Did you know that the yellow spice you associated with good taste is actually responsible for fat reduction and weight loss? While scientists and doctors all over the world are researching on naturally occurring substances like spices, vegetables and herbs for their fat burning properties, turmeric has been vouched for by many of them.

Would you like to know how turmeric can help you in your weight loss mission? Then read on!

Turmeric – The Miracle Spice:

Turmeric is used in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent and various other parts of the world for its earthy flavor and bright color. It has various health benefits, and weight loss is one of them.

Turmeric has the following health benefits:

1. It is anti-inflammatory in nature. As a result, it helps those who have painful joints and related conditions like arthritis. Also, unlike anti-inflammatory drugs, turmeric does not have side effects.
2. It has antiseptic and antimicrobial properties. So, if you have an injury, turmeric can speed up the healing process.
3. Recent research shows that turmeric actually has chemicals that can be attributed to protection against Alzheimer’s disease (1).
4. Turmeric gives your immune system a healthy boost. It even protects and fights against certain types of cancer like breast cancer and melanoma.
5. It has been used as an anti-depressant in China for centuries (2).
6. It helps in the removal of toxins accumulated in the liver.

How Turmeric Causes Weight Loss?

There are many theories that explain how turmeric helps in weight loss. There are two ways in which people become ‘fat’ or gain weight. One is the excess growth of fat cells in size. The other is an excess multiplication of fat cells, i.e., the cells grow in number. If either of these processes can be decelerated, weight loss would be possible. Turmeric contains curcumin, which inhibits cell division in adipocytes (fat cells) by reducing the amount of blood flowing into these cells. Due to the lack of incoming nutrients from fresh blood, the fat cells fail to increase in number.

Another way in which turmeric helps in weight loss is by regulating sugar levels and preventing insulin resistance. As a result, excess fat is not retained in your body. As overweight and obese persons are prone to diabetes, eating turmeric keeps them safe from this condition.

It has been seen that regular consumption of turmeric increases the bile present in the stomach. Bile is a digestive juice that helps in emulsifying fat and consequently, its metabolism. So, this is another way in which turmeric is effective in weight loss.

Turmeric Lowers Cholesterol:

Studies have directly linked lower cholesterol in the blood to regular turmeric consumption. The curcumin in turmeric affects the low-density lipid cholesterol (also known as ‘bad cholesterol’). In a scientific study done on rabbits, it was seen that not only regular consumption of turmeric reduced the LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, but also prevented LDL from getting oxidized. Oxidized LDL is responsible for atherosclerosis – a condition where the blood vessels in and around the heart become constricted due to deposition of cholesterol on the walls of the heart.

However, these experiments and studies have all been conducted on rats and rabbits, but not on humans. What works in one mammal may not be as effective on another mammal. But, even if we assume the success rate is same in humans as in rats and rabbits, it is not a complete cure. Anywhere between half to one-third of the animals under the study showed significant results. Also, the dosage varies between animals with such disparity in the sizes of humans and rats. So, there is no way to determine what dosage of turmeric per day would produce beneficial results in humans.

Turmeric Diet:

As with all fads, when there is any hint of a substance showing promise in weight loss solutions, different diets and regimens have sprung up incorporating turmeric. One of them is the turmeric diet that essentially entails eating turmeric directly. There are two ways you can do it:

1. Spices And Supplements:

Turmeric is a well-known spice used in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Morocco, etc. So, it is not difficult to incorporate it into your regular diet. Simply add some turmeric powder in your spice mix and see the bright, orange color unfurl. You can give regular food a turmeric twist by adding it to a spiced frittata or scrambled eggs or roasted veggies. You can also drink an infusion of turmeric as tea. If all else fails, you can buy turmeric supplements from the drug store. Try to pair turmeric with pepper as the latter increases the bioavailability of turmeric.

2. Drinks:

You can even make a power smoothie with greens like cabbage and kale and just chuck in a peeled thumb of raw turmeric. In India, turmeric in milk is given to kids for strength and development.

Precautions:

Too much of anything can be bad, and the same principle applies to turmeric as well. First of all, it is never a good idea to take supplements of anything that you can easily find in an organic form. So, try to use the powder, or better yet, use the raw roots instead of taking supplements.

• You must also be careful about the dosage. It is recommended to limit your daily turmeric consumption to 1,500 mg. For best results, 500 mg is sufficient.
• Apart from that, many people suffer from allergic reactions to turmeric, and the reactions might range from mild inflammation and itching to violent bouts of diarrhea, gastric upset, and nausea. If you develop rashes on using a lotion containing turmeric, do not ingest the spice.
• Also, as already mentioned, turmeric increases the bile production (3). Used bile is stored in the gall bladder. Increased bile secretion can aggravate gallbladder problems and forms stones in the gallbladder or the duct.
• Although it is known to be anti-inflammatory, turmeric can act as a stimulant of gastric acid secretion. If you already suffer from acid reflux or hyperacidity, the slightly acidic turmeric may worsen the situation.
• If you feel any discomfort or pain after taking turmeric, consult the physician and seek medical help.

Yes, as hard as it may be to believe, this herb that your grandmother swore about being the best, can actually help you with your weight loss goals! Try it to believe it!

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by Daiwik Suresh Gejji via STYLECRAZE