The Benefits of Turmeric

Let’s talk about one of the most popular and powerful roots on the market—turmeric. What is it, what is the source of its benefits, and what form is best to add to your daily routine? The bottom line is that there are a couple of different ways to incorporate turmeric into your diet—as a ground spice, fresh from the root, or in supplemental form. As with many roots, in order to get enough turmeric to deliver benefits, it’s best to get turmeric from a supplement with turmeric extract because extracts typically contain a concentrated amount of the active compound that delivers turmeric’s powerful benefits.

What is turmeric? 

Turmeric is a golden-colored spice that’s part of the ginger family. It has been used for centuries in cooking and for medicinal purposes. In cooking, recipes often call for the powdered form of turmeric, which you can find in the spice aisle, or turmeric root, which looks very similar to ginger root. Turmeric spice is made by grinding the dried turmeric root; you’ve probably used it to make curries, added it to rice, or maybe you’ve even tried to make golden milk. Turmeric is also available in supplemental form; some supplements contain turmeric root, while others contain turmeric extract.

Next, what are curcuminoids? What is curcumin? What is the source of turmeric’s benefits? 

Turmeric’s powerful antioxidant properties come from a compound found in the turmeric root called curcumin. Curcumin is one of many active compounds found in turmeric. This family of active compounds is called the curcuminoids. But curcumin is the primary curcuminoid in turmeric and the source of turmeric’s benefits.

What do turmeric supplements contain and how do the ground spice and root differ from supplemental turmeric?

Many turmeric supplements on the market contain turmeric root. Others, however, like our Turmeric Boost contain turmeric extract. Why is this important? Extracts are made by extracting curcumin from the turmeric root. Extracts are standardized to contain concentrated amounts of curcumin, which is what you want because it’s the source of turmeric’s benefits. Each capsule of Turmeric Boost contains 500 mg of turmeric extract standardized to contain 95% curcuminoids, so 95% of the 500 mg of turmeric extract in Turmeric Boost is curcuminoids. In contrast, there is only a very small amount of curcumin in turmeric root; an average turmeric root contains less than 5% curcumin. And the turmeric spice you find at the grocery store is made by grinding the turmeric root, so it is also very low in curcumin, usually less than 3%. As a result, you would have to use a lot of the ground spice or root to get the health benefits of turmeric. To get all the amazing benefits of turmeric, reaching for a turmeric supplement with turmeric extract that’s standardized to a high percentage of curcuminoids is the most efficient way to incorporate turmeric into your diet.

Finally, why does Turmeric Boost contain black pepper?

Because curcumin isn’t absorbed very well, 5 mg of black pepper extract was added to Turmeric Boost. Why? Black pepper enhances absorption and increases bioavailability, which means it helps the body to absorb the curcumin in Turmeric Boost and reach the necessary circulation to deliver its benefits.*

Make Healthy Happen

Take advantage of all the benefits of turmeric by adding a supplement like Turmeric Boost to your nutrition regimen. You’ll get a much higher concentration of curcuminoids than what you would get from adding a teaspoon of ground or chopped turmeric to your dish.