17 Health Benefits Of Turmeric Root Powder
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 family1,2.
Its root (rhizome) is commonly used as a spice, especially in South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine1,2 .
It is, namely, the key ingredient in curry and gives it its distinctive flavor and vibrant yellow color1,2 .
Furthermore, turmeric has a very long history of medicinal use in India, dating back nearly 4000 years2.
Composition of turmeric root
Turmeric root consists of1,3,4:
- 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 turmerone2,5.
Curcumin and turmerone are both natural antioxidants2,6.
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 curcumin8,9,10 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 cells14,15.
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 activities16,17.
Related: 3 Best Liver Cleanse Juice Recipes
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 molecules19,20.
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 development21,22.
What type of cancers does turmeric reduce?
Curcumin has therapeutic effects in the following types of cancers:
- Breast cancer21,23
- Lung cancer21,24
- Blood cancer21
- Cancer of the digestive system
- Prostate cancer21,28
- Brain cancer21
- Bone cancer21
- Pharynx and larynx cancer21
- Malignant mesothelioma21
- Skin cancer14,15
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.
Related: How To Alkalize Your Body Fast
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 coli4,30,31
- Streptococcus4
- Staphylococcus4,31
- Bacillus4,31
- Micrococcus4
- Pseudomonas4,31
- Salmonella typhi30,31
- Klebsiella pneumoniae31
- Listeria monocytogenes31
- Helicobacter pylori31
The antibacterial effect of turmeric compares favorably with standard antibiotics4.
Related: 7 Strongest Natural Antibiotics
7. Inhibition of fungi
Turmeric has antifungal activities.
Which fungi does turmeric remove?
It inhibits, namely, a wide range of fungi, including:
- Aspergillus4,32
- Penicillium4,32
- 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.
Related: 10 Best Remedies To Get Rid Of Candida Albicans
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
- HIV32,35,36,37,38
- Influenza39,40
- Herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1 and 238,41,42,43
- 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
Related: What Kills Viruses Naturally? 5 Top Antiviral Herbs
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 lamblia56,57
- Trypanosoma58,59
- Plasmodium falciparum60,61
- Acanthamoeba62,63
- Entamoeba histolytica64,65
- Trichomonas vaginalis66
- Toxoplasma gondii67
- Cryptosporidium parvum68,69,70
- Fasciola gigantica71
Related: How To Know If You Have Liver Flukes (Fascioliasis)
10. Removal of heavy metals
Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements characterized by their high atomic weight and density72,73.
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:
It also prevents glutathione depletion16,75.
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 cases75,79,16 .
Related: 10 Best Heavy Metal Detox Supplements
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.
Related: How To Detox From Radiation Exposure Naturally
13. Promotion of cardiovascular health
Curcumin found in turmeric has a protective role in cardiovascular diseases, including81,82:
- 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 disorder83,84,85.
15. Treatment of neurological disorders
In addition to depression, curcumin demonstrates protective action in the following neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders:
- Alzheimer’s disease85,86,87
- 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.
Related: 7 Reasons You Should Eat Coconut Oil For Weight Loss
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.
Related: Top 13 Foods That Kill Parasites
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.
Related: Should I Take Turmeric On An Empty Stomach?
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 bioavailability29,89.
Related: 6 Turmeric And Honey Health Benefits
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 bioavailability9,90.
For this reason, we recommend combining turmeric with black pepper.
Related: 13 Health Benefits Of Cilantro (Coriander) Leaves
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
