One of the fastest growing health and wellness spice ingredients taking the country by storm is popular turmeric. You can find it in everything from craft smoothies at your local juice bar to spicy masala chai in your corner cafe as well as countless others products and locations. It seems like every time you turn around you see another new product with this powerful spice. Curry powders contain this yellow colored spice.
The flavor profile is similar to its cousin ginger. Both ingredients are roots and are generally used to bring some earthy spice to dishes. Its yellow color is all the rage in golden milk. If you haven’t heard of this exciting new beverage let me tell you all about it.
Golden milk is warmed coconut milk with turmeric and black pepper. Most places I’ve seen it served call it a latte despite the fact that there is no coffee in this beverage at all. The signature yellow hue of this drink comes from the turmeric.
What exactly is turmeric though? Did you know that it is one of the most searched items on our website! Talk about gaining traction! Why is it getting mass appeal? Let’s dive into all the main health benefits and the driver behind this super powerful trendy root.
Let me preface first before we get into all the health benefits of turmeric, make sure you are always consulting your medical health care professional when it comes to your wellness strategy. Every body responds differently and you always need to have someone knowledgeable in your corner. Now let's dive into some of the main points behind this super spice.
Turmeric is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants can help neutralize free radicals in the body. Free radicals are molecular species that can exist inside our cell’s nucleus. They are known to attack macromolecules and can cause serious cellular damage. The antioxidants in turmeric infused tea help prevent our body from producing free radicals and minimize the damage they may cause.
A boost in antioxidants, according to numerous studies, may help ease the symptoms of anxiety and depression. According to Harvard, numerous food ingredients contain these boosting agents and studies are clear. This will definitely help lift your mood.
Turmeric also contains curcumin, a compound that decreases inflammation in the body. Inflammation is the source of several dangerous diseases. It can also exacerbate weight gain and cause discomfort. Curcumin will help fight inflammation and may decrease your risk of disease.
High levels of oxidative stress can also cause high cholesterol. Oxidative stress occurs when your body is overrun with free radicals and is unable to break them down. The antioxidants in turmeric reduces your oxidative stress and positively impacts your cholesterol by lowering your LDL or bad cholesterol.
Arthritis is another disease that is exacerbated by inflammation. Turmeric reduces this inflammation and can relieve some of the painful symptoms of arthritis. It can also decrease swelling and may even help with osteoarthritis pain.
Inflammation and oxidation can also cause heart disease. Because Turmeric tea is an excellent source of antioxidants, it reduces the prevalence of both inflammation and oxidation, making your heart stay healthier, longer.
This powerful root may also help prevent dangerous brain diseases. Some research has demonstrated that the compound curcumin can help reduce the synaptic marker loss and the build-up of amyloids linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Curcumin is also effective in warding off strokes.
And lastly, turmeric can help lower blood sugar and has even been known to reverse insulin resistance in some. Curcumin, which does a lot in this tea, is also capable of keeping blood sugar levels in balance. Some people have even considered using turmeric as an alternative to traditional diabetes treatments.
Reading through all the different health benefits of turmeric really gives me hope. You’ll start to notice all the different ingredients which contain it and get excited as you find yourself helping your mental health and general wellness improve.
You'll find turmeric in many of our products at Full Leaf Tea. Here is our growing list: Organic Green Turmeric, Organic Turmeric Ginger Mate, and Organic Lemon Turmeric Tea. A fan favorite of mine is the Ginger Mate blend. Something about the earthiness of yerba mate combined with turmeric is just a match made in heaven.
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