Curcumin and turmeric can reduce inflammation, improve skin health, heal wounds, ease menstrual issues, and protect cognitive function. Not only that, turmeric can help protect digestion, relieve joint discomfort, and even potentially slow down the aging process.
What Is Turmeric?
Turmeric is a root that is closely related to the ginger family. It is originally from India, and its scientific name is Curcuma longa. Turmeric does not thrive in many areas of the world, because it requires a highly specific environment and temperature regulation in order to survive.
However, many countries import this root because it is very desired for its health benefits. You may recognize turmeric by its distinctive orange or yellow color. It tastes somewhat bitter on its own, but when used in certain dishes it can enhance the flavor. It’s been used for centuries as a traditional healing method, and the main reason this plant has healing properties is because of one particular component—curcumin.
As for its nutritional value, turmeric is extremely rich in nutrients. It is a good source of vitamin C, protein, calcium, sodium, fiber, and iron. It’s very low in calories, and it can boost your body’s levels of potassium, magnesium, vitamin B, and manganese, so it’s a great addition to any nutritional routine.
What Are the Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin?
Turmeric and curcumin can provide a number of health benefits, including:
Promotes Healthy Skin
Curcumin has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, which can help in a number of ways across your body. Inflammation is responsible for more conditions than you may think. It can even affect your skin and cause breakouts. For this reason, curcumin and turmeric are powerful skin helpers that you should consider adding to your skincare routine.
In addition to acne, inflammation can also cause skin proteins to break down, which can cause wrinkles or other blemishes. To protect your skin against these negative effects, curcumin or turmeric might be a helpful method.
Detoxifies the Body
Another function of curcumin is that it can help detoxify your body. Unfortunately, because of the environment we live in today, our bodies are constantly being attacked by dangerous toxins. These toxins can be in everything from the food we buy at the supermarket to the air we breathe, so it’s nearly impossible to avoid them. That’s why it’s important to eat detoxifying foods like turmeric and curcumin.
Anti-Inflammatory
As we mentioned above, turmeric and curcumin have anti-inflammatory properties. This is especially useful if you are older than 40, when inflammation becomes not only more likely but potentially more damaging as well. Turmeric and curcumin help to reduce inflammation and have a “calming” effect on the body, which can help with a wide range of health issues. Headaches, joint pain, and many other painful conditions have been linked to inflammation, so incorporating anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric is essential to maintaining good health overall.
Boosts Antioxidant Levels
Just as there are toxins lurking all over our environment, there is another disease-causing culprit that can be found in a wide number of household products. Known as “free radicals,” these particles have been linked to a variety of diseases, but they do have a weakness—antioxidants.
Antioxidants help protect your body against these free radicals. Turmeric and curcumin are rich in antioxidants, which is just one of the many reasons why curcumin has been used as a healing method.
Slows Signs of Aging
Because one of the main benefits of turmeric and curcumin is their ability to fight inflammation, it makes them essential in the fight against the signs of aging. Many of the symptoms we usually associate with "normal aging" are actually caused by or worsened by inflammation.
Things like poor cognitive function, difficulty moving, and even poor digestion can all be caused by inflammation. That’s why turmeric can help slow down these symptoms to keep your body running at peak efficiency.
Improves Heart Health
Heart disease is one of the most common problems affecting older Americans today. A lot of this has to do with the Standard American Diet, but it’s also true that heart disease can affect even people who maintain a healthy diet. Turmeric and curcumin can help boost healthy heart function by keeping inflammation at bay, so your heart can run smoothly, with less additional strain.
Heightens Cognitive Function
Inflammation can wreak havoc on a number of your organs, and the brain is no exception. As we get older, our cognitive abilities worsen due to wear-and-tear on brain tissue and other factors. Keeping inflammation at bay will reduce the effects of weakened cognition and keep you mentally sharp throughout the day. Turmeric and curcumin have been linked to improved cognitive function—just another of their many health benefits.
What’s the Best Way to Get Turmeric and Curcumin?
One of the most effective ways to get a potent dose of curcumin into your body is with a turmeric or curcumin supplement. It would take eating a large amount of turmeric on its own to gain noticeable benefits, and supplements offer an easier alternative.
Waking Up To Welness
One supplement in particular that you should consider is CurcuWell by LiveWell. It’s a turmeric supplement that also contains boswellia, another inflammation-fighting herb that has been proven to reduce many of the same symptoms as curcumin and turmeric. Together, these two compounds give an additional health boost and help with a wide variety of issues, including joint stiffness, fatigue, and painful digestion. If you’re looking for a high-quality curcumin supplement to add to your routine, CurcuWell is a great option you should consider.
Whether you already suffer from the symptoms of inflammation or you just want to prevent them going forward, curcumin and turmeric offer a lot of helpful benefits for you. It may not be the first thing you think of when you go to the grocery store, but adding turmeric or a curcumin supplement to your shopping list is worth considering in the future.