TURMERIC

Adding Tumeric to your daily cooking is a good way to enjoy the spice, however, the Turmeric in your spice jar is actually quite poorly absorbed, so the amount that you would need to really notice a therapeutic effect may very well ruin your dish! Eating the whole root form regularly as part of a turmeric latte or curry dish is still a great way to reap all the phytonutrient benefits from this amazing spice, however those looking to achieve a therapeutic benefit may need supplements as well. 

When deciding which Turmeric to supplement with, It’s important to look for one that contains a large percentage of curcumin (or curcuminoids), the active component of Turmeric.  The root itself only contains about 3% curcumin, so understanding the concentration of active ingredient is a critical part of the selection process. 

You may have heard that turmeric must be combined with black pepper and beneficial fats to ensure proper absorption.  This recommendation is rooted in Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine and backed by some current scientific evidence. There have also been other attempts to increase the body’s ability to more effectively absorb the curcumin including liposomal, nanoparticle, phospholipid and structural analogue forms of curcumin, though none have demonstrated superior efficacy over one another and researchers continue to strive for the most ideal options.