Is Turmeric Really The Superfood We Think It Is?

First, it was matcha, then it was coconut oil, but now it’s the era of turmeric. If you keep up to date with the ever-changing world of superfoods, you’ll have noticed this yellow spice making its way into everything. Your food, your tea and now, your Starbucks order.

While there is no doubt that turmeric comes with some seriously bold health claims, is it really worth the hype or is it just another marketing ploy to get us to hand over more money to the hipster cafes?

What is turmeric?

Turmeric, cousin to ginger, is a spice that has been used in Indian cuisine for thousands of years – it’s what gives curry it’s yellow color. However, although it’s turmeric that gets all the glory for its medicinal properties, the real hero is actually a component called curcumin.

Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric and is praised for its powerful anti-inflammatory effects and antioxidant properties and antioxidants, in particular, are incredibly beneficial to our health.

Why is it so loved?

One of the main mechanisms behind aging and many diseases – including cancer – is a process called oxidative damage.

When this happens, unpaired and very unstable electrons (aka free radicals) are formed and they can react to fatty acids, proteins or DNA which can cause us to become ill.

This is where antioxidants step in. If the body has plenty of antioxidants available, the body can neutralize these free radicals and prevent cell and tissue damage which in turn prevents disease and aging.

Curcumin just so happens to be a very potent antioxidant and can also boost the body’s own antioxidant enzymes – a double whammy if you will.

This means that turmeric is heavily associated with disease prevention and management. In fact, multiple studies have linked curcumin to cancer treatment. In one study 4 grams of curcumin per day for a month reduced the number of lesions in the colon that sometimes turn cancerous by 40%.

What are the controversies?

If turmeric has been proven to reduce disease, how could anyone call it a fraud? Well, the main problem with this superfood is the percentage of curcumin contained in turmeric – around 3%.

When looking at the studies surrounding the yellow spice, they mainly use an extract that contains more than 3% and dosages are set to over 1 gram per day. Therefore, it would be difficult to be able to achieve these dosages using shop bought turmeric in your food or latte.

Furthermore, curcumin isn’t very good and being absorbed into the bloodstream. This means that all those amazing antioxidants aren’t even getting where they’re supposed to be.

All is not lost though, as a study has found that consuming black pepper along with turmeric can enhance the absorption of curcumin by 2000%.

Is it worth it?

There is no harm in adding turmeric to the ever-growing list of superfoods the wellness industry tells us to consume. It’s been proven to have amazing health benefits and yes, there is the possibility for it to have ‘promising effects’ for a whole host of ailments.

Just remember that one ingredient isn’t going to solve it all, so it’s best to approach cautiously and stick with a healthy balance to ensure you’re getting all the nutrients your body needs to work.

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