Turmeric has a rich, mildly spicy flavor profile that lends itself to many recipes. Some people consider it to be a spice that they purchase for one curry recipe that they’ll never make again, while others swear by it, adding it to their favorite recipes and even purchasing turmeric supplements. Are you going to take advantage of turmeric’s health properties? It’s so readily available that you’d be foolish not to do so!
What Is Turmeric?
Turmeric has been used in Ayurvedic healing and Traditional Chinese Medicine to naturally remedy a variety of conditions. More recently, turmeric has been studied for its medicinal properties, which are attributed to compounds known as curcuminoids, with curcumin being the most important. Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant with impressive anti-inflammatory properties, but it is not easily absorbed into the bloodstream. Turmeric must be consumed with black pepper to aid absorption and increase bioavailability. The piperine in black pepper helps to enhance the absorption of curcumin by 2,000 percent.
Using Turmeric As An Anti-Inflammatory
Turmeric has been widely sold as a supplement because it may help reduce inflammation. It helps the body fight bacteria and pathogens that could easily harm the body and lead to chronic inflammation and other illnesses. Scientists believe that low-level inflammation is the common denominator in most Western diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and other degenerative disorders. Curcumin has matched the effectiveness of certain anti-inflammatory drugs, and the best part is that it does so without their potential side effects. The curcumin blocks NF-kB, a molecule that can travel to cell nuclei to ignite inflammatory genes. Finally, curcumin helps to increase brain levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a growth hormone that functions in the brain. Low levels of BDNF are common in patients with neurodegenerative disorders, so adding turmeric to your diet may reduce the risk of these disorders.
That information is well and good, but you need to know how to properly add turmeric to your diet to reap its benefits. That’s why we have put together a list of five tasty turmeric drinks, just to show you that it isn’t reserved for curries.
Golden Milk
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root
- ½ cup freshly grated turmeric
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 5 cups filtered water, plus another ½ cup
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup raw honey
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ cup organic coconut milk
Instructions:
- Mix the turmeric in 1.5 cups of water in a saucepan
over low heat. Add the rest of the water and mix it with a wooden spoon. - Slowly add the rest of the ingredients and keep the
pan over a low flame. Keep stirring until you get a mildly thickened drink that
has a golden tinge. Drink at your leisure.
Turmeric Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 cup mango, cubed and frozen overnight
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- ½ banana, peeled and chopped
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
Instructions:
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender and
blend until smooth. You can add more almond milk or a little water if it is too
thick. - Pour into a glass and enjoy.
Turmeric Latte
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground ginger root
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground turmeric
- raw honey, to taste
Instructions:
- Add all of the ingredients, except the honey, to
a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. - Once the mixture is boiling, immediately reduce
the heat to low and simmer for a few minutes. Remove from the heat and allow it
to cool for five minutes. - Pour the mixture into a mug through a fine mesh
sieve. Sweeten with desired amount of raw honey and enjoy.
Turmeric Tea
Ingredients:
- pinch of nutmeg powder
- 1.5 cups filtered water
- pinch of clove powder
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root
- pinch of black pepper
- 1.5 teaspoons turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- raw honey, to taste
Instructions:
- Warm the water in a saucepan over medium heat.
When it begins to bubble, add all of the ingredients and mix well. - Reduce the heat to low and simmer for a few
minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into a mug through a
fine mesh sieve. Sip and enjoy.
Turmeric Juice
Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh turmeric root, peeled and roughly
chopped - 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
- 4 cups coconut water
- pinch of black pepper
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons raw honey
Instructions:
- Add the turmeric, ginger, coconut water, and
black pepper to a blender and blend until smooth. - Pour the mixture into a saucepan and bring to a
boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the
heat and stir in the lemon juice and honey. - Strain the mixture into a glass bottle through a
fine mesh sieve and refrigerate. Enjoy once it is chilled.
