JaanYar
Chapter 1 of 25

Turmeric

The Essentials

A hand holding a freshly dug turmeric rhizome broken open to show the bright orange flesh inside its brown skin
Turmeric hides its colour: a dull brown root that breaks open bright orange.

It's the best-studied cooking spice for calming inflammation, and most of that effect comes from curcumin (the yellow compound that gives turmeric its colour).

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Your body absorbs very little curcumin (the yellow compound that gives turmeric its colour) on its own. Black pepper (which contains piperine) and a little fat are what help it get in.

Good-quality trials show real relief in knee osteoarthritis, plus small improvements in blood sugar and blood fats.

A daily pinch in food is safer and easier to keep up than strong extracts, which can interact with medicines and, rarely, harm the liver.