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Turmeric 101: Health & Beauty Benefits

by Komal
Health Benefits of Trumeric

Haldi, otherwise known as Turmeric is becoming one of the fastest growing spices to infiltrate depths beyond cooking. Golden Milk, milk mixed with turmeric, cardamom, coconut, cacao, and other yummy items, has become the hot new detoxifying drink.

Before I get too deep into this, let me take you back.

When I was a child and got sick my Ba (grandma in Gujarati) would make me turmeric and cumin water with a little salt to settle my tummy. She would make a paste out of turmeric and water whenever I would cut myself to help seal and heal the burn. During the Indian wedding ceremony, pithy, members of the family would cover the bride/groom with haldi to clean the skin and give them a healthy glow. During certain meals, like fish curry, we would add turmeric to the dish.

What I am getting at is turmeric has been a huge part of my life, in many different ways, as long as I can remember. It is something natural that I never thought twice about as a beauty or health aid, that is why I am SO glad that it is coming to the forefront and shining with all of its abilities.

Haldi is heavy with a compound called curcumin.  Curcumin For Health describes curcumin as “a beneficial compound from turmeric that dates back 5000 years. It was a principal healing agent in Ayurveda a traditional Indian system of medicine, and recognized as a valuable ingredient long before it became a popular supplement. The bright yellow-orange pigment of turmeric is the primary source curcumin.”

Basically, curcumin is this bad ass component that has demonstrated potent powers as an anti-inflammatory and in cancer treatments.

The science of it is a little tricky, but I found that News Medical had the best explanation. “Curcumin prevents proliferation by interrupting the cell cycle and inducing programmed cell death. Furthermore, curcumin can inhibit the activation of carcinogens through suppression of certain cytochrome P450 isozymes.” In layman’s terms it uses a signaling protein to drive away systematic, disease causing inflammation.

Health Benefits of Turmeric:

  • Anti-Inflammatory
  • Natural Fat Burner
  • Antioxidant
  • Natural Detoxifier
  • Makes Your Face Glow
  • Reduced Cholesterol
  • Prevents Bloating
  • Natural Aid For Psoriasis
  • Treats Depression
  • Anti-Aging Properties
  • Natural Antiseptic
  • Prevents Cancerous Cells
  • Improves Digestion
  • Helps Prevent Memory Loss
  • Prevents Oily Skin
  • Strengthens Ligaments 
  • Lower Risk For Diabetes
  • Prevents Alzhimers
  • Tightens Skin 
  • Heals Wounds
  • Reduces Acne
  • Detoxifies Liver
  • Whitens Teeth
  • Natural Sleep Aid
  • Blood Purifier

I have never really been a science person until I met Justin. He is such a science geek and I love it. It’s good to know what something is, but it is even better to know why and how it works.

Because this is such a versatile spice, the possibilities of usage are never-ending. You can mix the yellow-orange spice into almost anything.

Cooking/Health:

I have put together a recipe for Golden Milk. Drink this first thing in the morning, or at night, with warm milk before you go to bed. 

Golden Milk

 

Beauty:

Make a face mask. It acts as a “moisturizer, exfoliator and reduces redness. It will leave your skin bright, fresh and clean.” Check out this face mask recipe from Healthy and Natural World.

Ingredients

1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. raw organic honey
1 tsp. milk (or natural yogurt)

Optional ingredients to add –you can add to the above mixture 1 tsp. of lemon juice (helps lighten the skin and good for oily skin) and/or a few drops of tea tree essential oil if you suffer from acne.

Put turmeric into a little bowl. Add honey (honey can be used to prepare other homemade honey face masks that you can make at home). Then add milk or yogurt. You can adjust the amount of milk to make the paste more or less thick, but make sure it’s a firm paste that will stick to your face. Turmeric is a dye and it can stain anything, so you don’t want it dripping off your face.

 Face preparation:

Wash your face with running water and remove all makeup.

 Application of the Turmeric Face Mask:

Apply the mask evenly all over your face. A spot you don’t want to miss is under the eyes, as turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties help reduce the dark circles, which form as a result of vasoconstriction (narrowing of the vessels).

If you have any mask leftover, you can save it in the fridge for a few days and use it the next time.

Let the mask dry on your face. This means leaving it on for about 20 minutes and then washing it off with cool water. Dry your face gently with a cloth.

Repeat the mask over the course of a few days. You can do it every few weeks, depending on your needs and complexion.

 Why is this mask so great?

Turmeric is a good antioxidant, and an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial agent. Honey is also an anti-bacterial and it moisturizes the skin well. Milk contains lactic acid, which is an alpha hydroxy acid and it exfoliates the skin. Together, these three ingredients make wonders for your skin.


The Secret Yumiverse(if you haven’t been to this site yet, check it out, it’s awesome!) put together this awesome chart of other non-cooking uses for turmeric.

Non-Cooking Uses for Turmeric

I hope you all have enjoyed some insight into the turmeric world. I will be highlighting a new spice weekly showing its benefits and the versatile things we can do with them. Have a great weekend! Xx

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