If you like Superfoods, you'll fall in love with Turmeric!
Turmeric isn't used that much in the West but its popularity is very quickly growing, and with good reason. In the East, the medical properties of turmeric have been known for a long time and it's used in Indian and Chineese medicines.
So what is all of the fuss about Turmeric?
Does it deserve its place in our SuperFood wall of fame? Let's find out and take a look at 7 benefits of adding Turmeric to your diet…
Turmeric can reduce your cholesterol levels
The ingredient in turmeric that's responsible for all of its remarkable benefits to health is curcumin. Curcumin reduces your cholesterol level in 3 very powerful ways. First, it reduces the time that cholesterol spends in the blood stream. Second, it stops the oxidation of LDL cholesterol due to its antioxidant properties and third, it helps to improve the efficiency of LDL cholesterol by increasing the receptors. All of which adds up to dramatically improved cardiovascular health.
Lessen the pain from (and the spread of) arthritis
During laboratory tests, the curcumin that is found in turmeric proved to be as effective as a traditional anti-inflammatory medication for joint swelling. Adding turmeric to your diet can have a significant impact on the quality of your life, especially if you are a sufferer of rheumatoid arthritis. Additionally, the antioxidant qualities found in curcumin help to get rid of free radicals from the body. Free radicals are really troublesome for people with arthritis because they cause damage to cell membranes which is one of the main causes of joint pain.
Turmeric assists you to maintain healthy thyroid function
Thyroid problems are very widespread in todays society and can cause all kinds of issues, including weight gain, dry skin, thinning hair, brittle nails, numbness or tingling in the hands and even constipation. A vital mineral that is essential for proper thyroid function is Manganese. Turmeric is rich in Manganese and will help you to make a great step towards a healthy and better functioning thyroid. Given the number of symptoms (and we only touched on a few, there are many many more) that are attributed to a poorly functioning thyroid, its a very good idea for you health, well-being and future medical expenses to incorporate turmeric to your diet.
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Decreases swelling and pain
When compared to medical anti-inflammatories, curcumin wins hands down. The compounds that are responsible for pain during inflammation are known as mediators, and they don't hunt alone! Most traditional anti-inflammatories or NSAIDs only target a couple of these mediators but curcumin targets dozens! The result… more effective, natural and total pain relief, and non of the nasty side affects associated with traditional medications!
(Very possibly) Strengthens your memory and makes you smarter!
A food that might make you intelligent ? I doubt anything can make a food more worthy of the prestigious title of 'SuperFood' than its capacity to enhance your intelligence.
The curcumin in turmeric increases brain performance and lowers the risk of brain disease by boosting the neurotrophic factor. As we grow, neurons form new connections and our ability to learn and store more information increases. The hormone that supports this process is called the brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF). Decreased levels of this hormone are linked to many common brain disorders, such as Alzheimers and depression.
Curcumin increases BDNF levels, which can help our brains do what they are meant to do… grow, understand more things and make us wiser, although additional research is needed to demonstrate that we actually do become more intelligent. An increase of BDNF could also stop, and possibly even reverse, the affects of many age-related brain functioning complications.
Will help to prevent, and possible even treat, cancer
During lab tests on animals, curcumin was shown to lessen metastasis (the spread of cancer) decrease angiogenesis (the growth of blood vessels in tumors) and even kill cancerous cells. During a further study (this time on humans) curcumin lowered colon lesions in 44 men by 40% over a period of 30 days. Although the study wasn't on men that were actually suffering from cancer, colon lesions can become cancerous, so it's a significant indicator that curcumin may help protect against cancer.
Is an effective and all-natural beauty treatment method
Up to now we've discussed some of the excellent health benefits of turmeric, but did you know it can make you more attractive too!
For hundreds of years women in Asia have used turmeric as a natural beauty treatment. Its powerful beautifying qualities have been praised for their ability to help reduce acne, cure eczema, remove dark circles from beneath the eyes, reduce the physical appearance of lines and wrinkles, reduce scarring and even remove sun spots.
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