Ideal Turmeric Dosage - How Much Turmeric to Take Daily?

Turmeric has been known as the most powerful ancient healing herb in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine for thousands of years. This beautiful flowering plant originated from Southern India, but is now popularly cultivated in South Asia. Turmeric belongs to the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, which many of the family’s species are used as a medicinal healing herb. Turmeric is extensively used in many South Asian and Indian cuisines, and is commonly used as golden spice in curry dishes. Although turmeric has been used to give foods a tasty zing flavour and bold yellow colour, growing evidence shows turmeric offers a plethora of healing, curative and preventative health benefits.

Due to turmeric’s powerful anti-inflammatory properties it can be used to reduce pain and swelling associated with all forms of arthritis, and even other inflammatory conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. Curcumin is the major component and the active ingredient in turmeric and is responsible for turmeric’s therapeutic properties.

It also contains antioxidant properties to help protect our immune system from various illnesses and diseases. There have also been very promising research studies showing turmeric to have anti-cancerous properties.

Want to reap all the powerful healing properties this beautiful yellow spice has to offer?

 Of course you do! Adding turmeric to you daily regimen is quite simple. You can add turmeric to your diet by adding a smidge to your smoothies, shred into a breakfast hash or casserole, sprinkle in scrambled eggs or tofu scramble, make a Turmeric Chai Latte, add to soups and stews, grate on top of a salad, make a homemade vinaigrette with turmeric or quench your thirst through a Sparkling Tea with Turmeric. Turmeric Teas, a local Toronto tea company makes it even easier for you to take advantage of turmeric’s health benefits by sipping through any of their signature blends of organic loose-leaf teas, as it contains the powerful healing herb, turmeric root. Another way turmeric can be effective is through supplements.

So what is the recommended daily dosage of turmeric for adults?

The answer depends on two factors:

• Reason for turmeric intake - curative care (i.e. treat a medical condition) or preventive care (i.e. prevent occurrence of a medical condition).

• Form of turmeric consumption - supplement, ground turmeric powder, turmeric root pieces, fluid extract, or fresh turmeric root. 

TURMERIC FOR CURATIVE CARE

If you’re looking to alleviate joint pain, reduce inflammation or suffer from cancer, it's best to consult a nutritional practitioner as dosages are higher and vary depending on what you want to treat and heal.

TURMERIC FOR PREVENTIVE CARE

If you are looking to add turmeric (curcumin) for preventive care or physical well-being, the recommended dosage is:

Did you know to optimize nutrient absorption from turmeric you must combine it with black pepper? Piperine is the key chemical in black pepper that is responsible for increasing the nutrient absorption in turmeric by 2000%. This is why Turmeric Teas signature blends of organic loose-leaf teas contains the powerful blend of both black pepper and turmeric to help enhance turmeric’s bio-availability and absorption. If taking turmeric in a supplemental form, swallow a couple of whole peppercorns along with turmeric supplements so you can take advantage of turmeric’s full beneficial health properties.

Alexandra Daugherty, CNP • Holistic Nutritionist