Many people rely on turmeric for its anti-inflammatory properties. While supplements may seem like a convenient and easy way to increase your turmeric intake and reap its benefits, our chief medical officer, Sohaib Imtiaz, MD, says using turmeric in your cooking may be a better approach.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Q: Why is it better to cook with turmeric rather than take turmeric supplements?
Imtiaz: Your body absorbs and utilizes turmeric’s active compounds. curcuminmore effective than curcumin supplements alone.1 There are also synergistic effects when you eat turmeric with whole foods rather than taking supplements.
When you eat whole foods, you’re getting other compounds and nutrients from your food, but when you take a supplement, you’re only getting concentrated curcumin.
Some turmeric supplements contain high levels of curcumin, which can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, heartburn, and diarrhea. In some cases, excess curcumin (usually obtained from supplements) can have negative effects on the kidneys and liver.2
There are concerns about standardization of testing and purity of curcumin supplements. Therefore, it is best to consume turmeric through food.
How to start using more turmeric in your diet
Adding turmeric powder to your diet will provide you with a high amount of curcumin, especially when combined with turmeric powder. black pepper and fats that dramatically increase absorption.
piperineCurcumin, the active ingredient in black pepper, increases the bioavailability of curcumin in turmeric by approximately 2,000%.3
Curcumin is lipophilic, so including healthy fats further improves absorption. That is, it dissolves in fat rather than water.4
Turmeric can be added to curries, soups, smoothies, and rice dishes. Some people drink warm milk mixed with black pepper and turmeric. golden milk.
Limit your daily intake to about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon.3
How do I know if turmeric is working for me?
If you have inflammationyou may start to see gut issues, brain fog, or fatigue.5 One of the best ways to know for sure is to get a blood test.
Healthcare providers can look for inflammatory markers such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and recommend strategies to improve your health.
In some cases, medical conditions such as osteoarthritis or diabetes can cause inflammation. Turmeric has been well studied for its effects on these conditions.67 Theoretically, it could also help treat other inflammatory conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
However, there are many other causes of inflammation besides these medical conditions. For example, it can be caused by too much stress, a highly processed diet, lack of exercise, too much sitting, and lack of sleep.8
When dealing with inflammation that isn’t caused by disease, the best approach is to focus on habits, such as improving your diet and prioritizing sleep. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory effects, but it does not cure inflammation.
Is turmeric safe for everyone?
Talk to your health care provider before you start adding more turmeric to your diet, especially if you are taking medication. It may interact with certain blood thinners, proton pump inhibitors, chemotherapy, and blood pressure medications.
Turmeric supplements should be avoided if you are pregnant. Curcumin can increase the risk of developing kidney stones, so people at risk for kidney stones should also use caution.9
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