By Jessica Baumgardner

Turmeric, AKA the main spice in curry powder and coloring agent of mustard (I can’t believe I did not know this for so long!), is truly a miracle spice that should be incorporated into your daily routine and the reason for that is for a little element known as curcumin.

Curcumin Benefits

Curcumin is the active ingredient that makes turmeric so amazing. Curcumin is a strong antioxidant and powerful anti-inflammatory, able to prevent and reduce inflammation in the body.

Now, short-term inflammation is good, because this means that your body is fighting foreign intruders and mending any damage. Long-term or chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is what you want to try to avoid because this plays a major role in many body issues such as joint pain, stomach issues, and disease.

Turmeric Health Benefits

By reducing or avoiding this long-term inflammation, you are managing your ultimate health and preventing a number of health issues, such as:

1. Bloating – Curcumin helps your digestion by aiding in detox and removing gut inflammation (aka bloating).

2. Acne – Topically applied as a paste with water, turmeric can kill bacteria on the skin. Taken internally, it can help to reduce the inflammation that leads to acne.

3. PMS – With PMS comes bloating and cramps, which can be reduced or eliminated with the curcumin in turmeric.

4. Joint Pain And Arthritis – Comprised of more than 2 dozen anti-inflammatory compounds, curcumin blocks the COX-2 enzyme that triggers pain and inflammation. This study shows curcumin to be even more successful than drugs for cases of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

5. Cancer – Not all cancers are the same – but they all have unrestrained cell growth in common. Curcumin has been shown to prevent this cancer cell growth and improve the immune system.

6. Diabetes – Curcumin suppresses glucose production in the liver and causes a significant reduction in blood glucose levels.

7. Memory And Alzheimer’s Disease – Curcumin boosts levels of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (a protein) in the brain, which is important for long-term memory. This study showed improvements in behavioral impairment.

Turmeric Recipes Ideas

So, now that you know why turmeric is a daily must, how do you get more of it into your diet? There are actually super-easy ways to include it! Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Add a dash to your morning smoothie (you won’t even taste a dash – I promise!).
2. Include it in your lunchtime salad dressing.
3. Add to some warm lemon water in the morning.
4. Mix into a stirfry or curry for dinner.
5. Make Dr. Weil’s turmeric tea.
6. Take a supplement if you are having trouble adding it to your daily food and drink.

Article originally published on Fitlife.tv republished with permission