Another way to increase the bioavailability of turmeric is to consume this spice with a source of fat (such as avocado, nut butters and nuts, fish, etc.), and therefore curcumin will directly be absorbed into the blood stream and bypass the liver.
As mentioned above, turmeric is best absorbed when taken with food. Fatty foods, such as eggs and vegetable oils (like coconut or olive oil), are the best to combine with turmeric. This is because they contain a compound called lecithin. Lecithin helps the body absorb turmeric.
The best turmeric supplements combine curcumin and black pepper. Adding black pepper can increase absorption of curcumin by 2,000%! The liver actively tries to get rid of the curcumin. By adding even just a pinch of pepper, this helps to suppress this process, allowing curcumin levels in the bloodstream to rise.
Foods like apples, berries, red grapes (that includes a glass of red wine for dinner with your turmeric curry:)) and onions, all contain a plant pigment known as quercetin. This flavonoid inhibits the enzyme that inactivates curcumin.
Black pepper is not necessary for turmeric to be effective, but it can be helpful. Black pepper contains a compound, piperine, which inhibits the metabolic breakdown of turmeric compounds in the gut and the liver.
Eat it with purple foods
These foods, like berries, red grapes (that includes a glass of red wine for dinner with your turmeric curry) and onions, and then also apples and green tea, all contain a plant pigment known as quercetin.
Turmeric improves digestion by influencing the gallbladder to produce bile and other digestive enzymes that are necessary for proper digestion. Starting your day with a glass of turmeric water prepares your digestive system for the rest of the day.
The natural acids in coffee can make it difficult for the spice to dissolve, affecting the solubility of a compound in turmeric. That compound is curcumin, found in spices like ginger and turmeric.
Ginger is a bioenhancer that can help your herbs and supplements be more effective. Piperine is another bioenhancer – well known for its help with enhancing how well curcumin is absorbed. (Curcumin is the health-promoting star in another member of the ginger family, turmeric.)
Taking turmeric supplements may put you at a higher risk of getting kidney stones. Don't take turmeric supplements if: You're taking aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil , Motrin ), or Acetaminophen (Tylenol ). Turmeric may lessen the effects of these medications.
Avoid using turmeric together with other herbal/health supplements that can also affect blood-clotting. This includes angelica (dong quai), capsicum, clove, dandelion, danshen, evening primrose, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, horse chestnut, Panax ginseng, poplar, red clover, saw palmetto, and willow.
To date, the curcumin formulation comprised of liquid droplet nano-micelles containing Gelucire® and polysorbate 20 (BioCurc®) has been shown to have the highest bioavailability with an absorption >400-fold as compared to unformulated curcumin [15].
If using ground turmeric, measure 1-2 teaspoons. Stir turmeric into 1/4 cup honey and add a pinch of black pepper- this helps our bodies absorb the active compound called curcumin from the turmeric! Store in the fridge for 1-3 weeks.
We also know that turmeric, and especially its active constituent curcumin, are poorly absorbed by the body. The reason for this is that curcumin dissolves in fat, rather than in water, and as the digestive system is a rather watery environment, most of it just ends up being excreted by the body.
Turmeric dissolves in fats. So whenever we eat turmeric with good fats, like avocado, olive oil or coconut oil, we're more likely to absorb more of it into our bloodstream. This is another major reason why turmeric is commonly mixed with warm milk.
Black pepper contains a compound called piperine that helps to increase the rate at which turmeric is absorbed by the body. In fact, research shows that piperine can increase the bioavailability of curcumin by 2000%.
Because of this, it doesn't take long for noticeable traces of curcumin to be gone from the body. Peak levels in the blood occur within one to two hours of taking curcumin and then drop quickly, according to a 2009 "Alternative Medicine Review" article.
People who should not take turmeric include those with gallbladder problems, bleeding disorders, diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), infertility, iron deficiency, liver disease, hormone-sensitive conditions, and arrhythmia.
Turmeric can lower your anxiety levels, so slipping this super spice into your bedtime rituals can really help you unwind whilst also helping ease any bad moods. On top of all the good sleep turmeric could bring you, it's also a natural inflammatory.
When to consume? According to experts, turmeric water is best consumed in the morning. “Though used both in the morning or before bed at night, turmeric water serves to be the most beneficial when had empty stomach as it helps the body burn excess flab,” Chawla said.
Remember, eating black pepper with turmeric boosts turmeric absorption in our bodies. [12] So, you can try a recipe involving both or an all-natural, vegan, organic turmeric, ginger, and black pepper supplement.
(3) You must also use black pepper only; its active compound, piperine, is what encourages turmeric absorption. The compound in cayenne, capsaicin, does not have the same effects (although it is extremely good for you).
We see a lot of the term “Activated Turmeric” on the Internet. It's often a marketing term for adding black pepper to turmeric to increase and improve rapid metabolic absorption and circulation.