed probiotics, the healthy microorganisms that live in the gut and contribute to a range of bodily functions and overall wellness. Improving the gut microbiome may make you less susceptible to a variety of infections and diseases.

Overall, turmeric is a great spice to add to your cooking – and possibly even consume as a supplement. However, research into the health benefits and potential risks of turmeric is still evolving, Kanda says. Key areas of needed research include how turmeric works, what the right dose is to prevent or treat certain conditions and whether there are any long-term drawbacks to using turmeric for health reasons.

If you’re interested in taking a supplement, go for turmeric as a whole rather than its isolated ingredient curcumin, Dennett adds. Although researchers initially focused on the health properties that curcumin has, they’re now finding other components of turmeric can be beneficial.

“That’s where research is starting to point: We should just go for turmeric in our cooking if we can, if that’s appealing to us,” Dennett says. “But otherwise, getting the whole turmeric powder in supplements (is an option).”

No need to overdo it with supplements, either.

“If somebody is taking capsules, it wouldn’t be a good idea to (conclude): ‘Oh, if a little is good, more is better,'” Dennett says. “I would stick to the recommended dosages on the label.”

One thing that is known is that piperine, black pepper’s signature compound, can boost absorption of turmeric by 2000%, according to some research. If you’re opting for a curcumin supplement, choose one that also contains piperine, which is often sold under the name BioPerine.

Kanda notes that if you’re supplementing with turmeric, be aware that some people who have consumed high levels of turmeric extracts have reported some mild side effects, including upset stomach, dizziness or diarrhea. If you have anemia or low levels of iron, you should probably not be taking high doses of turmeric as it may inhibit the absorption of iron from your diet.

And if you’re going to have surgery, consider skipping the turmeric supplement for a while beforehand because high doses of turmeric supplements have been associated with slower blood clotting. This could cause more bleeding during and after surgery.

As with any supplement, be sure to speak with your doctor before you start taking anything. Make sure there are no adverse interactions with other medications or supplements you may be taking, and check that supplementation makes sense for you.

While science is still working out the particulars of supplementation, Kanda says that “we can all reap the benefits of turmeric by using whole or ground dried turmeric in cooking.” Try adding it to poultry, seafood and lentil-based dishes to enhance color and as a flavor accent.

“You can sprinkle it in any dish along with your other favorite seasonings, such as thyme, cumin or garlic,” Kanda explains. “If you enjoy mixing marinades, try adding turmeric.”

You can also add it to healthy drinks like smoothies or teas. “Golden milk,” for instance, is a tasty mixture of milk and turmeric that also provides protein and calcium.

Want a tropical turmeric treat? Kanda offers the following mango turmeric smoothie recipe that’s easy and delicious:

Tropical turmeric smoothie

Place the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Wroe also recommends making turmeric the star in dishes like curries.

“If you want to tone down the flavor a bit, mix it with cinnamon, cumin and nutmeg for a tasty seasoning on roasted cauliflower or carrots, sprinkle into your scrambled eggs or even add a few slices of whole turmeric to some homemade bone broth to absorb the nutrients without much taste,” she suggests.

Ultimately, turmeric is a versatile spice.

“Turmeric can truly be sprinkled into almost any dish for a touch of anti-inflammatory benefits,” Wroe says.

While turmeric is a great addition to your diet, it’s best not to expect overnight relief from it. Wroe says some of her clients seeking nonmedicinal approaches to pain management find themselves disappointed after starting a turmeric supplementation protocol, whether via whole foods or a supplement.

“Inflammation and pain management is always a multifaceted issue that requires lots of strategies, and no spice capsule will completely do the job,” she points out. “You’ll find the most benefit from turmeric in its real-food form rather than capsules, and be sure to add it alongside other health-promoting habits.”