Turmeric Archives - Cilantro News

6 Turmeric And Honey Health Benefits

Pamela Nylander PhD — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 10:27:12 +0000

The combination of turmeric and honey has 6 amazing health benefits; find out which ones in this article.

What is turmeric?

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a herbaceous plant of the ginger family.

Its rhizome is commonly used as a spice and is the key ingredient in curry.

The medicinal properties of turmeric have been known for thousands of years¹.

They are mainly attributed to curcumin, a polyphenol with antioxidant effects¹.

What is honey?

Honey is a sweet, golden, and viscous liquid that bees make using the nectar of flowers.

They store it inside the beehive for eating during times of scarcity.

Honey contains a blend of compounds that makes it beneficial to health, including²:

Amino acids
Phenols
Pigments
Vitamins
Minerals

Human civilization started using honey as a medicine at least six thousand years ago².

The health benefits of honey encompass antibiotic, antiviral, and antifungal effects².

6 Turmeric and honey health benefits

The combination of turmeric and honey has medicinal properties superior to those of each of them alone.

Studies have shown that turmeric and honey have the following 6 health benefits:

1. Wound healing

The separate topical applications of turmeric paste and honey enhance wound healing comparably^3,4.

However, researchers have found that a turmeric and honey paste decreased the size of wounds more than honey alone⁴.

2. Oral mucositis defense

Oral mucositis is an ulceration of the lining of the mouth.

It is a complication of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

A study showed that turmeric and honey application in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy was effective against oral mucositis⁵.

3. Gastric ulcer repair

Gastric ulcer is a painful sore in the stomach’s inner lining.

Researchers have found that a mixture of wild honey and turmeric had gastric ulcer healing effect⁶.

4. Antidepressant effects

Depression is a mood disorder characterized by a feeling of sadness and a loss of interest.

Oxidative stress is a key factor in the elevation of depression⁷.

A study reported that honey and curcumin (the main active compound of turmeric) increased antioxidant activity⁷.

As a result, honey and turmeric may be used as a natural treatment for depression.

5. Antibacterial activity

Another amazing health benefit of a turmeric and honey combination is its antibacterial effect.

A study revealed that this mixture had antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus and Proteus species⁸.

On the other hand, turmeric and honey alone had either no or less antibacterial effect against these species⁸.

Another study reported that turmeric and honey had properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria⁹.

These effects were enhanced when turmeric and honey were combined⁹.

Anti-biofilm and anti-quorum effects

Bacteria can create a biofilm, a protective matrix that increases their survival.

In addition, bacteria can sense the density of the population they belong to and modify their virulence based on it. This property is called “quorum sensing.”

Research demonstrated that curcumin (from turmeric) and honey eradicated bacterial biofilm and reduced quorum sensing virulence factors¹⁰.

6. Cough suppressant

Multiple studies have found that honey decreases the severity and frequency of cough in children, improving the quality of patients’ and parents’ sleep^11,12,13.

Besides, honey was more effective than Dextromethorphan and Diphenhydramine in alleviating cough^12,13.

In addition, turmeric essential oil is effective against disorders of the respiratory tract, such as expectoration, cough, and asthma¹⁴.

In conclusion, turmeric and honey are beneficial for cough without causing side effects¹¹.

Turmeric and honey natural antibiotic recipe

The recipe for a turmeric and honey natural antibiotic paste is the following⁴:

Mix 100 g of raw honey with 10 g of turmeric powder

Summary: 6 Turmeric and honey health benefits

Humans use turmeric to season dishes and honey as a sweetener.

They have also used these natural products as folk medicines for thousands of years.

The combination of turmeric and honey has the following 6 amazing health benefits:

Wound healing
Oral mucosidosis defense
Gastric ulcer repair
Antidepressant effects
Antibacterial activity
Cough suppressant

The post 6 Turmeric And Honey Health Benefits appeared first on Cilantro News.

Should I Take Turmeric On An Empty Stomach?

Pamela Nylander PhD — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 05:53:21 +0000

Should I take turmeric on an empty or full stomach to fully benefit from its amazing therapeutic effects?

You will find the answer in this article.

What is turmeric?

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a flowering plant in the Zingiberaceae family.

Its root is used as a spice in South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking.

Moreover, turmeric has a long history of use in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine^1,2.

What are the health benefits of turmeric?

Turmeric has a wide range of therapeutic effects, including:

Pain reduction
Liver protection
Anti-diabetic effects
Anticancer attributes
Anti-microbial properties

Should I take turmeric on an empty stomach?

If your stomach is already full, it will digest the bolus before it can break down turmeric.

Therefore, if you want to experience the benefits of turmeric fast, it is best to take it on an empty stomach, such as in the morning before breakfast.

However, it is preferable to take turmeric mixed with fats.

Why should I take turmeric with fats?

Curcumin is the major biologically active constituent in turmeric³.

This antioxidant is insoluble in water but soluble in oil^2,3.

Therefore, when mixed with water, curcumin is difficult to absorb and rapidly transformed into inactive metabolites³.

Yet, if you take it with vegetable oils, such as coconut or olive oil, you will increase its bioavailability, multiplying its health benefits^2,3.

Should I take turmeric with black pepper?

Piperine is a bioactive compound of black pepper².

Taking turmeric with piperine increases its bioavailability by 154% and its biological effects^4,5.

As mentioned above, turmeric is poorly available and rapidly metabolized in the liver and intestinal wall⁴.

Piperine prevents turmeric transformation in the liver and intestine, improving its absorption⁴.

Summary: Should I take turmeric on an empty stomach?

Turmeric is a rich source of curcumin, an antioxidant, which makes it beneficial to health.

It’s best to take turmeric on an empty stomach, like in the morning before breakfast, to benefit from its therapeutic effects fast.

However, due to its low water-solubility, curcumin is difficult to absorb and rapidly transformed into inactive metabolites.

Mixing it with vegetable oils, such as coconut or olive oil, and black pepper will increase its absorption and biological effects.

The post Should I Take Turmeric On An Empty Stomach? appeared first on Cilantro News.

17 Health Benefits Of Turmeric Root Powder

Pamela Nylander PhD — Sun, 22 Aug 2021 12:58:06 +0000

You will find 17 amazing (and scientifically proven) health benefits of turmeric root powder in this article.

What is turmeric?

Turmeric, which scientific name is Curcuma longa, is a flowering plant in the Zingiberaceae family^1,2.

Its root (rhizome) is commonly used as a spice, especially in South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine^1,2 .

It is, namely, the key ingredient in curry and gives it its distinctive flavor and vibrant yellow color^1,2 .

Furthermore, turmeric has a very long history of medicinal use in India, dating back nearly 4000 years².

Composition of turmeric root

Turmeric root consists of^1,3,4:

60-70% of carbohydrates
6-13% of water
6-8% of protein
5-10% of fat
3-7% of essential oils (including turmerone and zingiberene)
2-7% of fiber
1-6% of curcuminoids (curcumin and its derivatives)
Trace of minerals, vitamins, alkaloids, and resins

The main biologically active compounds are curcumin and turmerone^2,5.

Curcumin and turmerone are both natural antioxidants^2,6.

17 Health benefits of turmeric root powder

Thanks to its antioxidants properties, turmeric is good for a variety of conditions.

Here are 17 amazing health benefits of turmeric root powder for men and women:

1. Reduction of inflammation and pain

Turmeric has natural anti-inflammatory effects.

A study involving 28 healthy men showed that turmeric supplementation reduced muscle inflammation and damage following a half-marathon race⁷.

Turmeric also diminishes rheumatoid arthritis⁸ and osteoarthritis symptoms⁹.

The anti-inflammatory properties of this plant are mainly attributed to curcumin^8,9,10 but also turmerone¹¹.

2. Promotion of skin health

Turmeric is good for your skin.

Studies indicate that both ingested and topical curcumin provides therapeutic benefits for skin health¹².

The skin conditions examined included¹²:

Acne
Alopecia
Atopic dermatitis
Facial photoaging
Oral lichen planus
Pruritus
Psoriasis
Radiodermatitis
Vitiligo

The topical application of curcumin also has significant wound healing properties. It hastens, namely, various stages of the natural wound healing process¹³.

Furthermore, both oral and topical curcumin suppresses several types of skin cancer cells^14,15.

3. Protection of liver function

Liver disease constitutes the fourth to the fifth cause of death worldwide¹⁶.

It includes¹⁶:

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (40%)
Hepatitis B virus (30%)
Hepatitis C virus (15%)
Alcoholic liver disease (11%)

Many factors associated with liver diseases, such as alcohol and drugs, generate oxidative stress¹⁶.

Turmeric is good for your liver.

Research revealed, namely, that curcumin has protective and therapeutic effects on oxidative-associated liver disease thanks to its antioxidant activities^16,17.

4. Treatment of diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (the most common type) is an ensemble of metabolic diseases that have reached pandemic dimensions all over the world¹⁸.

A research review showed that curcumin counteracts diabetes and its complications by modulating different signaling molecules^19,20.

5. Reduction of cancer

Cancer is one of the primary causes of death in industrialized countries²¹.

Curcumin, the most representative polyphenol found in turmeric, is good for fighting cancer²¹.

It reduces cancer by affecting different signaling pathways, molecules, and cells involved in its development^21,22.

What type of cancers does turmeric reduce?

Curcumin has therapeutic effects in the following types of cancers:

Breast cancer^21,23
Lung cancer^21,24
Blood cancer²¹
Cancer of the digestive system
- Gastric cancer²¹
- Colon cancer²¹^,25,26
- Pancreatic cancer²¹^,27
- Hepatic cancer²¹
Prostate cancer^21,28
Brain cancer²¹
Bone cancer²¹
Pharynx and larynx cancer²¹
Malignant mesothelioma²¹
Skin cancer^14,15

In addition, non-curcuminoids molecules found in turmeric, such as turmerone, elemene, and furanodiene, also exhibit anticancer activities²⁹.

Besides, turmerone enhances the bioavailability and anticancer effect of curcumin²⁹.

6. Elimination of bacteria

Curcuma longa has antibacterial properties.

Which bacteria does turmeric eliminate?

Turmeric, or curcumin extract, inhibits the proliferation of harmful bacteria such as:

Escherichia coli^4,30,31
Streptococcus⁴
Staphylococcus^4,31
Bacillus^4,31
Micrococcus⁴
Pseudomonas^4,31
Salmonella typhi^30,31
Klebsiella pneumoniae³¹
Listeria monocytogenes³¹
Helicobacter pylori³¹

The antibacterial effect of turmeric compares favorably with standard antibiotics⁴.

7. Inhibition of fungi

Turmeric has antifungal activities.

Which fungi does turmeric remove?

It inhibits, namely, a wide range of fungi, including:

Aspergillus^4,32
Penicillium^4,32
Cryptococcus neoformans³¹
Candida albicans³¹
Rhizoctonia solani³¹
Phytophthora infestans³¹
Erysiphe graminis³¹

Furthermore, turmeric completely inhibits the growth of Candida albicans³² and reduces its biofilm formation³³.

Moreover, curcumin has antifungal activity against 38 different strains of Candida, including some fluconazole-resistant strains³¹.

8. Eradication of viruses

Turmeric has extraordinary antiviral attributes.

Indeed, an aqueous extract of turmeric suppresses hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication⁹⁴.

Which viruses does curcumin eliminate?

Furthermore, curcumin reduces the following viruses:

Coxsackie virus B3³⁴
HIV^{32,35,36,37,38}
Influenza^39,40
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1 and 2^38,41,42,43
Hepatitis C (HCV)⁴⁴
Human papillomavirus (HPV)^45,46
Japanese encephalitis (JEV)⁴⁷
Kaposi’s sarcoma herpesvirus⁴⁸
Zika⁴⁹
Chikungunya⁴⁹
Vesicular stomatitis virus⁴⁹
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus⁵⁰
Enterovirus 71 (EV71)⁵¹

9. Elimination of intestinal parasites

Symptoms of intestinal parasitosis include brain fog, lethargy, poor sleep, anxiety, slow digestion, abdominal bloating, and gas.

Parasites and their eggs can be transmitted through food, water or person-to-person contact.

Which parasites does turmeric kill?

Turmeric, or its active component curcumin, has anti-parasitic effects.

It kills, to wit, the following parasites:

Schistosoma mansoni ^52,53
Leishmania ^54,55
Giardia lamblia^56,57
Trypanosoma^58,59
Plasmodium falciparum^60,61
Acanthamoeba^62,63
Entamoeba histolytica^64,65
Trichomonas vaginalis⁶⁶
Toxoplasma gondii⁶⁷
Cryptosporidium parvum^68,69,70
Fasciola gigantica⁷¹

10. Removal of heavy metals

Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements characterized by their high atomic weight and density^72,73.

Major chronic diseases in adults are associated with toxic heavy metals⁷⁴.

Moreover, exposure to toxic metals early in life compromises development, with lifelong impairments⁷⁴.

Thanks to its antioxidant properties, curcumin is a chelator of positively charged metals⁷⁵.

Which heavy metals does curcumin remove?

It reduces the liver toxicity induced by:

Arsenic⁷⁵
Cadmium^75,76,77,78
Chromium⁷⁵
Copper^75,76
Lead^{75 ,77}
Mercury⁷⁵

It also prevents glutathione depletion^16,75.

Too low concentrations of copper in tissues induce anemia, whereas too high concentrations induce hepatic damage⁷⁵.

Curcumin has a protective effect in both copper and iron overloaded cases^75,79,16 .

11. Scavenging of reactive oxygen species

Reactive oxygen species (such as O₂^–, H₂O₂, HO-) consist of radical and non-radical oxygen species formed by the partial reduction of oxygen⁷⁹.

They generate oxidative stress in your body, resulting in damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids⁷⁹.

This damage, in turn, induces cancer, neurodegeneration, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and aging⁷⁹.

Which reactive oxygen species does curcumin neutralize?

Thanks to its antioxidant attributes, curcumin has scavenging activity against a variety of reactive oxygen species, including⁷⁵:

O₂^–(superoxide anion)
HO (hydroxyl radical)
ROO (peroxyl radical)
NO₂ (nitrogen dioxide radical)

12. Protection from ionizing radiation

Curcumin has radioprotective effects in normal cells and radiosensitizing effects in cancer cells⁸⁰.

Furthermore, curcumin may remove uranium and cobalt from your body⁹³.

13. Promotion of cardiovascular health

Curcumin found in turmeric has a protective role in cardiovascular diseases, including^81,82:

Atherosclerosis
Aortic aneurysm
Myocardial infarction
Stroke
Cardiac hypertrophy
Heart failure
Diabetic cardiovascular complications
Cardiotoxicity
Ventricular arrhythmias

This protective role is due to curcumin’s antioxidant, anti-thrombotic, anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cholesterol effects⁸².

14. Relief from depression

In 2017, the World Health Organization announced that depression was the leading cause of disability and ill-health worldwide, with more than 300 million people living with this condition⁸³.

Natural anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective compounds are thought to counteract the degenerative processes frequently associated with major depressive disorder⁸³.

A handful of clinical trials have demonstrated the benefits of curcumin in major depressive disorder^83,84,85.

15. Treatment of neurological disorders

In addition to depression, curcumin demonstrates protective action in the following neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders:

Alzheimer’s disease^85,86,87
Tardive dyskinesia⁸⁵
Epilepsy⁸⁵
Diabetic neuropathy⁸⁵
Parkinson’s disease⁸⁷
Multiple sclerosis⁸⁷
Huntington’s disease⁸⁷
Prion’s disease⁸⁷
Autism⁸⁷

Furthermore, curcumin may also improve cognitive function in the elderly⁸⁸.

16. Weight loss

A review study involving 1604 individuals has shown that curcumin reduced weight, waist, and body mass index in patients with metabolic syndrome and related disorders⁹¹.

17. Reduction of blood pressure

Hypertension is a chronic condition that can lead to health problems, such as cardiovascular diseases, myocardial infarction, and stroke⁹².

A systematic study involving 734 participants demonstrated that turmeric or its antioxidant curcumin lowered systolic blood pressure after 12 weeks of consumption⁹².

How to take turmeric root

Dosage

For optimal results, take a teaspoon of dried powder derived from the root of turmeric mixed with water daily.

You can also take half a teaspoon of grated fresh turmeric root daily.

Fresh turmeric is, to wit, more bioavailable and more potent than dried powder.

Turmeric vs curcumin

We recommend taking turmeric as opposed to curcumin extract, because some phytochemicals present in turmeric act synergistically with curcumin by enhancing its bioavailability^29,89.

Turmeric and piperine

Although turmeric and curcumin exert a wide range of health benefits, they are poorly soluble and absorbed⁸⁹.

Piperine, a major active component of black pepper, can increase by 2000% curcumin’s bioavailability^9,90.

For this reason, we recommend combining turmeric with black pepper.

Summary: 17 Health benefits of turmeric root powder

Turmeric is good for relieving multiple health conditions thanks to its biologically active components, mainly curcumin and turmerone.

These phytochemicals have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, affecting positively different signaling pathways, molecules, and cells in your body.

Turmeric root powder has the following 17 health benefits:

Reduction of inflammation and pain
Promotion of skin health
Protection of liver health
Treatment of diabetes
Reduction of cancer
Elimination of bacteria
Inhibition of fungi
Eradication of viruses
Elimination of intestinal parasites
Removal of heavy metals
Scavenging of reactive oxygen species
Protection from ionizing radiation
Promotion of cardiovascular health
Relief from depression
Treatment of neurological disorders
Weight loss
Reduction of blood pressure

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