Is Turmeric Really That Useful?

Video: Is Turmeric Really That Useful?

Video: Is Turmeric Really That Useful?
Video: Does TURMERIC REDUCE INFLAMMATION? + 9 Amazing Benefits of Turmeric 2024, November
Is Turmeric Really That Useful?
Is Turmeric Really That Useful?
Anonim

As most of us know, turmeric is a spice with a deep yellow color. It is widely used in Indian and Southeast Asian cuisine. It is prepared from the root of the Curcuma longa plant and is also used as a natural pigment in the food industry.

Curcumin, which is contained in the spice, is believed to be an antioxidant that protects the body from damage to reactive molecules. They are generated in the body as a result of metabolism and cause cell damage. They are also known as free radicals.

It is also widely believed that the spice has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-cancer properties, and that it promotes the death of cells that are dangerous to the body or no longer needed by the body. Precisely because of these almost miraculous properties, curcumin has been the subject of numerous studies.

Chronic inflammation is associated with the development of many diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. There is some evidence that curcumin reduces the levels of certain substances (cytokines) that cause inflammation.

Systematic reviews and meta-analyzes, which combine data from several randomized controlled trials, support this finding to some extent. Scientists have shown that curcumin reduces body pain similar to ibuprofen.

Is turmeric really that useful?
Is turmeric really that useful?

But experts also believe that the positive change is likely to be due to a placebo effect caused by the positive image of the spice.

Curcumin is also thought to be beneficial in preventing insulin resistance. In clinical trials, scientists have been able to prove that the substance lowers blood sugar levels, but with very small values. Science still cannot say whether the spice improves heart health.

Curcumin has also been extensively studied for its anti-cancer properties. Laboratory and animal studies support this claim, but there is no evidence of cancer prevention in human studies.

There is some evidence that curcumin reduces the severity of side effects from radiation therapy, such as radiation-induced dermatitis and pneumonitis (inflammation of the lungs), but not the cancer itself.

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