122 | <strong>KACHEN</strong> | 3 / <strong>2018</strong> Turmeric
WELLNESS n TEXT & PHOTO MASSIMO GHERARDI Most people know turmeric only from their spice cabinet. This golden powder is often used in Asian cuisine to give foods colour and flavour. Curry, for example, would be unimaginable without turmeric. The turmeric plant, aka curcuma or Gelbwurz, has extravagantly elongated blossoms and loves a tropical climate that's warm and humid. There are around 80 different types of this plant, which is a member of the ginger family. The spice is obtained from the lateral shoots of the rhizome, also called a root tuber, and then marketed as curcuma longa. This contains, along with starch and essential oils, yellow curcumin, which has positive effects on health. Turmeric has long been used as a remedy for digestive problems. It stimulates bile production, which is helpful in the digestion of fats. It also helps upset stomach and bloat, and was once used to treat liver diseases. Research has also turned an eye to curcumin after new potential and spectacular properties were discovered. In medicine, curcumin is mainly known as an anti-inflammatory substance. When taken in the medium to long term, it lessens symptoms of arthritis, rheumatic complaints and tendinitis, improves joint fluid and mobility, and all with only very minor and infrequent side effects such as dry mouth or minor gastric irritation. Curcumin is not recommended for people with gallbladder diseases, such as gallstones, for pregnant and breastfeeding women, or for children, as there have been no studies concluded on its safety. Research is also focusing on even more spectacular applications involving Alzheimer's, cardiovascular diseases, cholesterol, and diabetes. In cancer therapy there have already been animal experiments with regard to prevention and treatment, but the positive results are still difficult to transfer to humans. It indicated, however, that turmeric indeed has something to offer. Unfortunately curcumin does not dissolve easily in water, and therefore is not easily reabsorbed. The powder has therefore only limited effects if taken. The same applies to tinctures and dry extracts. The pharmaceutical industry, however, has succeeded in significantly increasing the solubility of curcumin and thus the effect of the preparations as well. These improved curcumin extracts are then processed into pills or capsules, often with added substances, an sold as medicine. These additives can also greatly increase the bioavailability of curcumin, such as piperine obtained from pepper, which inhibits the glucuronidation of curcumin in the liver, thus reducing its excretion. The turmeric plant therefore has come a long way from culinary seasoning and traditional medicinal use to modern medical research. And it's only just begun. But above all, turmeric represents and alternative treatment option that advocates conscious consumption and endorses the renunciation of drugs with side effects. This in turn is the reason why turmeric enjoys an increasing popularity. © Marc Klein <strong>2018</strong> / 3 | <strong>KACHEN</strong> | 123