Eating turmeric can help you lose weight and lower blood lipids ~ Chinese medicine: These 5 types of people should not eat it wrong

As the trend of keeping in good health rises, many people have a special liking for turmeric, which is known as the "king of detoxification" and the "queen of spices". They especially value turmeric for its ability to relieve indigestion and promote body metabolism. Some studies even point out that turmeric also has benefits such as assisting in weight loss and lowering blood lipids. Chinese medicine practitioners say that if you want to learn to eat turmeric wisely, you can take advantage of its antioxidant properties and avoid wasting your efforts. There are 5 types of people in particular who must not eat wrong, otherwise the hole may get bigger the more they eat.

Health benefits of eating turmeric: antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory

Turmeric has a unique flavor and color and is often added as a spice to curries and mustards. It is generally believed that turmeric contains a variety of antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, and that eating turmeric is good for health, and adding turmeric to the diet seems to have become a health trend.

TCM sees the benefits of eating turmeric: relieving pain and promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis

How does Chinese medicine view the health benefits of turmeric? Chinese medicine practitioner Wu Mingzhu said that according to the "Compendium of Materia Medica", turmeric, curcuma and radix strychnifolia are similar in shape and function. But Curcuma enters the heart and treats blood; while Turmeric enters both the spleen and treats Qi; and Radix Glehniae enters the liver and treats the blood in the Qi, which are different. The ancient recipe Wubi Decoction uses slices of turmeric to treat arm pain caused by wind, cold and dampness. Dai Yuanli's "Essentials" says: Turmeric slices can be inserted into the arm to relieve pain, and it can be seen that it can also regulate the qi in the blood.

Simply put, turmeric has the effects of breaking blood and promoting qi, unblocking menstruation and relieving pain, and promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. Therefore, it is often used to treat pain in the heart, abdomen, chest, and ribs caused by blood stasis, qi stagnation, and poor blood circulation. It also helps improve amenorrhea symptoms such as delayed and irregular menstruation. If you have symptoms of rheumatism or shoulder and arm pain, eating turmeric in moderation can also have a relieving effect.

Turmeric is powerful and contains the key nutrient curcumin

When it comes to the health benefits of turmeric, one of the key nutrients that is often discussed is curcumin, especially how effective this ingredient can be after extraction, which has always been the target of research. In white adipose tissue, curcumin can reduce macrophage infiltration and leptin; in inflammation-related obesity, curcumin can increase the expression of adiponectin and inhibit the activity of NF-kB, so it is speculated that it has an inhibitory effect on obesity (Ref 1), but more human trials are still needed to confirm this.

In white adipose tissue, curcumin can reduce macrophage infiltration and leptin.

Expecting health benefits from daily consumption of turmeric may not be as expected.

In addition, according to modern pharmacological research, curcumin has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Curcumin also has obvious effects of inhibiting tumor cells, reducing the occurrence of animal tumors, and anti-cancer. Curcumin can inhibit lipid peroxidation in internal organs.

Turmeric is not easily soluble in water and is not easily absorbed by the human body.

It seems that turmeric has so many benefits, but it should be noted that the structural formula of curcumin includes two phenols, which are more soluble in organic solvents or oils. Turmeric's poor water solubility results in poor absorption by the human body. Furthermore, it is metabolized very quickly in the human intestine and liver, so even if the body successfully absorbs it, it does not stay in the body very well. According to cell experiments related to curcumin, very significant results can be seen, but when applied to human experiments, the same effect may not be achieved, mainly because of the low bioavailability. Additionally, studies have found that turmeric can be damaged by ultraviolet light exposure.

Therefore, the health benefits you expect from daily consumption of turmeric may not be as good as you expect. If you buy a whole piece of turmeric to eat, or buy a bag of turmeric powder to soak in water and drink it, you basically cannot absorb any curcumin. Curry is usually the only food that contains turmeric, and curry dishes are usually cooked with oil, making it a relatively easy-to-absorb form. Natural turmeric contains curcumin, but turmeric is not easily soluble in water, so it is not easily absorbed. It is also easily metabolized and it is difficult to produce high concentrations in the body. In order to solve this problem, scientists have used "nanoization", "liposomes", "phospholipid complexes" and other methods to increase the body's absorption of turmeric. However, more experimental assistance is needed to achieve health-promoting effects.

Curcumin, beta-carotene and lycopene are all fat-soluble nutrients, so it is recommended to add an appropriate amount of oil when cooking or eating to help the body absorb it. WHO recommends that the daily intake of curcumin is calculated based on 0 to 3 mg per kilogram of body weight. It is recommended that for safety reasons, the daily intake should be within 200 mg.

Does eating turmeric and honey improve antioxidant power? The female Chinese medicine practitioner said...

There is a saying on the Internet: "Adding honey to turmeric may increase antioxidant capacity." Is this true? Chinese medicine practitioner Wu Mingzhu said that honey is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory effects; curcumin can stimulate the body to secrete proteins that help strengthen the immune system, so it helps with anti-oxidation. Eating the two together can adjust the taste and reduce the pungent taste of turmeric. However, as to whether the antioxidant capacity can achieve the effect of 1+1>2, there is no need to have too high expectations.

Curcumin, beta-carotene and lycopene are all fat-soluble nutrients. It is recommended to add an appropriate amount of oil when cooking or eating to help the body absorb it.

[5 types of people are not suitable for eating turmeric]

Reminder: People with the following 5 conditions are not suitable for consuming turmeric:

★1. Symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort: Turmeric powder is irritating to the gastric mucosa. Be careful of excessive intake as it may cause side effects such as diarrhea, nausea, and gastrointestinal discomfort.

★2. Patients with gallstones: Turmeric promotes bile secretion, so it is not suitable for patients with gallstones or bile duct abnormalities.

★3. Patients taking anticoagulants: Turmeric has anticoagulant function, so if patients are taking anticoagulants, it must be used with caution.

★4. Menstruation: Turmeric can not only promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, but also has an anti-coagulant effect. In order to avoid heavy bleeding during menstruation, female friends should not take it during menstruation.

★5. Pregnant women and those trying to get pregnant: Women who are pregnant or planning to get pregnant in the near future should pay attention to turmeric, which has the effect of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, and promoting menstruation. It also has an anti-implantation effect, that is, it resists the implantation of the fertilized egg.