Myths about Turmeric

How to consume Turmeric? Turmeric has been an integral part of Indian food, and is suppose to have excellent medicinal properties, and is also considered as a superfood. In the recent past, after the spread of covid 19, there is a spurt of social media based companies trying to sell turmeric in various forms, taking advantage of the jolt that the killer virus has caused for the public. However, what they don't say is- how to consume turmeric. Yes, this question is very relevant and you may be shocked to know that it is not easy for human body to absorb the benefits of turmeric, if not consumed in the right way. We have been researching this subject for over a year now, and here is some of the learning. We are still learning, and do not claim all these are 100% accurate- they are just our leanings so far:

1) Ingesting Turmeric in any form by itself does not lead to the associated health benefits Due to curcumin’s(the substance in Turmeric) poor bioavailability(means cannot easily be absorbed by our body), most of the curcumin ingested gets metabolised before it can be absorbed. It needs to be taken along with an agent that increases the bioavailability. For example, a substance called piperine, found in black pepper is known to boost bioavailability by 2000%. Other such bio availability boosters are fat molecules(found in milk, coconut oil etc). Heating(or consuming with hot water could be another way to improve bioavailability. Now you know the reason why our grandma’s have been using turmeric along with these. Reference: NCBI/US National Library of health: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5664031/

So think twice if someone tries to sell you turmeric powder in raw farm and claims it will improve your health, unless they guide you on how to consume. You may simply add it to your food that has some level of healthy fat, and consume it hot as a simple way to absorb it.

2) Not every yellow powder is Turmeric: What you get in the retail shops as turmeric powder/yellow powder is not necessarily all turmeric. Look at the pack to check if they have a curcumin content certification, and read the texts in the small fonts carefully. You can also test turmeric at home to check its authenticity by adding it to a glass of water(room temperature). Keep this aside for 2-3 min, and if it is real turmeric, you will see the sediments settle down, and the water will be mostly clear. If the water turns in to bright yellow with almost no sediments, it means adulteration. See more details @ https://fssai.gov.in/dart/

3) What is the correct way to process turmeric? Most farmers will boil their curcumin harvest for min 45 min, so that they can dry it easily and also the shelf life can be improved. However, studies suggests that , boiling is the worst way to cook your turmeric, as it results in the maximum loss of curcumin. However, cooking it for short durations of time may actually increase its health benefits by making the curcuminoids more readily absorbed by the body. Natural drying(sun dry) may be a better alternative.

4) How much curcumin should be in your turmeric? Most of the turmeric have been commercially grown is found to have an average of 2% of turmeric. Curcumin content in turmeric increases if the plant goes through stress during the root formation. This is why turmeric from hilly regions or what is called as wild turmeric neem to have a slightly higher content of curcumin. Also the mother seed will have a higher percentage of curcumin. Always ask for a curcumin test report from the seller. However note that there is no proof that consuming higher percentage of curcumin on daily basis will make a difference. So invest wisely.

5) It’s still a great natural therapeutic substance. If you manage to get good quality turmeric, that are naturally grown and naturally processed, and consumed in the right way, it can do wonders to your health. Read more @ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3535097/