Indian and Chinese medicine have long utilized turmeric. It is a member of the ginger family and is also known as Curcuma longa.
The yellow-orange powder known as curcumin is what gives turmeric in curry powder its lovely hue. Turmeric is widely used in cooking in several Asian cuisines, particularly Indian cuisine.
It is popularly utilized for its pain-relieving properties and for enhancing liver and digestion processes around the world. Because it has anti-inflammatory properties, it is also used to treat aches, bruises, and many other conditions.
Advantages of turmeric for health
It has been demonstrated that turmeric prevents diabetes and enhances health. Turmeric’s antioxidants aid in the body’s defense against inflammation and illness. Turmeric has been shown in a review of studies conducted by McGill University and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine to be effective in treating nephropathy, retinopathy, and microangiopathy, three conditions associated with diabetes.
Turmeric has been shown in another study to have impacts on triple-negative breast cancer. Researchers came to the conclusion in this study that curcumin, the vibrant yellow active component of turmeric, may be able to stop TNBC cells from proliferating, “possibly due to a change in the signaling pathway of the cancer’s underlying molecular mechanism.”
It has also been discovered that turmeric possesses qualities that enhance skin moisture. In one study, participants’ skin’s sebaceous glands—which have lubricating properties—and level of hydration improved after applying turmeric extracts to injured skin for six weeks.
In a nutshell, the following are some of the most intriguing advantages of turmeric for your health:
- anti-inflammatory
- alleviates pain, such as arthritis and joint pain
- enhances digestion
- enhances hepatic function
- combats cancer
- lessens the edema in the joints
- lowers the oxidative stress
- aids in losing weight
- reduces cholesterol and blood sugar levels
- reduces the chance of cardiac conditions
Does consuming turmeric help with diabetes management?
Higher blood sugar and the body’s incapacity to react to insulin are two main diabetes-related symptoms that curcumin can relieve.
Pancreatic cells are destroyed in people with Type 1 diabetes due to inflammation and gradual cell death. Insulin resistance in the body is a result of pancreatic inflammation. Furthermore, it also plays a role in insulin resistance. The body’s processes and activities of proteins can be altered by the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric.
For diabetics, turmeric is essential for reversing pancreatic damage. Turmeric has the ability to restore damaged beta cells in the pancreases, which are believed to be the site of insulin production. This healing process can therefore potentially cure pancreatic damage. All of this is to suggest that turmeric is excellent at regulating blood sugar, which can help manage diabetes.
Turmeric has also been demonstrated to lessen oxidative stress. When the body’s natural antioxidant defenses and the generation of reactive oxygen species become out of balance, oxidative stress results. Reactive oxygen species are molecules that contain oxygen and are essential to the proper operation of healthy cells.
These oxygen species can lead to inflammation and cell death when they proliferate. Both are undesirable. Using turmeric raises the amount of antioxidant-producing enzymes. This lessens the oxidative damage that diabetes causes.
It supports the following aspects of managing diabetes:
- Rebuild and replenish pancreatic cells.
- Reduce the amount of blood sugar
- Reduced levels of oxidative stress
- Reduce inflammatory response
- Reduce cholesterol
Managing blood sugar levels
Turmeric has been found in studies to be an effective treatment for high blood sugar. According to a 2013 study, curcumin reduces blood sugar levels and other diabetes-related problems. Since rats were used in the study, additional work needs to be done using human models.
Rats given turmeric for 56 days had lower blood levels after the treatment. The same paradigm was also used in the study to demonstrate the impact of curcumin on glycaemia in diabetic mice. Additionally, the study revealed that rats fed curcumin had quicker and longer-living beta cells.
Another study found that by lowering serum free fatty acids and raising fatty acid oxidation, curcumin lowers blood levels and enhances insulin sensitivity. One hundred overweight individuals with type 2 diabetes were randomized to receive either a placebo or curcumin for a period of three months. We monitored their body weight, lipoprotein lipase, fasting glucose, lipids, and A1c.
Read Also: Does Food Timing Affect Diabetes?
In type 2 individuals, curcumin-containing supplements dramatically reduced fasting blood levels and insulin resistance. Additionally, there was a notable drop in blood triglyceride lipids and an increase in lipoprotein lipase following curcumin use.
You should still take your diabetes medication and receive diabetes treatment in addition to using turmeric. Turmeric is something you ought to be taking in addition to your diabetes medication. We advise talking to your doctor before adding any supplements or changes to your diet. It will be necessary for you to begin with a very tiny dose and gradually increase it.
Diabetes prevention
Turmeric has been demonstrated in a Thai study to be effective in postponing the onset of type 2 diabetes in individuals with prediabetes. Subjects with prediabetes were randomized to receive either curcumin or a placebo pill for nine months while they were in the placebo and controlled trial groups.
Type 2 diabetes was diagnosed in 16.4% of participants in the placebo group and not in any of the participants receiving curcumin treatment after the study’s conclusion. Additionally, the same study revealed that curcumin enhanced the function of the beta cells in the pancreas, which produce insulin.
Assist in Losing Weight
According to a study done in India, feeding turmeric to diabetic animals reduced their levels of fat and cholesterol. Among the risk factors for diabetes are being overweight and having high cholesterol. It is advised that a person with diabetes shed any extra weight and start eating a low-carb and low-cholesterol diet.
In addition to lowering cholesterol, turmeric can help prevent obesity and excessive weight gain. Fat formation is avoided because turmeric balances and regulates our blood sugar levels. Additionally, it regulates our triglyceride levels.
Reduce the difficulties associated with diabetes
Studies have indicated that turmeric can effectively lower the risk of complications related to diabetes, including diabetic neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, liver problems, and cardiovascular disease. Additionally, curcumin has been demonstrated to alleviate diabetes-related erectile dysfunction by boosting blood flow to the male genitalia.
How much turmeric ought to I eat? (Recommended dosage: everyday)
To stop diabetes from developing, it is crucial that you take the recommended dosage of turmeric. It might have the opposite health effects if not taken in the proper dose or manner.
The Complementary and Alternative Medicine Guide from the University of Maryland recommends taking the following amount of turmeric every day:
- 1.5–3 grams of cut root every day
- Powdered, dried root: one to three grams daily
- 30-90 drops of fluid extract (1:1) every day
- Tincture (1:2): four times a day, 15–30 drops
How can I include more turmeric in my diet?
You may now get turmeric at any independent or local grocery store. It has established a name for itself in North America. One advantage of turmeric is that incorporating it into your diet is not too difficult. You may add a small amount of it to almost any dish.
Your food will taste better even if the color will alter. You might even think about adding turmeric to your drinks if you don’t want to or are tired of constantly adding it to your food.
A dash of turmeric is often added to soups, roasted vegetables, rice, scrambled eggs, and other dishes. You can use it in your drink by mixing a small amount into a smoothie or a simple glass of milk. Turmeric is also a popular addition to tea in several parts of India.
Combine this spice with regular pepper for maximum health benefits. Turmeric’s bioavailability has been shown to be enhanced by pepper. To be honest, adding a pinch of turmeric to any food will still provide its health advantages without affecting its flavor.
What findings are there from the research?
Throughout every study we have examined, turmeric has proven to be a reliable and effective tool. Turmeric has been shown to be effective in lowering blood glucose levels and preventing type 2 diabetes in both human and animal models of study.
However, since the majority of the data offered is based on studies using animal models, the research community is trying to conduct more studies using human subjects.
Does turmeric have any negative affects or risks?
Although there are many health benefits associated with turmeric, it’s important to be aware of the potential negative effects of overindulging in turmeric or not consuming it appropriately. If you have gallstones, you should avoid taking large doses of turmeric. Turmeric allergies are possible in certain individuals. One or more of the following side effects may result from high turmeric doses:
- emesis
- heavy menstrual flow
- Low blood pressure
- The diarrhea
- Liver issues
- gallbladder illness
It may also react adversely to warfarin or other anticoagulants. Urchins and acne are some possible side effects. It is recommended that women who are pregnant or nursing stay away from turmeric because to its blood activity thinning properties.
Now let me turn it to you
We hope that this article on the wonderful benefits of turmeric for managing your diabetes has helped clear some things up. As our reader, we would adore to hear from you. Kindly provide your feedback in the provided space.
DiabetesCouncils Article | Reviewed by Dr. Jerry Ramos MD on May 20, 2020
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