I finally picked up a Magic Bullet blender…love it! Every combination of greens, fruit and Greek yogurt I throw at it tastes awesome. I also add fresh turmeric root to at least one smoothie per day. The list of turmeric health benefits goes on and on, so let’s zero in on a few of the biggies.

The active (miracle) ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. In fact, most of the turmeric health benefits are actually curcumin benefits.

At the chemical level, curcumin is a diarylheptanoid. But it’s easier to remember that curcumin is responsible for giving turmeric its bright orange color.

Curcumin benefits have been recognized throughout medical history. In recent years,  studies are backing up what has been known for centuries…namely that curcumin appears to be a remedy for a multitude of ailments.

Turmeric Health Benefits

• Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory. Before you turn to over the counter anti-inflammatories like acetaminophen (aka Tylenol), a dose of turmeric might do the trick.
• Turmeric is an antioxident. Antioxidents eliminate free radicals in your body and also helps to boost your body’s natural production of antioxidents. Blend turmeric with another natural antioxident – Blueberries – and you’ve got a powerful, tasty immune boosting smoothie!
• Turmeric battles heart disease. Endothelium is the lining of blood vessels, and endothelial dysfunction is related to issues with blood pressure and blood clotting. Several studies have correlated curcumin to improved endothelial function. It is even thought to be as effective as statin drugs like Lipitor (P.S. here’s how statins work.)
• Turmeric helps with arthritis. Just as it is a potent anti-inflammatory, arthritis patients may want to try adding Turmeric to their diet to help soothe arthritis pain.

Want to read more on turmeric health benefits and curcumin benefits? Check out some of these other have to say about it:

• Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• University of Maryland Medical Center

Add this ingredient to your smoothies and enjoy all the turmeric health benefits!! 🙂