10 Surprising Benefits of Turmeric
By Lopamudra Sinha
Turmeric is an important spice in India and other Asian countries. It is widely available here, as it is best cultivated in this warm tropical climate. It is now also used in many other countries of the world, for cooking and other useful purposes. Scientifically, turmeric belongs to the family Zingiberaceae, which is the same family as that of ginger. Its scientific name is Curcuma longa, due to the presence of curcumin, which is the main chemical component and the coloring agent of this spice.
Turmeric is used in cooking most of the dishes of the Indian subcontinent, as the paste of the raw form or powdered from the roasted rhizome. It imparts a golden yellow color to the curries and lends a hot, sharp taste to the cooked foods. But apart from the culinary purposes, turmeric is also known for its high medicinal value, for which it is revered from ancient times, by the native medical practitioners of this region. It contains plenty of useful nutrients, like protein, Vitamin B3, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, copper, zinc and fibers.
Therefore, the ten important medicinal benefits of turmeric are discussed here.
1. Acts as a brain booster
The power of the brain cells of the aged people often decreases due to the onset of any neurodegenerative disease, like Alzheimer's disease or dementia. But the presence of curcumin in turmeric is highly beneficial in removing all the obstructions that are preventing the smooth functioning of these old brain cells and it also helps in repairing much of the damages of the brain.
2. Prevents all types of cancers
According to the latest researches on cancer, turmeric has the power to prevent the formation of cancerous cells in certain parts of the body; thus it is highly effective in averting prostate cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, and even leukemia. The cancer patients can stop the rapid spread of cancer in their bodies through the regular intake of turmeric, as it prevents the multiplication of the cancerous cells within the affected body and it even destroys most of these diseased cells.
3. Restricts the rise of blood sugar level
The turmeric holds the unique ability to bring down the amount of glucose in the body to a fairly normal level, by decreasing the insulin resistance of the body cells. It is also known to make the usual diabetic medicines more effective; thus helps in controlling diabetes to a large extent.
4. Provides relief from arthritic pains
As the turmeric has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities, it is proved to be useful in curing the arthritic pains or any ache of the bones or cartilages, to a great extent. Now, some scientists even claim that the turmeric is more effective than many pharmaceutical medicines, in reducing these joint pains.
5. Strengthens the immune system of the body
The turmeric contains a component called lipopolysaccharide, which is characterized by the ability to boost the immunity power of the body. Hence, anyone suffering from any viral fever or flu or cold should eat regular amounts of crushed or powdered turmeric, to get some relief from the painful symptoms. The antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties of turmeric further help in strengthening the immunity system of the body and thus, it helps the body to fight these diseases successfully.
6. Decreases the level of cholesterol
The turmeric can lower the level of serum cholesterol in the body, due to its highly active antioxidant property, leading to the lesser possibility of the common cardiovascular diseases, thus saving the lives of many patients who are suffering from the ill effects of high HLD cholesterol.
7. Cures all minor wounds
From the ancient period, the turmeric has been known as a wonderful healer of all kinds of minor wounds. Actually, the curcumin, present in the turmeric, has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory qualities, which helps in healing any small cuts or burns and protects the wounds from bacteria and other infections, when applied externally over the wounded area of the skin. The intake of turmeric is also found to be beneficial for repairing the damaged cartilages, in case of any sprain.
8. Helps in reducing excessive body weight
The turmeric enhances the amount of bile production from the liver and these extra quantities of bile help in faster digestion of the fatty acids, thus prevent their accumulation within the body cells. Due to the anti-angiogenic property of turmeric, it also prevents the fat cells from acquiring necessary nutrition from the blood and thus stops the further growth of these fats within the body. Therefore, the daily intake of a spoon of turmeric paste or powder can help in reducing body weight considerably.
9. Improves the digestive power of the body
As the turmeric stimulates the liver and the gallbladder to produce more bile, it speeds up the digestive process of the body. Due to the anti-inflammatory property of turmeric, it helps in curing the diseases caused by bowel irritation; for example, ulcerative colitis can be cured by eating turmeric. Moreover, the daily intake of a small amount of this beneficial spice helps in curing many stomach problems, such as bloating and diarrhea.
10. Keeps the liver healthy
The turmeric safeguards the health of the liver, due to the effective action of curcumin, which gets rid of all the unwanted fats and other toxic substances from the liver cells and makes them fully active. Turmeric also increases the production of the detoxifying enzymes in the liver and speeds up the blood circulation within the body. All these factors caused by turmeric make the liver healthier.
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