Turmeric is a spice used around the world for it’s vibrant color, spicy-earthy flavor, and health benefits. I started using it in juices and teas because I knew turmeric was one of the main ingredients in curry, but little did I know that this humble root is a nutrient power-house. Dr. Michael Greger M.D. of NutritionFacts.org is a strong advocate for a plant based whole foods diet, and has a lot to say about turmeric, and has the clinical studies to prove it. In a recent video Dr. Greger talks about how supplement manufacturers often fall into the same reductionist trap as prescription drug companies – alluding to the thought that herbs are assumed to only have one active ingredient and if you can isolate and purify it into a pill you can boost the effects. Curcumin is described as the active ingredient in turmeric, but is it the active ingredient or merely a active ingredient. After all it's just one of many different components that make up the whole-food spice. There are components such as cyclocurcumen, and curcumenes, and termerines, termerones, tumerinol.
Only limited studies have compared the potential of turmeric with curcumin, but some suggest that turmeric, the whole food, may work even better. A group of researchers in the Anderson Cancer center in Texas pitted curcumin against seven different types of human cancer cells invitro, along with turmeric. For example, curcumin kicks but against breast cancer cells but Turmeric the whole food kicks even more but!
The same is found in testing against pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, multiple myeloma, myelogenous lukemea and more colorectal cancer. They found that turmeric was more potent compared to curcumin, suggesting that components other than curcumin contribute to anti-cancer activity. Most clinical studies treating diseases in people have used curcumin supplements as opposed to whole turmeric, but none have tried using components other than curcumin; but even curcumin free Turmeric exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. Although curcumin is believed to account for most activities of turmeric research over the past decade has indicated that curcumin free turmeric is as effective as - or even more effective than curcumin-containing turmeric. For example, there are termerones in tuermeric, but are removed during processing to make curcumin supplements. So I think we all would assume that the conclusion is “lets stop giving people curcumin supplements, and just give people the whole-food spice Turmeric! …But instead the industry was like “let’s make all sorts of turmeric derived supplements…”
What an epic fail.
My favorite way to have turmeric is to slice it, steep in hot water, and add a spoonful of local honey. It’s a soothing treat with immunity boosting goodness! Pick up some turmeric today!
What an epic fail.
My favorite way to have turmeric is to slice it, steep in hot water, and add a spoonful of local honey. It’s a soothing treat with immunity boosting goodness! Pick up some turmeric today!
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