The beneficial properties of spices lie not only in their bright taste - many are used as traditional medicine. One of them is turmeric - the queen of spices. It increases the shelf life of cooked dishes and adds a unique aroma to them. We tell you why pharmacists and doctors love it.
The spice's homeland is considered to be southeastern India - from here this plant from the ginger family began to spread throughout Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia, Pakistan, Iran and other warm countries, and then gained popularity in cooler regions of the world.
Turmeric is not only an excellent natural coloring agent (with its help butter and cheese acquire a pleasant yellowish tint), but also has unique medicinal properties. In Russia, turmeric is also called Indian saffron; the most popular dishes with it are rice, pilaf and chicken curry, to which this spice gives a golden color and a subtle bitterness. But few people are familiar with the beneficial properties of turmeric and its use for medicinal purposes.
The stems and rhizomes of the plant contain a large amount of vitamins B, K, C, as well as microelements - iodine, potassium, iron, phosphorus. The main active ingredient of the plant is curcumin, which has special healing properties. This is a substance from the class of polyphenols that has positive effects on various organs and systems of the body. Therefore, dosage forms and biological additives are created on its basis.
Beneficial properties of curcumin
Antioxidant that fights free radicals
Unstable atoms with open valence are constantly looking for a “pair”. By aggressively penetrating the cell structure, they contribute to the degeneration of cells into malignant ones. By destroying free radicals, antioxidants prevent the occurrence of cancerous tumors: it is no coincidence that according to research results, turmeric is listed as one of the means that helps fight cancer.
In particular, it is used for melanoma and its treatment with chemotherapy, since turmeric helps relieve symptoms after chemotherapy.
Natural antibiotic
Works as an anti-inflammatory agent, the effectiveness of which is comparable to pharmaceutical drugs. In eastern countries, even in the middle of the last century, many refused antibiotics and, in the old fashioned way, treated serious diseases with turmeric, including tuberculosis and pneumonia.
Wound healing agent
This property of turmeric was known in ancient times, when eastern warriors and hunters kept a bag of turmeric powder with them, which they sprinkled on open wounds. To this day, turmeric is used to treat external non-healing ulcers that are difficult to treat with other means.
A remedy for reducing the level of “bad” cholesterol in the blood and normalizing sugar levels
Regular consumption of turmeric (about 1/2 tsp per day) reduces cholesterol levels in the blood. In the prevention of diabetes, turmeric is used as a means of reducing cravings for sweets and slightly lowering blood sugar levels.
Helps normalize hormonal levels
This property of turmeric was discovered not so long ago. Studies have shown that regular consumption of turmeric maintains high levels of male and female sex hormones and helps maintain reproductive health into old age.
For men, turmeric helps improve sperm quality and increase libido: it is not without reason that before the night of love in India it is customary to eat meat dishes with curry seasoning.
- Normalizes blood pressure,
prevents the deposition of cholesterol plaques on the walls of blood vessels, preventing atherosclerosis.
- Helps regulate metabolism
and the work of the gastrointestinal tract, having carminative and choleretic effects.
- Purifies the blood
, increases the level of iron in the blood, which is useful for anemia, and has noticeable antiallergic properties.
- Insect bite repellent
, including poisonous ones: in the east, turmeric is still used to treat scorpion stings.
- Used to cleanse the body of toxins
(according to Ayurveda, turmeric is used in combination with barberry and gentian) and for effective weight loss (including in combination with ginger).
About the dangers of dark chocolate
First of all, it should be noted that chocolate is not advisable for people with metabolic problems or diabetes. But this applies more to white or milk types of chocolate, and as for bitter chocolate, it is quite possible to eat it, be sure to follow the daily norm (20-25 g) and in no case go beyond its limits.
However, let's consider the harmful properties:
- The tannin contained in dark chocolate is a vasoconstrictor, so if you often suffer from migraines, it is better to avoid consumption or eat slightly less than the daily requirement.
- Low-quality dark chocolate provokes the development of gastritis. Carefully study the products in stores and supermarkets when choosing.
- To the question “does dark chocolate make you fat?” You can answer partly in the affirmative, since this product is high in calories. On the other hand, dark chocolate has the fewest calories compared to all other types.
- Abuse of the product leads to dizziness, allergies and insomnia.
As you can see, all harmful qualities can, in principle, be reduced to zero if you adhere to a simple recommendation: 25 grams per day!
What is useful in a home medicine cabinet?
- Used to disinfect infected burns and cuts;
- prevention of the development of Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, various types of tumors;
- has an antidepressant effect, improves mood and performance;
- used in complex anti-inflammatory therapy of arthritis, including rheumatoid;
- acts on lipid metabolism, helping to stabilize weight.
Strengthening muscle endurance
This point is under testing since the experiments were carried out only on animals. An experiment on rats described in The Journal of Physiology showed that a daily dose of epicatechin significantly increased their endurance. They were able to complete more exercises over a longer period of time.
The increased endurance of the rodents as a result of taking nutritional supplements persisted after the withdrawal of daily exercise. Although a similar experiment has not yet been conducted in humans, the results of the study look promising for the human body. This effect can be very useful for athletes in decline.
To protect the liver and gastrointestinal tract
Turmeric normalizes the functioning of the digestive system, kidneys, liver and gall bladder. But it also has antiparasitic and antifungal functions, as a result of which humanity was freed from the presence of Giardia in the body - this is how curcumin entered the history of medicine as a remedy that improves intestinal microflora
Curcumin helps maintain normal liver function and detoxification, protecting the main “filter” from the effects of free radicals and toxins, and also prevents the formation of gallstones. Equally important, curcumin helps regenerate liver tissue by restoring hepatocytes.
The dietary supplement “Curcumin for the Liver” was created based on curcumin.
, which contains only natural ingredients - dandelion and burdock roots, milk thistle seed extract, turmeric root extract, artichoke extract, and black pepper extract - piperine, which enhances absorption and increases the bioavailability of all components.
Is it possible to eat sweets when losing weight?
Nowadays, a lot of dietary nutrition programs have been created, and you can choose the one that suits you best.
But we still recommend consulting with your doctor first to avoid problems. If you love sweets and can’t give them up, then you probably want to know whether you can eat them while losing weight? It should be said right away that not all sweets are harmful and some can be safely eaten while losing weight. It is more obvious that cakes and pastries are not included in this list, as they contain a large amount of simple carbohydrates. However, no one forbids you to prepare healthy sweets from certain products. For example, a honey-based fruit cake will not only be a tasty treat, but will also supply the body with many nutrients. The conversation about recipes is still ahead, but for now let’s look at those sweets that can be consumed in moderation on a diet.
- Honey.
Everyone knows the benefits of honey, and during a diet you not only can, but also need to consume it. There is one dietary nutrition program that involves consuming exclusively a honey-lemon solution prepared in water. All other products are prohibited. Most people who used this diet were satisfied with the results obtained. This is understandable from a scientific point of view, because honey provides a huge amount of nutrients. Many nutritionists recommend that their patients consume a couple of tablespoons of honey daily, which will not affect your figure in any way. It should also be remembered that honey should only be natural and should not be abused, because the energy value of the product is comparable to sugar. Buy honey only from reputable suppliers, as some beekeepers use sugar as food for bees. This allows you to increase the quantity of the final product, but negatively affects its quality. - Dried fruits.
Another type of sweet that is allowed during weight loss. You can painlessly replace sweets or cookies with them. During the period of weight loss, first of all you should pay attention to dried apricots, prunes and raisins. These products have a positive effect on the functioning of the heart muscle and the digestive system. You should eat them raw, and if you are afraid of germs, then simply pour boiling water over the dried fruits. As a last resort, you can make a compote from them, but in this case some of the nutrients will be irretrievably lost. If you feel hungry during the diet, you can easily eat a few dried fruits. - Fresh fruits.
Many fruits have a sweet taste and are quite capable of replacing your favorite sweets. However, it is worth remembering that even fruits have a certain energy value, which must be taken into account when compiling a diet. - Chocolate.
This article is dedicated to this product. Despite the fact that nutritionists are still arguing about the possibility of including chocolate in a dietary nutrition program, it can be consumed in small quantities. However, remember that this is a high-calorie product and you should not eat more than 30 grams of chocolate throughout the day. - Pastila and marshmallows.
These products can only be allowed on the diet if they have been properly prepared. Marshmallow contains a large amount of pectin, which can speed up the process of recycling excess fat. Without this substance, marshmallows become useless during the diet. - Marmalade.
It's all about the pectins contained in properly prepared marmalade. Unfortunately, the product that you can buy in the supermarket is extremely rarely useful and you should prepare it yourself. Let us remind you that you should not eat more than 25 grams of marmalade during the day.
Benefits of Curcumin for Liver and Curcumin for Joints
Consist only of natural ingredients.
Enhanced with extracts to optimize the liver: Dandelion and Burdock roots, Milk Thistle seed extract, Turmeric root extract - Curcumin, Artichoke extract, Black Pepper extract - Piperine.
The regenerating effect is enhanced by extracts of Milk Thistle, Artichoke, Dandelion and Burdock roots.
Curcumin for Joints is enhanced with anti-inflammatory extracts
- Sabelnik;
- white willow;
- ginger;
- licorice.
Bioavailability is greatly increased by black pepper extract
It has the ability to deliver substances quickly to their destination.
Chocolate diet
Let's find out what benefits this nutrition program has:
- Lipolysis processes are accelerated.
- A person can consume sweets that are difficult to give up completely.
- The work of the brain is stimulated.
- Flavonoids have a positive effect on the functioning of the heart muscle.
- Using this nutrition program for seven days allows you to get rid of two kilos.
However, there are contraindications to the use of the chocolate diet nutrition program.
First of all, this concerns the presence of problems with the functioning of the kidneys and liver. In addition, some people may have allergic reactions to this product. This nutrition program is a mono-diet, and they often end in failure. For this reason, we recommend spending chocolate fasting days, consuming a third of the bar at one time along with a cup of coffee. You should not use them more than twice a week. Also in cosmetology, the chocolate wrap procedure has recently become very popular. To carry it out, you should combine chocolate with ginger or cayenne pepper. Since these spices have warming properties, toni is able to act on subcutaneous adipose tissue, accelerating its destruction. In addition, chocolate wrap can be a very effective means of combating cellulite. You can carry out the procedure at home, after checking your skin for allergies to the ingredients.
What kind of chocolate can you eat while losing weight, see here:
