Turmeric, also known as the golden spice
Turmeric grows in Asia and Central America.
It gives curry sauce its yellow color and has been used in traditional Indian medicine for thousands of years to treat various ailments. Research on turmeric supports its use and shows that it can benefit your health.
But the combination of turmeric with black pepper greatly enhances this effect.
This article explores the potential health benefits of combining turmeric and black pepper.
Turmeric and Curcumin
The main compounds in turmeric are called curcuminoids. Curcumin itself is the most active ingredient and appears to be the most important substance.
As a polyphenol, curcumin has several health benefits. It is a strong antioxidant with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal properties.
However, one of the biggest disadvantages of curcumin is that it is poorly absorbed by the body.
How to use
The healing drink must be drunk immediately after preparation. During consumption, you will need to stir the contents 2-3 times so that the turmeric does not settle to the bottom of the glass. Use warm daily in the morning.
When taking a honey-lemon mixture with turmeric, you will need to take 2-3 large spoons of the product and dilute it with warm water before each use. It is recommended to drink the resulting cocktail in the morning on an empty stomach so that the body absorbs more nutrients.
The advantage of taking two drink options in the morning is to prepare the body for breakfast. For cooking, you should use only fresh products. Do not add boiling water to the mixture. Long-term storage reduces the usefulness of the cocktail.
Piperine in black pepper
Black pepper contains the bioactive compound piperine, which is an alkaloid like capsaicin, the active component found in chili powder and cayenne pepper.
Evidence shows that piperine helps reduce nausea, headaches and poor digestion, and also has anti-inflammatory properties.
However, the most significant benefit may be its ability to increase the absorption of curcumin.
Conclusion: Curcumin in turmeric and piperine in black pepper improve health due to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and disease-fighting properties.
Cooking rules
Warm water with turmeric is most effective (temperature should not be higher than +40°C). To prepare the product, you only need spices and 1 glass of water. Turmeric is characterized by an orange color, so it colors any liquid.
It is permissible to slightly change the recipe:
- use milk instead of water, while the number of components remains the same;
- add a pinch of ground black pepper, this will enhance the healing properties of the drink;
- To improve the taste, add honey, but it should be consumed along with turmeric in small quantities.
The best option is to use purified water (bottled, filtered). Boiled does not contain useful substances, it is considered “dead”. Its only advantage is the absence of pathogenic microbes that die when boiled. Raw tap water should also not be used to prepare the drink.
It is a mistake to believe that increasing the amount of spice helps speed up the recovery of the body. The desired result can be obtained by adding the optimal (up to 2 tsp) amount of spice to the drink. This amount is the permissible daily intake of spices according to WHO. Its increase can provoke the development of complications.
Piperine improves the absorption of curcumin
Unfortunately, the curcumin in turmeric is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream. As a result, you may miss out on its health benefits.
However, adding black pepper to turmeric can help with this. Research confirms that combining piperine in black pepper with curcumin in turmeric improves curcumin absorption by up to 2000%.
One study found that adding 20 mg piperine to 2 g curcumin significantly increased its absorption.
There are currently two theories about how this works.
First, piperine facilitates the passage of curcumin through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream.
Second, it may slow the breakdown of curcumin in the liver, increasing its levels in the blood.
As a result, combining curcumin with piperine increases its potential health benefits.
Conclusion: Piperine found in black pepper improves the absorption of curcumin, making it more bioavailable for your body to use.
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Side effects and contraindications
If you have the following contraindications, the product should be discarded:
- pathologies of the gallbladder, gastrointestinal tract, increased acidity of gastric juice;
- taking blood thinning medications, spices should be eliminated from the diet 2 weeks before surgery.
Side effects from excessive consumption of spices from 8 g per day:
- facial redness;
- irritation of the gastric mucosa;
- bowel disorders;
- nausea.
Excessive use of the spice can cause nausea in a child.
The spice should be included in the diet in small quantities, and the dose may be increased over time.
If necessary, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
Turmeric fights inflammation and helps reduce pain
Turmeric curcumin has strong anti-inflammatory properties.
According to research, curcumin works as well as some anti-inflammatory drugs, but without the negative side effects.
Research also suggests that turmeric may play a role in the prevention and treatment of arthritis, a disease characterized by joint inflammation and pain.
Curcumin's anti-inflammatory properties are often praised for reducing symptoms of pain and temporary discomfort.
Piperine has also been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic properties. It helps desensitize a specific pain receptor in your body, which can further reduce feelings of discomfort.
When combined, curcumin and piperine are a powerful anti-inflammatory duo that can help reduce discomfort and pain.
Turmeric may help prevent cancer
Curcumin can not only treat but also prevent cancer.
Laboratory studies show that curcumin can reduce the growth, development and spread of cancer at the molecular level. It may also promote the death of cancer cells.
Piperine also appears to play a role in the death of some cancer cells, which may reduce the risk of tumor formation, while other studies indicate that it may also slow the growth of cancer cells.
One study found that curcumin and piperine, either alone or in combination, interrupted the self-renewal process of breast stem cells. This is important because this is the process in which breast cancer occurs.
Further research indicates that curcumin and piperine have protective effects against other types of cancer, including prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer and more.
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The rationale for using turmeric for colds
The main value of the spice lies in its unique composition; the plant contains a large amount of essential oils. Oils help stimulate blood flow to the treated area, which leads to the destruction of pathogens.
Curcumin, which is part of the product, has powerful antiviral and antioxidant properties. It is worth noting that the substance is used in the treatment of not only colds, but also other serious diseases.
The healing properties of this spice have long been used by folk healers in the treatment of colds.
Piperine in digestion
Indian medicine has relied on turmeric to help people with their digestion for thousands of years. Modern research supports its benefits, showing that it can help reduce intestinal spasms and flatulence.
Piperine has been shown to enhance the activity of digestive enzymes in the intestines, which also helps your body process food faster and easier.
Additionally, the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric and piperine may help reduce intestinal inflammation, which can cause digestive problems.
Conclusion: When combined, curcumin and piperine have greater effects on inflammation, digestion, pain reduction, and cancer fighting than alone.
Benefits of turmeric drinks
Turmeric drink is good for health. Thanks to it, inflammation in joint diseases is eliminated. Water with spices has a beneficial effect on the body. It relieves joint pain and normalizes the condition of type 2 diabetes. The drink increases blood circulation, resulting in increased potency and prolonged erection.
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Also, water with spices brings the following benefits:
- prevents the formation of blood clots, helps cleanse blood vessels, improves the condition of the cardiovascular system;
- has an anti-inflammatory effect, prevents the formation of harmful enzymes, and prevents the destruction of cartilage tissue;
- prevents the development of arthrosis;
- normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, helps heavy foods to be better absorbed, eliminates diarrhea;
- removes free radicals and toxins from the body;
- improves the functioning of the gallbladder, restores damaged cells.
Cocktails with this spice are used to prevent malignant neoplasms. Cancer cells can grow only in an acidic environment, and the seasoning alkalizes the body well. The medicinal drink strengthens the immune system and increases the body's defenses. As a result, people are less likely to get colds and flu. To enhance the effect, use ginger root, lemon, and cinnamon. The cocktail along with the spice allows you to lose weight.
Safety and dosage
Curcumin and piperine are generally considered safe.
There are no official recommendations for their consumption, and the maximum permissible intake is also not defined.
Some people may experience side effects such as nausea, headache and skin rash after taking curcumin in large doses. Therefore, it is important to follow the dosage recommendations on the package.
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has established an acceptable dietary intake of curcumin at 1.4 mg per pound (3 mg/kg) of body weight per day, or approximately 245 mg per 175 lb (80 kg).
In Indian culture, turmeric and black pepper are commonly consumed in tea, often combined with olive oil, coconut oil, honey and ginger.
Since curcumin is fat-soluble, consuming it with fat may also improve its absorption.
However, to reap the full medicinal benefits of curcumin, it is best consumed in supplement form in combination with piperine.
Conclusion: Turmeric and black pepper are considered safe and no serious side effects have been reported. They can be added to foods and drinks, and these dietary supplements usually provide greater benefits.
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Possible harm from turmeric drinks
Turmeric brings benefits and harm to the body. When taking the drink simultaneously with medications that thin the blood, the following negative reactions may develop: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, weakness, discomfort and burning in the stomach. When consumed in large quantities, the spice increases the likelihood of kidney stones in people suffering from gout or urolithiasis.
The spice causes the gallbladder to contract.
Healthy people do not experience discomfort, but for those who have poor biliary tract obstruction or gallstones, this can cause severe pain. During pregnancy, consuming turmeric in large doses can stimulate the uterus. For people with low blood pressure, drinks with seasoning are harmful because they greatly reduce blood pressure.
