Turmeric.
This much talked about spice has been popping up left, right and centre with all of its benefits, but really – is there anything that turmeric can’t do? As a Holistic Nutritionist, I love seeing a spice like turmeric in the spotlight, this is one superfood that deserves to be highlighted. On PubMed alone, turmeric and curcumin have been the star in over 2,000 studies! [1]
Turmeric is being used for pain, inflammation, depression, cancer, IBD, diabetes and can even naturally whitening your teeth!
With so much information on the internet revolving all around turmeric it can be hard to decide how to use the spice. Is there a right way?
Your whole food option is always best, which means utilizing turmeric in it’s most natural form (whole root or organic turmeric powder) – before it has been processed into extracts and isolates. Turmeric as a whole has countless natural health-promoting components including the much talked about ‘curcuminoides’.
As far as supplementation goes; this tool is to ‘supplement’ an already healthy diet, not to replace the need for clean eating. We are only just beginning to understand all of the wonderful compounds in whole foods, how they work together and react in our bodies to support our health.
So in my own opinion, we are better off consuming something in its natural whole and organic form opposed to some questionable extract in a capsule with possible added ingredients and a large list of manufacturing processes – we can’t ‘man-make’ our health by adding processed compounds to capsules and expect them to work as nature intended!
When using turmeric, there are two really important things you must know – and then there is a third secret, which I will talk to you about today!
First, you need healthy saturated FATS to absorb the active curcumin in turmeric, so always pair fresh organic whole root or organic turmeric powder with coconut oil, grass-fed butter, ghee or sustainable palm oil.
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Second, always pair turmeric with BLACK PEPPER as the piperine within (which is also responsible for the pungency in black pepper) will enhance the absorption and increases the bioavailability [2]
Now, if you’ve studied turmeric in the past, you may have already heard of the benefits of using healthy fats and black pepper to increase absorption. Now the third and final secret for getting THE MOST benefit from this spice is to eat your turmeric FERMENTED.
Yep, this takes things to a whole new level… and doesn’t have to be tricky. Fermenting can actually be quite simple and a study in the International Journal of Food Science and Technology found the bioavailability of curcumin is further increased when it is fermented [3]. During digestion, curcumin transforms into different metabolites which can be more easily absorbed by the body, rather than the whole curcumin molecule.
Not to mention, fermented foods also support and ease digestion. So if your GI isn’t in a prime state (you get bloated, have food intolerance’s, alternating constipation/diarrhea, acid reflux and gas) using fermented turmeric takes any tax off of your digestive processes and the beneficial compounds of turmeric can be easily absorbed in the bloodstream for your bodies benefit. Remember if digestion is not at it’s pride, and if you get bloated after eating – you are NOT effectively absorbing your nutrition from your meal. It is EASY to eat a healthy organic diet and still be malnourished if digestion is not prime.
What’s the benefit of fermentation again?
The art of food preservation has been practiced for thousands of years, the simple and natural process of lactofermentation encourages bacteria feed to feed on the sugar and starch within the food, creating lactic acid. The process preserves the food to extend shelf life (which is why it was so popular thousands of years ago) and the process also creates beneficial enzymes, b-vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and various strains of probiotics.
Fermentation has many benefits, lactic acid promotes the growth of healthy intestinal flora which builds a healthy gut and a strong immune system.
Consuming fermented foods is an easy way to ensure you are getting the most nutritional value from your whole foods and superfoods by enhancing all of their beneficial properties and also increasing the nutrient value! With a powerful herb like turmeric, getting the most from the whole root is ideal and having a few tablespoons of homemade turmeric sauerkraut a day is a great way to boost up your nutrient intake and take in the benefits of this root.
Homemade Turmeric Sauerkraut
Makes 1-2 large jars