In Part 1 of this article we discussed the sacred meaning of turmeric for the ancient cultures and its benefits for the skin, hair and scalp, immune system, healthy psychological function and even your teeth. Read it here if you haven't already ▸
In this article you’ll discover:
- 7 More Life-changing effects of turmeric that everyone can benefit from.
- How to choose the best turmeric and what to watch out for when buying.
- Our 9 favourite ways to enjoy turmeric daily (super simple and yum!)
…continuing on from Part I
8. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECTS
As an effective anti-inflammatory agent, turmeric has been studied in relation to many conditions where the immune system goes into over-drive and cannot switch off the inflammatory response. This happens when the body is suffering from immune disorders, but more commonly, when under constant low-level stress – both mental and physical - such as from the effects of a poor diet, eating allergens, food additives and drinking alcohol.
Inflammation causes pain, redness, bloating, skin irritations and is involved in conditions like IBS, diabetes and obesity.
A study published in the journal Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (2016) found that curcumin decreases the concentrations of pro-inflammatory proteins in the blood of patients with metabolic syndrome.
If chronic inflammation is affecting your life, try 1-2tsp turmeric daily.
“Also, I have been super sick the last 2 days with a head cold and have not felt like eating. BUT…. I've been enjoying a Turmeric & Baobab latte with agave nectar. It's the only thing keeping my stomach happy 💜” - Mara, @maratomlin on Instagram
9. POST WORKOUT RECOVERY
When burning extra energy during a tough workout, you naturally produce more free radicals so an extra dose of antioxidants is perfect to recover faster. Plus, your muscles can become temporarily inflamed causing aching.
Turmeric is fantastic to have pre- and post-workout to avoid those muscle burns and soreness. Its active compound curcumin was found to cause a post-workout muscle pain reduction within 48 hours - as found in a 2015 study from the European Journal of Applied Physiology.
Exercise recovery hack: Take 1tsp Organic Burst Turmeric in your shake or smoothie or have 4 pure Organic Burst Turmeric capsules after exercise to recover and reduce post-workout muscle aches.
10. HEADACHE RELIEF
Relief from headaches is another amazing effect of the anti-inflammatory powers of turmeric.
A 2017 study printed in the Journal BioMed Research International linked the constituents found in turmeric to helping directly with headaches.
Ease them with 1tsp Organic Burst Turmeric in a small cup of warm almond milk plus a dash of maple syrup or your preferred sweetener. Alternatively have 4 Organic Burst Turmeric pure capsules. Repeat after 2 hours if needed.
11. IMPROVED MEMORY AND LEARNING
Our memory and learning ability can be negatively affected by stress, age, and toxic factors such as heavy metals in our diet or environment. But thanks to turmeric, there is no reason to accept this as a part of life. Studies have shown that turmeric can help keep our memory healthy!
The journal Biochemical Pharmacology published a study in 2009 that linked curcumin to increased learning ability through “improved the acquisition and consolidation” of information.
12. MORE ESSENTIAL FATS FOR PLANT-BASED WARRIORS
Those on a plant-based diet have the potential for being low in DHA – the important essential fatty acid, especially for the nervous system, brain, and eyes. However, we know it can be made in the liver from the ‘parent fatty acid’ ALA, which is found in chia, flax, nuts etc.
Unfortunately, the conversion in the liver is often inadequate, but here’s the good news for our plant-based tribe: A 2015 study published in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta found that curcumin increased DHA synthesis from ALA in the liver.
Increase the absopriton of your essential fats: take 1tsp or 4 capsules turmeric daily or when having a meal rich in plant-based fats.
13. PROTECTS AGAINST THE DAMAGING EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
When you’re celebrating or making an appearance at a fabulous social event😉 it’s reassuring to know that turmeric can help protect your liver against alcohol! (Source: Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2010).
Another investigation published in Phytotherapy Research (1999) revealed curcumin’s antioxidant effects to be protective against alcohol-induced brain injury.
Note: this doesn't mean you can drink all you want of course. Be sensible folks! Check out our post here ▸ for more tips on staying healthy when enjoying an occasional drink.
Pre-party protection: take 1 serving of Organic Burst Turmeric (pure powder or capsules) before you leave for an evening out to give your liver a helping hand. Boost the effects by having it with 1 serving Organic Burst Chlorella before and after the party - another effective superfood for helping you feel back to normal after going out.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST TURMERIC
HIGH IN CURCUMIN
When we discovered our turmeric, we wanted to know how potent it actually was. As with all Organic Burst sources of superfoods - we sent the samples to an independent 3rd party laboratory to measure its curcumin content.
It turned out to be exceptionally high – up to 5.1%.
According to a review in the journal Nutrition and Cancer, the content of curcumin in turmeric powders usually ranges between 0.58% and 3.14% (averaging 1.51%).
Organic Burst Turmeric contains 3.4 times more than the average!
We think that the extra beneficial compounds are down to the perfect growing location, the special heirloom variety of our turmeric as well as organic and traditional cultivation and harvesting methods (discover more below).
UP TO 2.7X MORE CONCENTRATED THAN OTHER TURMERIC POWDERS
We use 8kg of fresh turmeric to produce just 1kg of raw Organic Burst Turmeric powder. This compares with an average among other products of 3-4kg of fresh turmeric to produce the same amount. This means our turmeric powder is up to 2.7x more concentrated than the average, and therefore more effective. Boom!
AUTHENTIC SRI LANKAN HEIRLOOM TURMERIC VARIETY
Steeped in history, our turmeric is an authentic Sri Lankan heirloom variety, famous for its thin and delicate roots that can absorb more nutrients and water from the soil than the larger, thicker roots that are present in the common variety of turmeric from China.
FREE FROM TOXIC AZO DYE METANIL YELLOW
This is something we discovered during our research - a shocking fact often known to the industry but not the consumers!
It's quite common for the turmeric products to contain a toxic dye to give it a brighter yellow colour - perhaps as a result of low concentrations of curcumin!
As I mentioned in Part 1 of this post, azo dye Metanil Yellow is potentially very damaging. Studies have linked its consumption to liver cancer, neurotoxicity, tumour development and lymphocytic leukaemia, consequently it has been banned in several countries.
So imagine you're taking turmeric on a daily basis thinking of all its benefits but in reality it's harming your body!
Our Turmeric is tested and confirmed 100% free from the harmful azo dye Metanil Yellow as our producers never ever add it in. Instead of Organic Burst Turmeric is always a naturally vibrant bright yellow-orange.
“@organicburst it's here it's here!! Such super fast shipping!! I had a teaspoon mixed with coconut milk and it was delicious!! And it smells amazing!!! Now for the health benefits!!❤️” Nicole, @nicolealena24 on Instagram
HARVESTED AT PEAK RIPENESS
Our turmeric is harvested at its nutritious peak: the point at which it has grown its beautiful purple flowers, they’ve already been pollinated by local bees and have started to dry out.
Only then do our harvesters take the fresh roots out of the ground, ensuring maximum nutrients are obtained from the fertile soil.
This is a traditional way of harvesting turmeric by our family farming community, the knowledge passed down from generation to generation .
GROWN ON SRI LANKAN SOIL
We grow our turmeric in the region of Ampara, Eastern Sri Lanka, where the perfect balance of tropical heat, rain and humidity makes for a superior turmeric.
Because this area is so revered, other turmeric products grown in countries such as Vietnam often export via Sri Lanka in order to falsely add this special place of origin to their label for marketing purposes…
Not only is our turmeric grown in its natural habitat, we always source directly from our Sri Lankan producers who use only traditional cultivation methods that include growing alongside soil-enriching crops and herbs.
And of course, no pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizers are ever used.
HELPING A FARMING COMMUNITY TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES
When you buy Organic Burst Turmeric you know you are making a direct positive impact to a wonderful community of 92 local Sri Lankan farmers who fully own and care for their lands.
Theirs was one of many communities torn apart by the civil war that lasted for over 25 years, finally coming to an end in 2009.
Now that peace has returned to these beautiful lands, support is needed to help rebuild and restore infrastructure and to continue to develop it further.
EASY WAYS TO TAKE YOUR TURMERIC DAILY
Start with ½ tsp or 2 capsules per day if you are new to turmeric and you can gradually increase this to 1tsp or 4 capsules per day after 2-3 weeks – trust me, you’ll want to!
I personally find turmeric amazing in the morning as a wake-up tonic and equally at night to set me up for a restorative sleep.
Try some of these ways with our epic-tasting pure turmeric powder:
- For a warming, nourishing breakfast stir 1/2 - 1tsp turmeric into your morning porridge (once cooked), plus a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg
- For a power brekkie mix 1/2 - 1 tsp into your yogurt or chia pudding 💪
- Add a turmeric kick to your usual smoothie, or try our Turmeric Sweet Potato Smoothie ▸ - it's so nourishing (and delectable!) it can be a meal on its own
- In a daily energising + restorative tea – try our Turmeric Tibetan Tea ▸ recipe
- Add a tsp of Organic Burst Turmeric to your cooked rice/quinoa/lentils/pulses towards the end of cooking
- Stir into your homemade soup
- Roast cauliflower pieces with olive oil, seasoning and Organic Burst Turmeric for a vibrant side-dish
- Use Turmeric in your favourite Indian curry recipe
If you’re on the go or too busy to cook - try our 100% pure Turmeric capsules.
- Super convenient to have on the go, carry them in your bag at hand if you're feeling overwhelmed or to take before and after eating out.
- Keep a pouch in your office desk to take before afterwork dinners or drinks.
- Have them in your gym bag to have right after a workout.
- Take 4 capsules as your standard serving (equivalent of 1tsp of powder) but feel free to increase if you feel you need more support.
We hope you’re now inspired to try some of the magic of turmeric for yourself and your loved ones.
Much love, Claire
Nutritionist at Organic Burst
