Turmeric

Turmeric, particularly its most active compound curcumin, has many scientifically-proven health benefits. It’s a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and may also help improve symptoms of depression and arthritis. Here’s a more detailed look at the benefits of turmeric:

• Anti-inflammatory Properties: Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, is known for its potent anti-inflammatory effects. It’s so powerful that it matches the effectiveness of some anti-inflammatory drugs, without the side effects.

• Antioxidant Capacity: Turmeric can neutralize free radicals due to its chemical structure but also boosts the body's own antioxidant enzymes. These properties help fight oxidative stress, which is linked to many diseases.

• Improves Brain Function: Curcumin can increase brain levels of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a type of growth hormone that functions in the brain. Higher levels of BDNF can delay or even reverse many brain diseases and age-related decreases in brain function.

• Lowers Risk of Heart Disease: Curcumin has beneficial effects on several factors known to play a role in heart disease. It improves the function of the endothelium, which is the lining of your blood vessels, and is a potent anti-inflammatory agent and antioxidant.

• Aids in Cancer Prevention: Research has shown that curcumin can contribute to the death of cancerous cells and reduce angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels in tumors) and metastasis (spread of cancer).

• Helps Alleviate Arthritis: Many studies show that curcumin can help treat symptoms of arthritis and is in some cases more effective than anti-inflammatory drugs.

• Benefits Against Depression: A study has shown that curcumin is as effective as an antidepressant in some people. It seems to influence several biological mechanisms involved in depression.

• Delay Aging and Fight Age-Related Chronic Diseases: Due to its many positive health effects, such as the potential to prevent heart disease, Alzheimer's and cancer, curcumin is believed to help delay aging and combat age-related chronic diseases.

• Digestive Health: Turmeric is used in Ayurvedic medicine as a digestive healing agent. Now Western medicine has begun to study turmeric as a remedy for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis, and other digestive diseases.