Here’s one of my favourite recipes. I drink a cup of turmeric tea most mornings before a busy day. The ginger and turmeric kick will give you a power up.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 tbsp coconut milk (optional – for a creamy finish)
Instructions
- It’s as simple as can be. Just like any tea, mix the spices in a mug and pour boiling water over top. Let steep for 3 minutes. Enjoy.
Why You Should Eat More Turmeric
I sometimes see a tendency to exaggerate the benefits of certain foods, including turmeric. I can tell you that turmeric is not a certain cure for cancer, and it is not a guaranteed cure for infections either. However, I wholeheartedly recommend that you add turmeric to your diet. There are many ways turmeric will give your immune system a long-lasting boost. Here are just some of those benefits.
1. Reduce indigestion
Do you suffer from bloating or gas? Try turmeric. We know that curcumin causes the gall bladder to produce bile, which may prevent indigestion.The authority in Germany which regulates the prescription of herbs, the German Commission E, has marked turmeric as a possible cure for indigestion. We haven’t had many Western studies on the link between turmeric and indigestion, but we do know that in one study controlled with placebos, turmeric was useful. Subjects who had turmeric had less bloating and gas from indigestion1than people who didn’t take turmeric.
2. Prevent Alzheimer’s
Let’s get into some details of Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s is caused by compounds called ‘amyloid β forms aggregates’ (oligomers). The problem with these compounds is that they can accumulate in the brain and form ‘amyloid plaques’. Here’s why curcumin is promising for people with Alzheimer’s: some studies show curcumin can prevent the formation2 of these plaque deposits.
Here’s what we’re not sure about. We’re not sure if the curcumin can get to the area in your body where it’s needed. Your brain is protected by something known as the blood brain barrier3. Think of it as a skin that wraps around your brain and protects it harmful substances that made it into your blood. We’re not sure if curcumin from food can make it across the blood brain barrier and get to the brain.
Do I still recommend turmeric? Yes. Firstly, we know turmeric is safe for you and has very little side effects, even for patients with Alzheimer’s. More importantly, we also know that turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory.
3. Reduce the symptoms of ulcerative colitis
If you have or know of people with ulcerative colitis, tell them about turmeric. This is one disease which we know with certainty that turmeric will help with.
People with ulcerative colitis suffer from problems with digestion. The symptoms only come sporadically. Here’s why turmeric is useful: after eating turmeric, someone with ulcerative colitis will have far less symptoms. Turmeric keeps ulcerative colitis in ‘remission’4. Think of it as a temporary recovery.
In medical studies, the ‘gold standard’ for research is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study5. In one double-blind, placebo-controlled study – in other words, close to the most reliable type of study we have – we found that patients who took turmeric had less relapses than patients who didn’t. Significantly less. If you have ulcerative colitis, I strongly recommend adding turmeric to your diet.
Ideas For Eating More Turmeric
There are many ways to add turmeric to your diet. Enjoy some curry tonight and add lots of turmeric. Have a cup of turmeric tea in the morning. And how about a turmeric kale scramble?
Have you started drinking turmeric tea? How do you like it? Give us a shout in the comments!
