“Curcumin is a natural antioxidant that has anti-inflammatory benefits, as well as [possible] benefits related to slowing the aging process and preventing Alzheimer’s disease and, potentially, depression,” says Liz Shaw, RDN, the founder of Shaw Simple Swaps.
Unfortunately, turmeric (and curcumin on its own) doesn’t absorb well into the bloodstream, and having it in curry once a month is unlikely to give you the desired anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, says Dana White, RD, the owner of Dana White Nutrition. To reach the amounts of turmeric and curcumin shown to offer benefits in research studies, you’ll have to turn to supplements. It is important to note, however, that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has no established safe or recommended daily value for curcumin or turmeric, and the FDA does not regulate any supplements.
For instance, a past animal study found that 20 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg) of piperine along with 2 grams per kilogram of body weight (g/kg) of curcumin increased bioavailability by 2,000 percent.
Of course, further research is needed to determine if the results would be the same in humans. Here, we outline the many potential benefits of turmeric and curcumin.
1. Curcumin Is an Anti-Inflammatory
More research is needed in this area as well.
We’ll get into some of those specific benefits later.
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