Turmeric: help keep inflammation at bay with this spicy ingredient

If you've had a good curry lately, congratulations, you've upped your protection against indigestion, free-radical damage, inflammation, atherosderosis (hardening of the arteries) and cancer. Okay, yes, just temporarily, but still, turmeric--the spice that gives curry its color and flavor--is gaining quite a reputation as a powerhouse plant.

Taken from the underground stalk of the Curcuma longa plant, turmeric has long been used by Ayurveda (a holistic medical system from India) and other traditional medical practices to treat various complaints. Many of turmeric's benefits can be traced to a single compound: the polyphenol curcumin.

Curcumin, which is responsible for the spice's yellow color, is known primarily as an anti-inflammatory with enormous potential. It may treat everything from arthritis to atherosclerosis. Preliminary research by Clark Lantz, PhD, a professor of cell biology and anatomy at the University of Arizona, has shown that if patients are given components of turmeric before a likely arthritis flare-up, the treatment inhibits and, in some cases, completely prevents the attack. "If it's given after the fact, we're not sure whether it will work, but certainly as a preventive measure, it seems to be effective," Lantz says.

The most significant finding to emerge from Lantz's study, however, is that curcumin may not be the most anti-inflammatory compound in turmeric. Another section of the plant known as oil leaf fractions--or what Lantz calls "turmeric oils"--are so highly anti-inflammatory that a turmeric oil concentration that's one-tenth less strong would match the effect of the curcumin compounds.

The catch, of course, is that turmeric oil is not yet available outside the lab. So for now, Lantz advocates taking turmeric for "prevention of inflammation" and suggests looking for products that contain "the whole extract of the rhizome, not just curcumin." These are hard to find, so try supplementing with 250-500mg of turmeric extract (90-95 percent curcumin) three times a day--and add some more curry to your diet as well. That way, you'll be sure to get some of the turmeric oils until they're available separately as supplements.

PLANETARY FORMULAS FULL SPECTRUM TURMERIC EXTRACT has 400mg of turmeric rhizome extract plus calcium.

ECLECTIC INSTITUTE FRESH FREEZE-DRIED TURMERIC delivers 395mg of turmeric rhizome per capsule.

HIMALAYA PURE HERBS TURMERIC capsules have 400mg of rhizome turmeric powder.

NEW CHAPTER TURMERIC FORCE has 400mg of the rhizome and 35.2mg of curcuminoids per serving.

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