Curcuma – Power From The Asian Super Bulb

Curcuma is India's sacred plant to fight against common diseases. For years, this super bulb has also been used in alternative medicine to treat numerous diseases. How can we bring Curcuma, Curcumin or Curcuminoide into our everyday life?

Did you know that curcuma has been used as a remedy in oriental medicine for several thousand years? Curcuma (botanical name: Curcuma longa) belongs to the ginger family and is considered a royal plant not only in the kitchen, but also in Ayurvedic medicine. The golden-yellow bulb from Southeast Asia, which is also called (Indian) turmeric, ginger, yellow ginger and Indian saffron, convinces with its many health-promoting properties. Among other things, it is said to have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and digestive properties.

Curcuma, curcumin, curcuminoids?

With so many different terms, it's easy to lose track.

While curcuma refers to the name of the entire plant, curcumin is the plant's main health-promoting ingredient. It belongs to the fat-soluble secondary plant substances (curcuminoids), which are extracted directly from the root of the plant Curcuma longa.

We are most familiar with the availability of curcuma as an ingredient in curry spice blends, which are particularly common in Indian cuisine. However, to experience the full health effects, it is not enough to eat purely from the spice powder. To achieve an effect, one would have to take several grams of pure curcuma daily. Since this is often difficult, many people take curcuma powder in the form of capsules as a support. It should be noted that a high-quality dietary supplement is characterized primarily by a high content of pure curcumin, as it is precisely this ingredient that is responsible for the health-promoting effect. ^[1]

Research and claimed effects

The plant curcuma, or more specifically its valuable ingredient curcumin, is with great interest, widely researched. Several studies have been conducted to date on the health effects of this medicinal plant^[2]:

• Tumor diseases
• Inflammatory processes (dermatitis, intestinal diseases)
• Neurological diseases (including Alzheimer's disease)
• Musculo-skeletal pain (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia)
• Diabetes and metabolic syndrome

The ingredient curcumin contained in the bulb is said to help stimulate the immune system, positively influence cholesterol levels and also provide relief from inflammation.

However, other valuable ingredients in the plant are not to be ignored: the trace element potassium can ensure to boost the metabolism or the additional essential oils in the root have a soothing and antispasmodic effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Definitely a plant that lives up to the nickname super bulb.

Optimal absorption – what should be considered?

Since the plant substance curcumin is purely fat-soluble, it is difficult to absorb in the intestine. The poor bioavailability ensures that curcumin is quickly metabolized and excreted again. However, this effect can be counteracted by adding additional piperine (black pepper). Adding just 20 mg of piperine to 2 g of curcumin increases its bioavailability by a factor of 2,000.

Curcumin – the all-rounder for daily well-being

Many people are already convinced of curcuma as a medicinal plant and love the extensive mode of action of the miracle bulb. With its millennia of history, this plant has found its raison d'être in alternative medicine. Also in modern research, this natural product is the focus of science and has long since built bridges from the Orient to the modern West and indisputably contributes to the well-being of mankind.

[1] cf. Welches Curcuma und Curcumin ist das beste? Kapseln oder Pulver? (kurkuma-superfood.info)

[2] cf. Nieber (2017), pp. 65-66.