Turmeric?

[katie01]

I've been reading about the many health benefits of turmeric, I'd like to try it specifically for inflammation. Advil works great but I'd be happy not to have to take it (currently seem to use Advil about once a week or less). Have you tried it for inflammation? Or do you take it as a preventative? If so, what have you found to be the best way to consume it? I like tea, so I might go with that, not sure what all the other options are

 

[bcla]

I've had turmeric ginger tea before. Totally weird. Wasn't drinking it for any purported health effects. I'll just say that it was an interesting taste, although I think the ginger dominated. It's ubiquitous in Indian foods. It's also pretty common in Singapore cuisine. I rather like it in food, but in reasonable quantities. However, you might just want to take it in capsules.

 

[katie01]

I've had turmeric ginger tea before. Totally weird. Wasn't drinking it for any purported health effects. I'll just say that it was an interesting taste, although I think the ginger dominated. It's ubiquitous in Indian foods. It's also pretty common in Singapore cuisine. I rather like it in food, but in reasonable quantities. However, you might just want to take it in capsules.

Good to know, I honestly don't know if I've ever tasted it and whether or not the taste of the tea would be unappealing to me. We also haven't ventured into any type of Indian cuisine, which was why I was curious what other dishes I could put it into where it wouldn't taste "off". We eat a lot of salads, salmon, various chicken dishes, soups, and the usual spaghetti/taco/hamburger easy meals. I think it might not "go" with those flavors, so I was thinking tea might be my best bet. I thought a friend told me she drank it in smoothies?

 

[4Mickeys]

I sprinkle it on cauliflower (steak cut or florets) add some olive oil then roast in the oven - pretty tasty as a veggie side with chicken or steak.

 

[Karin1984]

I use it whenever I want a bit of a (middle) Eastern flavours. It's not my favourite spice, but it gets plenty of use in my herb cabinet.
I would say just start using it and see what happens. If it helps your inflammations, great, but at least you can get some tasty food out of it

 

[Earstou]

I tried the tea and couldn't finish the cup!
Dh takes tumeric capsules as part of his cancer treatment, recommended by his oncologist specialist. The doctor told us last time we saw him that he would be writing a paper on it's usage. He thinks it really helps.
We don't know if it works, but Dh has outlived the life expectancy estimate that was made when he was first diagnosed.

We have a friend that sprinkles it on his breakfast cereal. I haven't tried that yet, doesn't sound good to me!

 

[anthony2k7]

I've been reading about the many health benefits of turmeric, I'd like to try it specifically for inflammation. Advil works great but I'd be happy not to have to take it (currently seem to use Advil about once a week or less). Have you tried it for inflammation? Or do you take it as a preventative? If so, what have you found to be the best way to consume it? I like tea, so I might go with that, not sure what all the other options are

I have various allergy related issues including eczema which has been uncontrolled for many years regardless of what Dr's have prescribed. I recently started drinking at least one cup of turmeric tea a day and I believe it has helped me a bit. Turmeric alone did not cure it but with a couple of other changes i have since made I'm definitely much better now on most of my allergy issues than I have been in years.

 

[mousefan73]

I have been taking it on and off in powdered form as a tea for a while. I will mix it with freshly ground ginger. It really doesnt have a strong taste IMO when mixed with ginger. I once found the root and it also had a very non-existant mild taste. I dont recall what I did with the root, but read you can add it to rice to add color, not really flavor.

I bought the Trader Joes powdered form. I was told to really look for quality and authenticy as many "tumerics" are not reall tumerics, just sold as such but in reality colored other powders.

Now if tumeric gives me health benefits I cannot judge. but its been used for centuries in eastern medicine and I know of other people that have benefited from that type of treatment ( both cancer patients)

What I can 100% say is that I have been taking fresh ginger for years and noticed I have less colds or conjestion ( I know others personally who say the same thing) . But I personally love ginger water.. others hate it.. I can l eat the root raw, others would gag.

one tip on tumeric it does stain... so your mugs and possiblity teeth are a thing to look out for. definately worth to try to get off advil, your liver will thank you.


the powder to me tastes "warm" like a mild pepper but kinda curry like but not like curry.. hard to explain... for me not a bad flavor.

 

[John VN]

I have used Turmeric for eons along with other anti-inflammatory spices, individually and as a Curry powder.. The last cruise DW and I took I asked if the Chef could use my recipe for Curry Powder since the onboard mixture was not as flavorful as mine and he was extremely accommodating.

NOTE--Ground black pepper (BioPerine) should be included to increase the bio-availability. One should research Turmeric/Curcumin and use ONLY ORGANIC

I tried the tea and couldn't finish the cup!
Dh takes tumeric capsules as part of his cancer treatment, recommended by his oncologist specialist. The doctor told us last time we saw him that he would be writing a paper on it's usage. He thinks it really helps.
We don't know if it works, but Dh has outlived the life expectancy estimate that was made when he was first diagnosed.

We have a friend that sprinkles it on his breakfast cereal. I haven't tried that yet, doesn't sound good to me!

Turmeric, other spices/mushrooms has long been included in the Holistic cancer treating protocol with recorded information available. I started using for anti-inflammatory and later discovered the benefits for my Aggressive Prostate Cancer; HOWEVER, one must also consider the masking abilities regarding certain blood tests.

As with anything diet related, taste buds differ and one might find the unique flavor of certain items to be distasteful and reactive during digestion so those items might best be left out of the recipe.

I enjoy Curry powder with Turmeric on my cereal and even sliced banana with almond butter/peanut butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne pepper

 

[Meriweather]

I've tried turmeric in various things. It does not agree with me

 

[mombrontrent]

I’m my opinion it doesn’t really have that strong of a flavour. I use it Indian/middle eastern dishes quite often. I also use it when I want to add yellow color to a recipe. Just a pinch can potentially turn your dish bright yellow. I’ll use it to turn my vegan “cheese” sauces yellow or even in a lemon dessert to add a pop of color and don’t notice any turmeric flavour, but I also like the flavour.

 

[Southernmiss]

I've had turmeric tea and it does help aches and pains. I've also tried turmeric/curcumin capsules (always get it with black pepper).

The tea and capsules do help aches and pains, but also have caused burning in my stomach and stomach upset. You may have to experiment with types or brands.

I have found that Doctor's Blend brand capsules I can tolerate on occasion without the stomach issues.

I also like chai tea before bed , if I've done yardwork or something and I know my muscles will hurt the next day. Chai tea helps me sleep and I have less muscle discomfort.

Have you tried ground flax or flax seed oil or ground chia seeds for inflammation?

We've been making green smoothies (3/4 kale, or spinach or other like greens, 1/4 fruit and 1 tablespoon ground flax and 1 tablespoon ground chia seeds). Dh's markers for cholesterol dropped significantly and we both just overall feel better.

I'll have blood work next month and am curious what my numbers will be.

 

[Minnesota!]

I make oolong tea, steeped with cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, and cayenne. Great for weight loss and energy. I use tumeric in a lot of cooking, too.

 

[Colleen27]

I use it a lot in cooking, simply because I like Middle Eastern flavors and because it adds a little something to chili and southwest dishes. But I also take an organic turmeric/curcumin supplement. And honestly, I don't know that it works. It could be luck or all in my head. But I have a recurring inflammatory condition in my eyes and since I started taking the supplement, on the advice of my doctor after my last serious flare, I've only had one very minor recurrence which resolved in a matter of days rather than the months it took for the previous instance. That's evidence enough to keep me taking it, whether or not it is proven yet.

 

[bcla]

Turmeric (along with anatto) is now used to color Kraft Macaroni & Cheese in place of artificial food coloring. In those quantities it has almost no flavor, but it's still pretty yellow. It also has other uses, including as a radiator stop leak.

Most of what people think of as yellow curries contain turmeric, although in India "curry" could mean a lot of different things. It's used in a variety of Asian and middle eastern cuisine.

 

[katie01]

I tried the tea and couldn't finish the cup!
Dh takes tumeric capsules as part of his cancer treatment, recommended by his oncologist specialist. The doctor told us last time we saw him that he would be writing a paper on it's usage. He thinks it really helps.
We don't know if it works, but Dh has outlived the life expectancy estimate that was made when he was first diagnosed.

We have a friend that sprinkles it on his breakfast cereal. I haven't tried that yet, doesn't sound good to me!

I'm glad that your DH has been doing well, and hope his good health will continue!

 

[katie01]

I have various allergy related issues including eczema which has been uncontrolled for many years regardless of what Dr's have prescribed. I recently started drinking at least one cup of turmeric tea a day and I believe it has helped me a bit. Turmeric alone did not cure it but with a couple of other changes i have since made I'm definitely much better now on most of my allergy issues than I have been in years.

that is encouraging! Glad you've had relief

I have been taking it on and off in powdered form as a tea for a while. I will mix it with freshly ground ginger. It really doesnt have a strong taste IMO when mixed with ginger. I once found the root and it also had a very non-existant mild taste. I dont recall what I did with the root, but read you can add it to rice to add color, not really flavor.

I bought the Trader Joes powdered form. I was told to really look for quality and authenticy as many "tumerics" are not reall tumerics, just sold as such but in reality colored other powders.

Now if tumeric gives me health benefits I cannot judge. but its been used for centuries in eastern medicine and I know of other people that have benefited from that type of treatment ( both cancer patients)

What I can 100% say is that I have been taking fresh ginger for years and noticed I have less colds or conjestion ( I know others personally who say the same thing) . But I personally love ginger water.. others hate it.. I can l eat the root raw, others would gag.

one tip on tumeric it does stain... so your mugs and possiblity teeth are a thing to look out for. definately worth to try to get off advil, your liver will thank you.


the powder to me tastes "warm" like a mild pepper but kinda curry like but not like curry.. hard to explain... for me not a bad flavor.

I love Trader Joe's, I'll check there. Good to know about the staining, I suppose that would be a reason for choosing capsules, but I always like to try to get vitamins in food sources when possible

I've had turmeric tea and it does help aches and pains. I've also tried turmeric/curcumin capsules (always get it with black pepper).

The tea and capsules do help aches and pains, but also have caused burning in my stomach and stomach upset. You may have to experiment with types or brands.

I have found that Doctor's Blend brand capsules I can tolerate on occasion without the stomach issues.

I also like chai tea before bed , if I've done yardwork or something and I know my muscles will hurt the next day. Chai tea helps me sleep and I have less muscle discomfort.

Have you tried ground flax or flax seed oil or ground chia seeds for inflammation?

We've been making green smoothies (3/4 kale, or spinach or other like greens, 1/4 fruit and 1 tablespoon ground flax and 1 tablespoon ground chia seeds). Dh's markers for cholesterol dropped significantly and we both just overall feel better.

I'll have blood work next month and am curious what my numbers will be.

I forgot about flaxseed. At one point I was trying to add that to recipes but just forgot about it after we used up the last box. That would be easy to incorporate again. Smoothies are always great too. I have one kid that only eats limited fruits but will eat just about any fruit in a smoothie

 

[JM23457]

I've been reading about the many health benefits of turmeric, I'd like to try it specifically for inflammation. Advil works great but I'd be happy not to have to take it (currently seem to use Advil about once a week or less). Have you tried it for inflammation? Or do you take it as a preventative? If so, what have you found to be the best way to consume it? I like tea, so I might go with that, not sure what all the other options are

You can take it more directly via curcumin pills (that is turmeric's active ingredient). However, if you're serious about fighting inflammation, there are more potent supplements out there. Glutathione is the best, but it's only effective via IV infusion. Alpha lipoic acid can be taken in pill form and is a stronger anti-inflammatory than curcumin.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

I've had turmeric tea and it does help aches and pains. I've also tried turmeric/curcumin capsules (always get it with black pepper).

The tea and capsules do help aches and pains, but also have caused burning in my stomach and stomach upset. You may have to experiment with types or brands.

I have found that Doctor's Blend brand capsules I can tolerate on occasion without the stomach issues.

I also like chai tea before bed , if I've done yardwork or something and I know my muscles will hurt the next day. Chai tea helps me sleep and I have less muscle discomfort.

Have you tried ground flax or flax seed oil or ground chia seeds for inflammation?

We've been making green smoothies (3/4 kale, or spinach or other like greens, 1/4 fruit and 1 tablespoon ground flax and 1 tablespoon ground chia seeds). Dh's markers for cholesterol dropped significantly and we both just overall feel better.

I'll have blood work next month and am curious what my numbers will be.

I second the flax. I feel like I notice a difference when I am taking flax. I take it for inflammation from my various allergy issues, but I stay away from turmeric because I had/have an ulcer and it is supposed to aggravate stomach and intestinal issues. Ground flax is yummy on plain cheerios with some honey to sweeten it--tastes just like honey nut cheerios! Ground flax tastes nutty so you can add it to anything that would benefit from that flavor.

 

[Pooh2]

I make ginger and tumeric ice tea. I drink it quick to get it over with!