HEALTH BENEFITS OF TURMERIC

Turmeric is becoming increasingly recognised as a health-giving spice. The active ingredient curcumin is seen as the key component. It has well-documented anti-inflammatory properties. Given that much current research on alzheimer’s disease is focused upon the inflammatory process as a means to explain the accumulation of myeloid plaques in the brain, and given the massive culinary use of turmeric in south Asian cooking, this would be an interesting avenue to explore given that India had particularly low rates of alzheimer’s.

To maximise the effectiveness of turmeric, here are three kitchen tips:

• activate it by heating it up

• boost absorption of turmeric by 2,000% by combining it with freshly ground black pepper

• mix turmeric with a healthy fat to bypass the liver