During fasting, as an ingredient in curry or as a spice and splash of colour in your golden milk, turmeric is popular. There are thousands of scientific articles on turmeric and the active ingredient curcumin. The question of whether turmeric is healthy and what effects are attributed to the spice comes up often. Our nutritionist took a closer look at the yellow root. In a fact check she briefly and concisely shows you the effects of turmeric. Find out why turmeric plays a special role in juice fasting too and where you can find it in the juice cleanse from frank juice.
Is turmeric healthy? Here's what you should know
Let's check the facts. What is turmeric? Where does the root come from and how is it used?
Most people know turmeric, also called yellow ginger, as a vividly coloured powder in the spice rack or from the ingredient list of any curry spice blend. But for some years now you can increasingly find it in the fruit and vegetable aisle too. The yellow root closely resembles the related ginger root in shape and structure.
The turmeric root originates in South Asia. It feels at home in tropical regions, where it grows and thrives. With its spicy, slightly bitter note, the yellow spice is often used in South Asia and India for curries, stir-fried vegetables and stews. But the root is also often used in drinks, such as smoothies, teas and Ayurvedic golden milk (a drink made of plant milk, turmeric, ginger, pepper, cinnamon, coconut oil, agave and nutmeg).
Turmeric is often used for medicinal purposes, especially in traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine, but also in Chinese medicine. It is said to have health-promoting properties.
The active ingredient curcumin
For centuries, the turmeric root has been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for various ailments. But that is not down to the root itself, but to the active ingredient curcumin. The active ingredient in the turmeric root belongs to the group of plant polyphenols.
Secondary plant compounds give natural foods, like turmeric, their colour, scent and aroma. For humans they play a role in supporting natural metabolic processes and have an antioxidant effect. That means they fight free radicals (which enter the body through UV light, tobacco use but also our own metabolism).
In Ayurveda, curcumin is traditionally used for respiratory complaints, liver complaints, anorexia, rheumatism and sinusitis. In Chinese medicine, curcumin from the turmeric root is traditionally used for lower abdominal pain.
Turmeric contains about 6% curcumin. The polyphenol is only poorly water-soluble, so only about 1% of the active ingredient reaches the blood. One reason why turmeric is not yet used as a remedy in conventional medicine.
How the turmeric root supports your health
Although the share of curcumin in turmeric is very low and the root plant has not yet been recognised as a remedy in conventional medicine, science still grants the turmeric root its place.
So far it seems that turmeric may help with digestive discomfort. Turmeric stimulates the liver to produce more bile, which makes it easier to digest fat. This helps prevent a strong feeling of fullness after fatty meals and may help against bloating. The antioxidant effect of curcumin supports natural processes and may support the immune system. How you can, besides taking turmeric, boost your immune system , we summed up in one of our recent blog articles!
To increase the chances of curcumin being absorbed by the body, a pinch of black pepper can help. This is thanks to the active ingredient piperine, which promotes the absorption and effect of curcumin in the body. One reason why you will also find the intense combination of black pepper and turmeric in our ginger shot Wake Up Call . In our juice Indian Sundaze, a firm part of your juice cleanse and soup cleanse, we added the heat of cayenne pepper alongside turmeric. A real fasting hit!
Turmeric as part of fasting
How turmeric is used in a fasting cleanse depends on which form of fasting you choose. In traditional therapeutic fasting you live exclusively on water, unsweetened teas and vegetable broth for a set period. If you want to use the positive effects of the turmeric root during your fasting days, you could reach for a tea blend that contains turmeric or steep a fresh turmeric root in hot water.
If you decide on juice fasting, e.g. a 3 day juice cleanse or a multi-day soup cleanse, you can take turmeric in your cold-pressed juices or as a spice in your soup. One of the positive effects attributed to fasting is that it may have an anti-inflammatory effect. During the fasting period you give your body a break and support natural cell regeneration. The natural processes of fasting can be supported by taking turmeric during your fasting cleanse.
Fasting may also work against and help prevent oxidative stress . Helpful here are the nutrients and secondary plant compounds you take in with the help of cold-pressed juices.
Conclusion: why we love to reach for turmeric
As you now know, turmeric may be beneficial for some complaints. At frank juice we prefer the root mainly for its positive properties, but also for its intense taste and unique colour. So after arriving at the office in the morning we love to sip a fruity, spicy shot of Wake Up Call and in the afternoon an ice-cold juice Indian Sundaze.
Although the question of how healthy turmeric is has now been answered, we still want to stress that turmeric is not a cure-all. If you have serious complaints, we recommend seeing a doctor. You should also check your plan for a multi-day fasting cleanse with your GP if necessary.
