We've put together a guide that will help you learn about the effects of turmeric on your body, liver and well-being, and explain exactly how to take turmeric properly.

As humans learned to use compounds found in nature, great breakthroughs and discoveries in the field of medicine became extremely common. Later, we started producing these compounds in laboratories. A great example of this is antibiotics, the effect of which Alexander Fleming is said to have only discovered by accident. Laboratory-made penicillin is still used today as an antibiotic.

The same goes for turmeric root.  Completely natural active ingredients that are extracted directly from turmeric, like curcumin, can be extremely beneficial. We can prepare turmeric on its own or take it in the form of supplements.

Turmeric is a spice that is often used in nutrition. The spice has a bright yellow colour and an intense taste that brightens up our dishes. Even more than a spice, turmeric root is said to be valued for its properties that keep our body healthy. Many people turn to turmeric supplements (often in the form of turmeric capsules) because they don't like the taste of turmeric.

We especially recommend turmeric to anyone who:

• suffers from muscle and joint pain
• wants to reduce inflammation in their body
• has a weakened immune system
• experiences long-term stress
• has an overburdened liver
• suffers from psoriasis
• drinks alcohol often or in large quantities
• takes medication often
• has an unbalanced or unhealthy diet
• has elevated triglycerides or cholesterol levels
• has difficulty controlling their weight
• wants to take good care of their health

How to use turmeric properly

Turmeric powder is obtained from the turmeric root, which is similar in appearance to ginger. The whole root of the Curcuma Longa plant (this term is often used for dietary supplements) is used to make the powder. Scientists would correct us that it is not actually the turmeric root that is used, but rather the rhizome, the underground stem of the plant. The plant grows in the forests of Southeast Asia, where most turmeric still comes from today.

Curcuma Longa is the best-known member of the turmeric family. But there are other types of Curcuma that are also used to strengthen the body and with specific effects. These are Curcuma Wanyujin, Curcuma Phaeocaulis Val, Curcuma Kwangsiensis, Curcuma Zedoaria and Curcuma Aromatica.

Preparing turmeric at home

The preparation is so easy that many choose to make their own turmeric powder. However, the taste is very intense and many find it unpleasant, which is why it is often easier and more pleasant to use turmeric in the form of a dietary supplement.

Turmeric is not only used in powder form, but also in other ways that are often recommended to support health and well-being. Most often, when looking for recipes to prepare at home, we'll find turmeric water or turmeric milk (golden milk). 

Turmeric as a dietary supplement

Using turmeric root, which we can process into turmeric powder ourselves, is not the optimal way to consume turmeric. We never know how many active ingredients (mainly curcumin) our homemade turmeric powder contains. Plants sometimes contain more, sometimes less active ingredients - it depends on the growth, the season, the nutrients in the soil, etc.

However, turmeric capsules, which we buy as a dietary supplement, always contain the same amounts of active ingredients (curcumin), to which other active ingredients are also added, which also have a positive effect on well-being. Most commonly, black pepper is added to turmeric, which increases the bioavailability of curcumin and ensures better absorption.

Regular use of dietary supplements ensures the intake of active substances in our bodies. High-quality dietary supplements contain only natural turmeric of the highest quality and at the same time have been proven to ensure the right amount of active ingredients. It's the same with our Turmeric Caps, which you can find here.

Turmeric in the kitchen

Turmeric is an excellent spice used in cooking for its flavour, colour and beneficial effects on the body. We often find turmeric in spice mixes that we can buy in supermarkets, but of course, we can also buy turmeric spice on its own. Turmeric used as a spice has the same or very similar effects as turmeric used as a dietary supplement. The problem is that we would have to ingest large amounts of this spice to get the desired results. However, dietary supplements usually contain the appropriate amount of turmeric in one or two capsules.

Because of this, we cannot always rely on the turmeric we ingest through food to be the same as the turmeric we ingest through supplements.  To take sufficient amounts of turmeric, we would have to always flavour our dishes with turmeric, which would make our meals pretty boring. For a steady and regular intake of curcumin, it is better to rely on dietary supplements.

Direct ingestion of turmeric can also lead to mild side effects. It’s a spice with an intense flavour—consumers are finding they struggle with belching with prolonged daily use of turmeric. Often, such intake of turmeric also results in impaired absorption of iron. Again, knowing how much turmeric we are taking and how often is important. The easiest way to control this is by taking purified turmeric in supplements.

The influence of turmeric on the body

Turmeric has many beneficial effects on the body. It is used both as a preventative and as a curative as it helps with various conditions. Here are the most common issues that turmeric can help with.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect

Inflammation is very common. For example, everyone can recognise inflamed muscles after strenuous exercise. Turmeric is often used to support our bodies when recovering from a sore throat, inflamed vocal cords and other inflammations.

Turmeric is suitable as a preventative against inflammation (it is preventive in combination with vitamins, for example, during the cold season) or as help with larger inflammations that have already developed in the body.

Turmeric regulates metabolism and disinfects

Like some other spices, turmeric is also appropriate for disinfecting wounds. 

Turmeric can aid in regulating metabolism. Curcumin supports the growth of benign bacteria in the gut. Our gut flora is constantly changing and both factors from the outside world and the food we eat can affect it. When we don't eat a healthy diet, drink alcohol, or smoke, we reduce the number of good bacteria in the gut. We notice this as poor digestion, diarrhoea, flatulence or a feeling of fullness in the stomach area. 

Turmeric is often reached for after holidays when we consume large amounts of unhealthy foods. Turmeric helps break down carbohydrates and also aids in the elimination of bile.

Turmeric helps maintain a healthy liver and supports it when it needs to work the most—that is when we consume large amounts of unhealthy food. So it is practically indispensable for those who like to treat themselves on special occasions.

Turmeric and Arthritis

Arthritis is the name given to various inflammatory diseases that affect one or more joints. The most common types of arthritis are gout, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and rheumatoid arthritis (rheumatism). The causes for developing arthritis vary - from genetics to injury and infection - and they all have one thing in common, which is that the body is in an inflammatory state.

Turmeric to lower cholesterol levels

Cholesterol is not always bad - it is generally divided into "good" and "bad" cholesterol. "Bad cholesterol" means low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and "good cholesterol" means high-density lipoproteins (HDL).

Turmeric helps relieve symptoms of depression

Mental health and well-being are just as important as physical health, although not often talked about. A fast-paced life can quickly lead to stress and other mental challenges. We can provide help in a number of ways - adding turmeric is one.

Too often we forget that how we feel and our mental state affects everything. Therefore, we must ensure both a healthy diet and an appropriate intake of active ingredients that support our health. Because of this, curcumin seems even more important.

Turmeric recipes

Here are the most popular turmeric recipes:

• Turmeric Milk - Often used for sore throats. Mix a teaspoon of turmeric in warm milk. Drink while still warm before going to bed.
• Turmeric Yogurt - Mix a teaspoon of turmeric into a yoghurt. This yoghurt ensures better digestion. After a larger meal (lunch) eat some yoghurt with turmeric. This will immediately relieve gas and improve your condition.
• Turmeric Tea – Pour hot water over a spoonful of turmeric. Drink the tea slowly in the morning or in the evening as it has a positive effect on your well-being, liver function and digestion.
• To prevent skin inflammation and acne breakouts, use a mixture of turmeric and sesame oil that can be easily prepared at home. Simply mix the ingredients into a thick paste and immediately apply it to the face and leave it on for a few minutes. The skin will immediately feel better.
• Turmeric Juice – Especially good in summer when we want refreshment and to take care of our bodies. Mix two tablespoons of turmeric in 4 bowls of boiled water, add the juice of one lime and one orange and sweeten with honey. Leave for half an hour and drink as desired. We suggest drinking all the juice in one day, as that way you will get the amount of turmeric you need.

Turmeric for everyone!

Turmeric helps with many problems, so it is very important that we add it to the diet. Whether we use it in cooking or consume it in the form of dietary supplements, we must always follow the recommended daily intake.