Discover the Benefits of Turmeric Powder: Health & Culinary Uses

Turmeric is a bright yellow spice that is made from the root of the turmeric plant (botanical name: Curcuma longa). It is a rhizome and belongs to the ginger family. Turmeric is widely used in Indian cuisine and gives curry its brilliant color and earthy flavor. It is also used in traditional medicine (both traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine). 

What Are the Health Benefits of Turmeric?

Turmeric has many health benefits, ranging from pain relief and improved digestive health to cancer treatment due to their antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. Research in molecular nutrition and complementary and integrative health suggests that turmeric root contains a compound called curcumin that has medicinal properties and protective effects. The top 3 positive health effects are described below.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

One of the key health benefits of turmeric is its ability to lower inflammatory substances such as histamines and prostaglandins in the body. Research suggests turmeric is most effective against acute inflammatory conditions but also helps reduce chronic inflammation.

Antioxidant Properties

Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, protects against damage from free radicals. Studies suggest turmeric may have antioxidant properties comparable to vitamins C and E.

Antiplatelet Properties

Curcumin prevents platelets from clumping together, thus lowering the risk of blood clots and improving circulation.

What Are The Benefits of Turmeric Powder and Supplements?

Some of the health conditions that may benefit from eating turmeric and curcumin in food or taking them in supplement form include:

• Active rheumatoid arthritis and knee osteoarthritis: Peer-reviewed studies have shown turmeric can help reduce inflammation, joint pain, and stiffness due to potent anti-inflammatory properties.

• Inflammatory conditions of the digestive system: Turmeric has both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties and may help with inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and other digestive disorders. Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials shows reduced inflammatory markers in chronic inflammatory conditions.

• Cardiovascular disease: curcumin can delay cellular aging and protect against oxidative stress, reducing the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and acute myocardial infarction or heart attack.

• Blood vessel stiffness: research has shown supplementation with curcumin extract has beneficial effects on vascular endothelial function and stiffness in blood vessels.

• Major depressive disorder: small studies have shown that 4-8 weeks of treatment with curcumin supplementation is more effective than placebo in improving mood-related symptoms in people with major depressive disorder.

• Skin disorders: curcumin can suppress inflammatory molecules that cause chronic diseases such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.

• Cognitive impairment: studies have found curcumin enhances neurogenesis, increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and has a neuroprotective effect, and may, therefore, be useful in patients with common brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

• Cancer (curcuminoids interfere with signaling pathways in cancerous cells and may be used to treat cancer and prevent the spread of cancer cells). Potential health benefits of turmeric include treatment of prostate cancer.

If you are interested in using turmeric supplements, talk to your doctor to ensure they are safe for you and prevent any harmful drug interactions. Also, while turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, the above health benefits have not been proven and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

Nutritional Profile of Turmeric

One hundred grams of ground turmeric powder contains approximately:

• Energy: 312 kcal 

• Carbohydrates: 67.1 grams

• Protein: 9.68 grams

• Total lipid (fat): 3.25 grams

• Fiber: 22.7 grams

• Sugar: 3.21 gram

• Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals): Sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin E, vitamin K, niacin, folate, phosphorus.

Side Effects and Precautions

Who Should Not Take Turmeric?

People with gallstones, bile duct obstruction, diabetes, liver disease, and kidney disease should be cautious with supplement use, including turmeric. Pregnant and breastfeeding women may safely eat food containing turmeric but should avoid supplements. Everyone should talk to their healthcare professional before taking turmeric supplements, especially with concurrent medications (prescription and over-the-counter products).

Potential Interactions with Medications

People taking diabetes medications, blood thinners, or stomach acid reducers should avoid turmeric in supplement form as it can interfere with these medications. Turmeric can lower blood sugar levels and lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) when taken in combination with diabetes medications. 

Taking a turmeric supplement can interfere with the action of drugs that reduce stomach acid (for example, Pepcid, Tagamet, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec). Also, turmeric can make blood thinner. Taking supplements containing turmeric while on blood thinning medications (for example, aspirin, warfarin, Plavix, and others) can increase the risk of bleeding. Your doctor may ask you to stop taking a turmeric dietary supplement before a planned surgical procedure to lower the risk of bleeding. 

Culinary Uses of Turmeric Powder

Common Dishes Featuring Turmeric

Indian curry is the most common dish that features ground turmeric powder used as a spice. Turmeric is also present in American mustard, dill pickles, and Middle Eastern spice blends.

Turmeric in Beverages

The health benefits of turmeric can be obtained from beverages such as ginger turmeric tea, golden milk or turmeric latte (hot milk with turmeric), and summer coolers (pineapple, watermelon, and carrot juices with spicy turmeric and ginger).

Tips for Cooking with Turmeric

You can use 1-2 teaspoons of ground turmeric powder in the following ways to give your food a more intense color and flavor:

• Use it in Indian curries by adding it to the oil in which you saute vegetables.

• Blend it into smoothies.

• Add it to soups.

• Brew it in tea.

• Mix it in rice or lentil water, cheese sauces, and pancake batter.

• Sprinkle it on hummus and other dips.

How to Incorporate Turmeric into Your Diet

How Much Turmeric to Use While Cooking?

Half to one teaspoon of turmeric is usually enough to season vegetable and whole grain dishes, soups, stews, and sauces.

Creative Recipes to Use Turmeric

• Golden Latte: Add half a teaspoon of turmeric to a cup of warm milk along with some vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, or honey.

• Coconut butternut squash soup: Use turmeric in creamy butternut and coconut milk soap for toasted pecans as a topping.

• Turmeric salad dressing: Make a healthy homemade salad dressing with turmeric, black pepper, sea salt, ginger powder, honey, shallots, and apple cider vinegar in olive oil.

• Grilled fish and spiced couscous: Use turmeric to season both the fish and couscous and add dates and apricots as toppings for a wonderful combination of sweet and savory flavors.

Popular Turmeric Supplements

• 365 by Whole Foods Market Vegan Turmeric Capsules

• NatureWise Curcumin Turmeric BioPerine Extract

• Nature Made Turmeric and Curcumin 

• Youtheory Turmeric Curcumin and BioPerine

• Qunol Turmeric Curcumin Supplement

The best supplements contain up to 95% curcumin and include black pepper (piperine), antioxidants such as CurcuWIN, phospholipids (BCM-95, Meriva), and nanoparticles (Theracurmin) that help with absorption and increase bioavailability. Also, it’s a good idea to purchase brands that are “cleaner” without many additives. 

Purchasing Turmeric Powder

Buying Tips

High-quality pure turmeric powder has a golden yellow color and an earthy aroma. Inferior quality turmeric powders may have a dull color and moldy aroma.

Best Brands and Products

Lakadong turmeric is often regarded as the world's best turmeric. This product is organically grown in the hilly regions of the Indian state of Meghalaya. Top brands of turmeric powder available in the United States include:

• Organic Spice Resource Turmeric Root Powder

• Happy Belly Ground Turmeric

• Anthony’s Organic Turmeric Powder

• FGO Organic Turmeric Root Powder

• Soeos Organic Turmeric Powder, Non-GMO Verified, USDA Certified

Online vs. In-Store Options

Turmeric powder may not be available at all grocery stores. You would need to make a trip to an Indian or Middle Eastern specialty grocery store to purchase it in-store. Online, there are hundreds of options and you can read the product description as well as the country of origin, flavor profile, recipes to use it, and customer reviews.

Common Questions and Safe Consumption Tips

Is Taking Turmeric Supplementation Every Day Good For You?

Curcumin ingestion in food (fresh turmeric, turmeric extracts, turmeric spices, or turmeric tea) is generally safe. However, consuming large amounts of turmeric and curcumin supplements for long periods of time can cause side effects such as stomach upset and, in severe cases, stomach ulcers. At present, more research is needed to confirm the health benefits of turmeric. Always talk to your healthcare provider before taking a dietary supplement or trying an alternative and complementary medicine therapy.

How Much Turmeric is Safe To Take?

Turmeric spices are safe to consume in food. The maximum recommended dose in supplement form is 3 mg/kg (approximately 200 mg for a person weighing 150 pounds), although larger doses have been used without harmful effects during clinical trials. 

Common side effects of curcumin include nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness, and headache. 

It is worth noting that the majority of studies assessing the safety profile of curcumin were conducted for short periods of time. There is no data confirming that long-term over-the-counter turmeric supplementation is safe. 

How Is Turmeric Best Absorbed?

The active and most researched ingredient in turmeric is a flavonoid called curcumin. However, raw turmeric extract contains less than 5% curcumin by weight. Also, approximately 40-85% of curcumin passes unchanged through the human gastrointestinal tract. What is absorbed is rapidly metabolized in the intestinal wall and liver. Therefore, curcumin supplements have a low rate of absorption, and consequently, very high doses are needed to produce medicinal results. Yet, high doses of turmeric can be harmful. 

If you are taking a supplement, it may be useful to take a curcumin supplement that also contains bromelain (an enzyme found in pineapple) or a substance in black pepper called piperine - these substances have been found to increase absorption and enhance the anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin.

What Are The Benefits of Drinking Turmeric Powder Every Morning?

Drinking turmeric powder every morning may have health benefits such as a decrease in acute and chronic inflammation, improved heart health, and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. 

Is It Safe to Take Turmeric Powder Every Day?

Eating small amounts of turmeric powder as a spice in food is generally considered safe. However, healthcare professionals do not recommend long-term turmeric and curcumin ingestion as a supplement (capsule, gummy, tincture form). More alternative medicine and food research is needed to understand the long-term health implications of taking turmeric supplements every day.