Are you looking to start adding turmeric into your diet?There has been quite a lot in the media about turmeric, and I have used it for a long time in its powdered form, unfortunately I can’t get it in its natural root form where i live.
Turmeric is often used as the main spice in curries, but due to is potential health benefits people are looking for new ideas to incorporate turmeric into their diet.
Turmeric Health Benefits
Turmeric has been claimed to be a miracle medicine for a number of health complaints, some of these being headaches, bronchitis, colds, flu, depression, some cancers, heart burn, intestinal gas and bloating. It can also be made into a paste and put on the skin to help with bruising, ringworm, leech bites and eye infections.
It is thought Turmeric acts as an inflammatory by reducing swelling in the body.
Turmeric- not for everyone
However, not everyone should use Turmeric. Diabetics should use caution when using turmeric as it lowers blood sugar levels.
you should also avoid Turmeric if you have an iron deficiency as it can block the absorption of iron, when used in high amounts.
It can also affect the fertility in men by lowering testosterone levels, so best avoided if you are trying for a baby. pregnant women should also be careful not to have in too high amounts.
People with blood disorders should also avoid using it, since it can slow down blood clotting.
If you suffer with GERD or other stomach disorders it can sometimes make it worse.
What Dosage?
This would of course depend on the type of turmeric you were consuming whether it was in its root form, powdered form or liquid form:
Cut root: 1.5 – 3 g per day
Dried, powdered root: 1 – 3 g per day (2g approx half a teaspoon)
Standardized powder (curcumin): 400 – 600 mg, 3 times per day (supplements)
Fluid extract (1:1) 30 – 90 drops a day
Tincture (1:2): 15 – 30 drops, 4 times per day
Lately I have really got into using powdered Turmeric in my hot drinks.
One of my favourites is my ‘Chocolate Orange Turmeric Tea’. I find this really refreshing with a subtle chocolatey orange flavour…..lovely on a cold evening.
Recipe for Chocolate Orange Turmeric Tea
1 cup natural cocoa and coconut milk (dairy free)
2 tsp orange zest (grated)
1/4tsp turmeric powder
cinnamon stick
Method
Grate the orange, and add all the ingredients to a pan and warm up slowly to the desired temperature. If you prefer it a little sweeter, you can add a small amount of honey.
note: If you can’t find the cocoa/coconut milk, just add a 1 1/2 teaspoons of natural cocoa to coconut milk instead.
References
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/662.html#Dosage
Ideal Turmeric Dosage – How Much Turmeric Can You Take in a Day?
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