People have used turmeric as a medicine as well as a spice for many years, particularly in China and India. Recently, scientists have attempted to find out whether and how turmeric works to alleviate several medical conditions. One 2009 study with mice suggests that turmeric may assist in weight loss. But similar research in humans is needed before we can conclude that turmeric will help people lose weight.
What Is Turmeric?
Turmeric, whose scientific name is Curcuma longa, is an herb that has been used for thousands of years as a food coloring and seasoning as well as a medicine, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Its yellow hue lends color to Indian curry, mustard, butter and cheese. Both Indian and Chinese medicine use it to treat a wide range of disorders.
How Turmeric Works
Medicinally, turmeric's underground stems, or rhizomes, are taken as powders, teas or liquid extracts or in capsules, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine states. Although few clinical trials have been conducted, preliminary animal and laboratory studies indicate that a compound called curcumin, found in turmeric, may have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and antioxidant properties.
Turmeric and Weight
Tufts University researchers caused quite a stir in the diet community when they published the results of an animal experiment in "The Journal Of Nutrition" in 2009. Mice were fed a high-fat diet supplemented with curcumin. The curcumin didn't affect the mice's food intake but did seem to lower their body fat and weight gain when compared to control animals. But until the experiment is repeated in human subjects, there is no way of knowing whether turmeric can help people lose weight.
Cautions
Although the amount of turmeric typically used to season and color foods is considered safe, larger amounts may cause stomach upset and even ulcers. Large amounts of turmeric may also interfere with diabetes medications, blood thinning drugs such as warfarin, and drugs such as famotidine and ranitidine, which reduce stomach acid, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Turmeric
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Herbs at a Glance: Turmeric
- "The Journal of Nutrition"; Curcumin Inhibits Adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes and Angiogenesis and Obesity in C57/BL Mice; Asma Ejaz, Dayong Wu, Paul Kwan and Mohsen Meydani; May 2009
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