Turmeric Health Benefits ( Benefits of Haldi )

Turmeric or haldi  is a common spice in Indian cuisine. It belongs to the ginger family and has a peppery, warm and bitter flavor.  Turmeric has been a part of Ayurveda treatment for thousands of years. Turmeric does not only improve the color and flavor of curries and dishes, it has many health benefits too. Read on to know about turmeric health benefits .

Nutrients that attribute turmeric health benefits –

Turmeric is an excellent source of manganese and  iron and a good source of vitamin B6 , fibre and potassium. These Nutrients attribute to Turmeric health benefits .

Turmeric Health Benefits

• Haldi Helps to reduce inflammation in arthritis

Arthritis is associated with intense inflammation caused by  free radicals. Turmeric has both anti- inflammatory properties and is a good antioxidant. It contains curcumin which exerts antioxidant properties by neutralizing free radicals that cause inflammation. Regular use of  turmeric in your diet can help in reducing swellings in joints, morning stiffness and can help in increasing stamina in an arthritic patient.

Read – Indian diet plan for Arthritis

• Haldi helps in Cardiovascular protection –

Turmeric health benefits as an antioxidant is not only limited to arthritis, but it also helps in preventing the progression of atherosclerosis and diabetic heat diseases by preventing the oxidation of cholesterol.

Turmeric is rich in B6,  which helps in keeping the homo-cysteine levels near normal. (Homo-cysteine level elevations can lead to atherosclerosis and other heart diseases.)

Read – Indian diet plan for high triglyceride levels in blood

– Indian diet plan for hypertension (DASH diet )

• Haldi Helps in preventing cancer

The antioxidant properties of curcumin helps in removal of free radicals that can damage the cells DNA causing cancer. Curcumin in turmeric helps in inhibiting tumor formation and prevents excess blood supply needed for tumor formation.

Turmeric also helps in destroying the mutated cells and not allowing them to spread. Incorporating  turmeric in your daily diet can help in  lowering the risks of leukemia, colon cancer,  breast, prostate and lung cancer.

• Haldi Improves livers ability to detoxify

It was found in animal studies that daily intake of turmeric in diet increases the liver’s detoxification function.

Read – Indian diet plan for detoxification .

• Helps in Alzheimer

Turmeric health benefits includes protection against neuro-degenerative diseases. Curcumin  protects the brain against oxidative (free radical) injury

Alzheimer’s is a result of accumulation of amyloid fragment in the brain cells.  this fragment  causes inflammation and plaques formations , disrupting the brain function.  Curcumin can pass the blood brain barrier, and it attaches itself to amyloid, preventing it to accumulate and  form plaques. At the same time its anti inflammatory and anti oxidative properties helps in de stressing the brain cells and protects its against any harm.

• Haldi Aids in digestion

Turmeric helps in digestive problems like gas and bloating. It also helps in better digestion by stimulating the liver and gall bladder to produce more bile. Turmeric health benefits include treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis.

• Haldi Boosts immune system

The anti-bacterial , anti-viral and anti-fungal properties in turmeric helps in boosting immunity against minor flu , cough and cold problems and infections.

• Helps in diabetes –

Turmeric helps in reducing insulin resistance and improves the uptake of insulin by cells. Thus overall helping a diabetic in controlling sugar levels.

Read – Indian diet plan for weight loss and diabetes – 1200 calories

– Indian diet plan  for diabetes – 1500 calories

Haldi or Turmeric health benefits also includes relief in conditions like flatulence, bloody urine and hemorrhages. It is also found to be beneficial in conditions like chest pain and colic.

How to eat Haldi to avail its health benefits ?

• You can add turmeric powder to your glass of warm milk . This is specially beneficial in cold , cough and chest congestions. It also improves your immunity in winters. So have haldi milk to keep away from cold.
• You can add Haldi powder to your vegetable preparations.  They not only impart a beautiful colour to your veggies but also  helps you avail the turmeric health benefits.
• You  can make a vegetable of the raw Turmeric ginger . ( It is haldi plants roots , and looks exactly like ginger.) This is very very good in conditions where you have a lot of body pain . It is most beneficiqal for post delivery women or women in confinement. They recover wonderfully with haldi in their diet.
• You can add Haldi to your Smoothies / shakes .
• You can also add haldi your flour.