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Turmeric seems to be getting quite the hype these days from health gurus such as Dr. Weil and Dr. Oz, and for good reason too. Turmeric has some pretty solid research behind it for reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. It’s also a potent anti-inflammatory and has been shown to promote healthy cholesterol levels.

Turmeric’s active ingredient is called curcumin. This can be found as a supplement (could be called turmeric or curcumin), a powder, or the whole root. It’s used frequently in Indian dishes and has been used medicinally by those in China and India for over a thousand years.

Other than cooking with turmeric or taking a supplement, a great way to increase your intake is through turmeric tea.

From Dr. Weil’s Website:

“Bring four cups of water to a boil.
Add one teaspoon of ground turmeric and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Strain the tea through a fine sieve into a cup, add honey and/or lemon to taste.”

I would also recommend adding some black pepper to the mixture while simmering. It will spice it up a bit, but a component of black pepper called piperine has been shown to increase absorption of turmeric by 2,000%.

For a great article on turmeric/curcumin and all the benefits, check out Life Extension’s article, “Curcumin Update – New Research on the Multiple Benefits of this Potent Health-Promoting, Disease-Fighting Agent” By Dale Kiefer.

Another great article can be found at World’s Healthiest Foods — Turmeric.

Enjoy!!!