Did you know, the little yellow-orange spice in your grocery, could bring you some incredible Health Benefits? Yes, it’s the turmeric that alone packs a gazillion of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, which could naturally heal and cure diseases of all sizes. And if you don’t want to eat it raw, just make yourself a cup of Turmeric Tea, the most Millennial DIY beverage. Want to know more? This article puts together 15 Health Benefits of this flavorful, wholesome drink.
But before we jump right in, let’s first find out a little more about this spice and where it all started!
The Story Behind this Amazing Herb
Native to Southeast Asia, turmeric originated from the root (rhizome) of the Curcuma plant, which belonged to the genus of ginger (Zingiberaceae) plants. The Health Benefits of this popular spice were traced hundreds of thousands of years back where the history of the Indian Ayurveda takes a flight!
Even Chinese medicines had several mentions about the uses of turmeric as an immaculate herbal remedy.
Soon these ancient finds were backed up by the clinically established facts about the goodness of this medicinal herb, thanks to modern science.
What is Turmeric Tea?
Plenty of research-backed studies emphasize on the high-key Health Benefits of the brewed turmeric drink on human bodies and brains. And the best thing is that the drinkoffers almost all the benefits that turmeric offers when consumed as a spice in food.
If you didn’t know already, Curcumin, an extremely effective antioxidant in turmeric has a very low bioactive compounds availability. SO! Human bodies get no easy access to this potent compound except in the supplements.
And the most popular supplement is the tea prepared from grated turmeric.
So, let’s not waffle anymore, and straight look inside this popular brew. This article puts together the cream of the crop of the most proven advantages of drinking this miracle elixir.
Enjoy reading!
Health Benefits of Turmeric Tea
As said before, a cup of Turmeric Tea can do wonders to health, especially those who are looking for a comprehensive healthy beverage. It contains plenty of vitamins, minerals, and a high concentration of curcumin most effective to control pain, obesity, cholesterol, cardiovascular diseases, cognitive disorders, only to name a few. Even a regular intake of this herbal tea could give you a healthy immune system.
So, let’s take a look at the 15 stellar benefits now…
1. Eases Inflammation
A few cups of Turmeric Tea contain plenty of Curcumin that can act as a natural pain killer to relieve inflammation. Curcumin is a rich source of anti-inflammatory properties, which can suppress molecules and neutralize free radicals responsible for oxidative stress, aches, andpains in the tissues (1).
A regular drink can aid the human body to fight foreign pathogens and repair damage.
2. Responds Very Well with Rheumatoid Arthritis
With its strong anti-inflammatory ingredients, a brew made of turmeric extracts can ease out the unbearable pain and swelling of arthritis. Not only that, it can reduce many prominent symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, and more! A growing body of research already found that curcumin in turmeric can be very effective for joint inflammation (2).
In many cases, turmeric has outperformed the functions of non-vitamin supplements and anti-inflammatory drugs.
3. Treats and Prevents Cancers
Out of many amazing Health Benefits, the therapeutic impact of this herbal tea on a deadly disease like cancer is probably the most mention worthy of all. In fact, the curcumin itself is a mighty source of anti-cancerous and anti-tumor compounds. and plenty of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties available in curcumin can substantially lower the risk of cell damages, mutations, tumor growth, some of the staple reasons behind the spread of cancer.
Recent researches are flagging green signal towards curcumin and expecting this polyphenolic compound to play a major role in future prevention and treatment of colon, oral, lungs, and even cervical cancers (3).
Guess what, the tea contains ample of this active anticarcinogen.
4. Reduces Cardiovascular Complexities
Curcumin in the Turmeric Tea contains loads of antioxidants that are extremely beneficial to heart health. Antioxidants can lower bad cholesterol (LDL) by preventing oxidation, plaque building, and clogging in the arteries. Therefore, a few cups of this herbal drink can play a vital role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
Several studies show that curcumin can improve the function of the endothelium and therefore, can prevent strokes, heart attacks as well as atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction (4). It will keep your heart excellently young while you age gracefully!
5. Reverse Your Age
Curcumin found in turmeric in any form is a natural booster of your body’s antioxidant enzyme capacity. Antioxidants can neutralize free radicals and save you from the oxidative damages continuously caused by your cellular metabolism, which is responsible for premature signs of aging like wrinkles, blemishes, etc (5).
So, a higher quantity of Turmeric Tea means a lower risk of aging as every drink stimulates your body’s own antioxidant defense and help counteract chronic diseases.
6. Manipulates IBS
Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS is a common digestive condition. While there are many traditional treatments available against this disorder, the curcumin present in a turmeric brew can help improve this condition to some extent (6).
Researches show turmeric can shorten the time of gastric emptying and help relieve the pain associated with this syndrome. So, go bananas with this drink.
7. Gives a Cognitive Boost and Treat Alzheimer’s
Studies show turmeric can counter the effects of metal toxicity, brain inflammation, and other cellular damage responsible for depressions and other neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s (7). Also, the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties present in curcumin can bridge the gap between blood and brain and prevent age-associated protein, synaptic marker loss, amyloid accumulation.
In fact, curcumin has an incredible ability to fight various degenerative processes in the brain and stimulate fresh neuron growth. It can help boost brain-derived Neurotrophic factors (BDNF) and help in pathological processes against serious brain ailments.
In short, a few cuppas of turmeric extracts could improve your mood, memory and brain functions, and keep you far from any fatal brain disease!
8. Manages Diabetes
Turmeric Tea can aid in the treatments of diabetes. Studies show that this spice can lower and stabilize the blood glucose level and relieve several other complications. It’s the curcumin in the turmeric that optimizes the beta cell functionalities in the pancreas which triggers insulin.
In fact, a wide number of researches indicate to the anti-diabetes properties of curcumin and hence, turmeric drink might help prevent diabetes completely (8).
9. Improves Lung Conditions
As already said before, curcumin has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds in the bounty. But more important is, these active properties can help treat chronic conditions like asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other lung injuries.
What’s more, a regular intake of turmeric can also reduce symptoms of a deadly disease like lung cancer (9).
10. A Natural Liver Purifier
There are several shreds of evidence which shows that curcumin in turmeric can protect you against gallbladder stones, liver damages, and other major liver conditions. Curcumin helps increase the production of digestive bile fluid and protect liver cells from bile associated chemicals (10).
Also, the antioxidants in curcumin are said to have the potential strength of increasing the levels of glutathione D-transferase and reversing liver cirrhosis! The former is an enzyme that helps protect your organ from oxidative damages.
Needless to say, a regular intake of turmeric beverage could help you detoxify the liver and stay healthy.
11. “Maintains Ulcerative Colitis Remission”
Did you know that Turmeric Tea could help maintain the remission from UC symptoms? UC or Ulcerative colitis is a chronic condition, which is highly responsible for ulcer in the lower end of the gastrointestinal tract.
A growing body of research suggests that turmeric could significantly reduce the relapse rates for UC patients (11).
12. A Natural Anti-depression Elixir
Many studies show that curcumin in turmeric has an amazing ability to fight and treat depression and mood transition. In fact, in an experiment, 60 people were tried and tested with different dose of curcumin in different assortment, and after 6 weeks major improvements were visible (12).
But the anti-depressant capacity of curcumin seemed to have worked better in a combination with Prozac.
Depression poses a serious risk to the brain-derived Neurotrophic factors (BDNF) and shrinks hippocampus that is linked to cognitive skills and memory.
But the anti-depressant properties of curcumin is found to have effectively boosted the BDNF level and potentially reversed the changes. It can even improve the brain neurotransmitters, serotonin, and dopamine, and alleviate depression and other withdrawal symptoms.
Just imagine the mood-lifting power of a cup of Turmeric Tea!
13. Boosts Immunity
Curcumin in turmeric has a lot of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial elements which could enhance immune functions and contribute to a robust immune system. These ingredients also help reduce the impact of pro-inflammatory cytokines and to some extent, prevent it.
Not only that curcumin plays the role of an active immune moderator that could even control immune cell functions against some life-threatening diseases.
Some studies also suggest curcumin can moderate the human immune system by bringing numerous changes to the molecular level. And this action could be a big step to prevent cancer in the near future (13)!
Even people with serious immune disorders have greatly improved by the medicinal ingredients in turmeric, and herbal tea is no exception.
14. Helps Treat Acne
Yes, you heard that right! The gender-neutral and universal problem of acne finally has a solution! The heaps of antioxidants in your Turmeric Tea could give you a final relief from those ugly blemishes mushrooming over your face (14).
Consume this healthy drink regularly and say goodbye to those acne spots forever.
15. Promotes Weight Loss
Studies show that Turmeric Tea might extensively fuel up your weight loss goals. It can prevent the formation of blood vessels from the fatty tissues in your body and you stop gaining fat. However, the fact needs more proofs (15).
The Takeback
Now that you know about some of the kick-ass benefits of your healthy herbal tea, waste no time and indulge in an epic SIP! Remember, there is no specific recommended intake and the tea can be consumed 1-2 times a day.But, if you are using this drink to treat a specific condition, it’s better to consult your physician first. SO! Make your first cup of brewed miracle and say cheers to wellness! You have never probably consumed a better nutritional supplement for a healthy, natural life!
Sources:
(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19594223
(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3591524/
(3) https://alzheimer.neurology.ucla.edu/Curcumin.html
(4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17211725
(5) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20205886
(6) https://www.cghjournal.org/article/S1542-3565(15)00158-5/fulltext
(7) https://alzheimer.neurology.ucla.edu/Curcumin.html
(8) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3857752/
(10) https://www.livescience.com/63594-turmeric-supplement-liver.html
(11) https://www.umms.org/ummc/about/alternative-medicine
(12) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23832433
(13) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17211725
(14) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5664031/
(16) https://lyfebotanicals.com/health/turmeric-benefits/
