If you’ve ever eaten Eastern Asian or Middle Eastern cuisine, there’s a good chance that you have encountered turmeric. Turmeric is a yellow-colored powder that is often used as a food-coloring agent and as a spice in a variety of foods. It belongs to the ginger family and has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine to treat inflammation, infections, and various gastrointestinal ailments.
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Health Benefits
The medicinal properties of turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, have been recognized for centuries.Turmericis used to treat a wide range of medical conditions. There is evidence to support some, but not all, of the medicinal uses for turmeric.
Cancer
There are ongoing studies to investigate how turmeric affects certain kinds of cancer.Animal studies have shown that it may prevent the disease in rats exposed to colon, stomach, and skin cancers.However, results have been inconsistent, and more evidence is needed to confirm this benefit.
Infections and Inflammation
More evidence is needed to know for sure if turmeric can reduce infections or inflammation in humans. Preliminary animal and laboratory studies have suggested a possible benefit. And a clinical trial showed that turmeric does not help lower viral load in HIV-positive patients, according to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Cholesterol
A 2017 review and meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials of turmeric or curcumin found it loweredlow-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterolandtriglyceridelevels.
A 2023 review and meta-analysis of 64 randomized controlled trials of turmeric or curcumin found significantly improved levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol but no improvement in apolipoprotein A or B.However, the authors noted that the evidence was assessed as low or very low for outcomes.
Selection, Preparation, & Storage
If you are interested in using turmeric in your cooking, there are many recipes available. Some call for fresh turmeric and you can purchase the whole root in the produce section of your local market. Many recipes call for ground turmeric, which you will find in the spice aisle of almost any supermarket.
Because its lipid-lowering ability is still being studied, there is no recommended amount of turmeric to consume. Therefore, you should follow the directions of your favorite recipes.
If are thinking about including high levels of turmeric in your diet or wish to consume it as a supplement, you should make sure that you consult your healthcare provider first. High amounts of this spice may aggravate certain medical conditions, including certain gastrointestinal conditions, diabetes, kidney stones, and bleeding disorders.
The Best Time to Take Turmeric for Maximum Health Benefits, According to Science
Possible Side Effects
Turmeric—when consumed in moderation as a food spice—usually does not cause significant side effects. But some people have reported experiencing stomach upset, nausea, dizziness, or diarrhea.
Turmeric may lower blood sugar, might slow blood clotting, and may prevent the body from absorbing iron.
Turmeric may interfere with several medications including (but not limited to):
It can interact with many others as well.
Using turmeric as a medicinal aid may make certain medical conditions worse, including (but not limited to) gallbladder problems, kidney stones, bleeding problems, GERD, and hormone-sensitive cancers.
It is important that you discuss using turmeric with your healthcare provider if you are taking medication or if you are managing a medical condition.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked QuestionsBlend a small amount of turmeric into your morning smoothie, or add a teaspoon or two to your favorite soup recipe. Many people also add it to tea, to macaroni and cheese recipes, or to rice or other grain dishes.Since turmeric is a member of the ginger family, you may notice a familiar warmth (similar to ginger) when you consume this spice. It pairs well with chicken, fish, and beef and also with squashes such as pumpkin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Blend a small amount of turmeric into your morning smoothie, or add a teaspoon or two to your favorite soup recipe. Many people also add it to tea, to macaroni and cheese recipes, or to rice or other grain dishes.
Since turmeric is a member of the ginger family, you may notice a familiar warmth (similar to ginger) when you consume this spice. It pairs well with chicken, fish, and beef and also with squashes such as pumpkin.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.What are the benefits of turmeric — and can it be used to prevent or treat cancer? Here’s what the science says.Herrero de la Parte B, Rodeño-Casado M, Iturrizaga Correcher S, Mar Medina C, García-Alonso I.Curcumin reduces colorectal cancer cell proliferation and migration and slows in vivo growth of liver metastases in rats.Biomedicines. 2021;9(9):1183. doi:10.3390/biomedicines9091183Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Turmeric.Qin S, Huang L, Gong J, et al.Efficacy and safety of turmeric and curcumin in lowering blood lipid levels in patients with cardiovascular risk factors: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Nutr J. 2017;16(1):68. doi:10.1186/s12937-017-0293-yDehzad MJ, Ghalandari H, Amini MR, Askarpour M.Effects of curcumin/turmeric supplementation on lipid profile: A GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Complement Ther Med. 2023;75:102955. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2023.102955Joshi J, Ghaisas S, Vaidya A, et al. Early human safety study of turmeric oil (Curcuma longa oil) administered orally in healthy volunteers. J Assoc.Physicians India 2003;51:1055-1060. PMID:15260388Additional ReadingNatural Standard. (2014).Turmeric[Monograph].
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.What are the benefits of turmeric — and can it be used to prevent or treat cancer? Here’s what the science says.Herrero de la Parte B, Rodeño-Casado M, Iturrizaga Correcher S, Mar Medina C, García-Alonso I.Curcumin reduces colorectal cancer cell proliferation and migration and slows in vivo growth of liver metastases in rats.Biomedicines. 2021;9(9):1183. doi:10.3390/biomedicines9091183Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Turmeric.Qin S, Huang L, Gong J, et al.Efficacy and safety of turmeric and curcumin in lowering blood lipid levels in patients with cardiovascular risk factors: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Nutr J. 2017;16(1):68. doi:10.1186/s12937-017-0293-yDehzad MJ, Ghalandari H, Amini MR, Askarpour M.Effects of curcumin/turmeric supplementation on lipid profile: A GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Complement Ther Med. 2023;75:102955. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2023.102955Joshi J, Ghaisas S, Vaidya A, et al. Early human safety study of turmeric oil (Curcuma longa oil) administered orally in healthy volunteers. J Assoc.Physicians India 2003;51:1055-1060. PMID:15260388Additional ReadingNatural Standard. (2014).Turmeric[Monograph].
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.What are the benefits of turmeric — and can it be used to prevent or treat cancer? Here’s what the science says.Herrero de la Parte B, Rodeño-Casado M, Iturrizaga Correcher S, Mar Medina C, García-Alonso I.Curcumin reduces colorectal cancer cell proliferation and migration and slows in vivo growth of liver metastases in rats.Biomedicines. 2021;9(9):1183. doi:10.3390/biomedicines9091183Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Turmeric.Qin S, Huang L, Gong J, et al.Efficacy and safety of turmeric and curcumin in lowering blood lipid levels in patients with cardiovascular risk factors: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Nutr J. 2017;16(1):68. doi:10.1186/s12937-017-0293-yDehzad MJ, Ghalandari H, Amini MR, Askarpour M.Effects of curcumin/turmeric supplementation on lipid profile: A GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Complement Ther Med. 2023;75:102955. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2023.102955Joshi J, Ghaisas S, Vaidya A, et al. Early human safety study of turmeric oil (Curcuma longa oil) administered orally in healthy volunteers. J Assoc.Physicians India 2003;51:1055-1060. PMID:15260388
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.What are the benefits of turmeric — and can it be used to prevent or treat cancer? Here’s what the science says.
Herrero de la Parte B, Rodeño-Casado M, Iturrizaga Correcher S, Mar Medina C, García-Alonso I.Curcumin reduces colorectal cancer cell proliferation and migration and slows in vivo growth of liver metastases in rats.Biomedicines. 2021;9(9):1183. doi:10.3390/biomedicines9091183
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Turmeric.
Qin S, Huang L, Gong J, et al.Efficacy and safety of turmeric and curcumin in lowering blood lipid levels in patients with cardiovascular risk factors: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Nutr J. 2017;16(1):68. doi:10.1186/s12937-017-0293-y
Dehzad MJ, Ghalandari H, Amini MR, Askarpour M.Effects of curcumin/turmeric supplementation on lipid profile: A GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Complement Ther Med. 2023;75:102955. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2023.102955
Joshi J, Ghaisas S, Vaidya A, et al. Early human safety study of turmeric oil (Curcuma longa oil) administered orally in healthy volunteers. J Assoc.Physicians India 2003;51:1055-1060. PMID:15260388
Natural Standard. (2014).Turmeric[Monograph].
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