Turmeric is a spice found in the ginger family. Over the years, turmeric has gotten more and more popular. This is due to the chemical found in it, curcumin because it has been thought to help with inflammation. But based on the research, is supplementing with turmeric really that great?

For starters, curcumin has a low bioavailability which means very little of it gets into the bloodstream to have those anti-inflammatory effects. Nowadays, supplement companies are coming out with more turmeric supplements that increase the bioavailability of curcumin. This sounds great right? Well, the problem is, we don’t know the effective dose of turmeric. We also don't know the lethal dose of it. That being said, it's tricky to determine how much turmeric you should be taking for its anti-inflammatory effects, and can even be dangerous if you take too much. Enhancing the bioavailability of curcumin can also enhance any adverse effects that come with it such as gastrointestinal issues, and interactions with blood-thinning medications such as aspirin, warfarin, and coumadin. Turmeric is a mild blood thinner, making it dangerous to take in combination with blood-thinning medication. 

Recently in the United States, the amount of people that are experiencing liver injury due to supplementing with turmeric has been increasing. If we don’t know the correct amount we should be consuming, instead we should be looking to other options that can provide us with the benefits we are looking for in turmeric supplements, such as the anti-inflammatory effects it may have.

You’re probably wondering how you can decrease the amount of inflammation in your body without needing to supplement with turmeric, well you’ve come to the right place. Supplementing with turmeric can only have some anti-inflammatory benefits, but doing what I’m about to tell you can give you so many additional benefits along with reducing inflammation. Here it is… 

Instead of taking turmeric supplements, aim to consume an anti-inflammatory diet. The foods that are best for reducing inflammation consist of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes, and omega 3 fatty acids. While limiting the amount of processed foods, red meat, alcohol, and refined carbohydrates. Consuming an anti-inflammatory diet can not only reduce the inflammation in your body but increase your brain function, help in lowering blood pressure, help regulate blood sugars, and relieve other chronic issues.