A lot is known today about the benefits and dangers of water with turmeric on an empty stomach. With the appearance of this and many other spices on store shelves, interest in them has grown significantly. Our ancestors began to be used turmeric in cooking and also as a means of traditional medicine. Ayurveda recommends turmeric as a treatment and prevention but strongly warns against caution and measures.
The healing properties of this exquisite oriental spice have been known to mankind for over 4000 years. Throughout the period, many eastern peoples used turmeric extensively in medicine and cooking. For example, it has been observed that adding a fragrant yellow powder to dishes not only gives them a specific flavor but also significantly extends the shelf life.
Turmeric was used in folk medicine, as evidenced by numerous records that have come down to us in Indian and Chinese medical treatises. In earlier times, turmeric was also used as a natural coloring agent for leather, wood, and metal processing. Turmeric was worth its weight in gold.
Origin, appearance, taste, composition, calorie content, nutritional value
The historical homeland of turmeric is southeastern India. Therefore, she is often called the queen of Indian spices. Today, in addition to India, it is widely cultivated in Japan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, China, Australia. There are several types of shrubs, but only long turmeric is suitable for food and medicinal purposes. The plant is a close relative of ginger and is similar in taste - a little pungent with a slight bitterness.
The most commonly used dry root is ground. It can be stored well without requiring special conditions. Mainly you need to protect it from direct exposure to sunlight. Freshly squeezed juice from the root of the plant retains its properties in the refrigerator for no more than a week.
The most valuable component of the spice is curcumin. It is what gives the characteristic yellow-orange color and is the main value. In addition to curcumin, the roots of the plant are rich:
The spice is a high-calorie product: the energy value of 100 g of the product is 325 kcal, the same amount contains:
However, this should not be scary, since the permissible daily rate is no more than 5 g.
How to choose?
When purchasing a fresh root on the market or in a store, pay close attention to its appearance: it should be dense and elastic, without external damage and soft sides. If we are talking about the powder, then it should resemble a finely dispersed powder, be:
In color, it can be from bright yellow to rich orange. Any suspicious blotches and a pale, unattractive color indicate poor product quality and the presence of impurities.
It is better to buy turmeric in a specialized store in its original packaging with a specified expiration date. In such outlets, sellers have information about where the product was grown, what conditions, and most importantly, how much curcumin it contains.
Usually, the amount of the main component varies from 2 to 8%, but in the markets, you should not look for a product with a percentage higher than 3%. Also, to make the product look more natural, it is often tinted. What - only the seller knows, which is fraught with unpleasant health consequences.
The more curcumin in the spice, the brighter and more aromatic it is.
For example, turmeric of the First Bud Organics Lakadong brand contains 8% curcumin, and due to which, its aroma and taste are very bright - floral.
How to distinguish a natural powder from a fake or mixture?
If you have to buy a spice on the market from private traders, you can learn a few tricks that will help identify a fake. Sometimes, to reduce the cost of a hot product, dishonest sellers go for a trick, mixing wheat or corn flour, starch, and even chalk into a natural spice.
To determine the presence of impurities in a product, you can do the following:
- Take a closer look at the color: natural turmeric has a bright juicy color from yellow to orange, but it cannot be pale.
- A high-quality, not a stale product has a strong specific smell, i.e. you can take a little pinch and just sniff. To be sure, rub the powder in your fingers, warming it: the smell should be very strong.
- Another surest way is to put a small amount of powder in a glass of water. The spice will quickly disperse, turning the water yellow, but will not dissolve, which will be clearly visible (the warmer the water, the faster the reaction). If lumps appear in the water column, whitish stains or the powder completely dissolves - in front of you is a fake.
Healing properties
Despite the centuries-old use of curcumin for medicinal purposes, all the properties of this substance are not fully understood. But even now the range of known positive effects on the body is huge.
Curcumin:
- a powerful natural antioxidant to effectively fights free radicals and slows down the aging process;
- is strong anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agent;
- lowers blood cholesterol levels;
- resists the multiplication of cancer cells;
- controls blood glucose levels;
- accelerates metabolism, which contributes to the passive burning of excess calories;
- suppresses the process of accumulation of fatty deposits, contributing to weight loss;
- effective in the treatment of degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis;
- promotes detoxification of liver cells;
- accelerates cell regeneration in case of burns and cuts, insofar as it has an antiseptic effect;
- slows down the progression of brain dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease;
- fights depression;
- makes it easier to feel with rheumatoid arthritis;
- smoothes the symptoms of seasonal allergies: itching, sneezing, swelling, nasal congestion;
- normalizes the digestive tract;
- improves appetite;
- effective in the treatment of gum diseases: gingivitis and periodontal disease;
- treats skin diseases: psoriasis, dermatitis, lichen, burns, cuts;
- strengthens the muscles of the fundus, helping to maintain visual acuity;
- fights chronic fatigue, filling the body with vigor and energy.
Indications for use
Based on the above medicinal properties, a list of diseases and conditions is formed, in which the benefits of turmeric with water in the morning on an empty stomach are time-tested. These include:
- diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
- frequent colds due to reduced body resistance;
- overweight;
- Alzheimer's disease;
- breast, prostate, rectal cancer;
- seasonal allergies;
- type 2 diabetes;
- dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, poor appetite;
- increased fatigue;
- depression;
- inflammatory and degenerative joint diseases;
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- weakening of visual acuity;
- hypertension;
- premenstrual syndrome;
- age-related memory impairment.
Contraindications
Curcumin does not cause adverse reactions, but it has some contraindications. You should refuse to use it when:
- individual intolerance to curcumin;
- pregnancy and lactation;
- severe diabetes with the threat of a sharp drop in sugar;
- taking antidiabetic drugs and anticoagulants;
- stomach ulcer, gastritis and pancreatitis, especially in acute forms;
- increased acidity of the stomach;
- gallstone disease;
- hemophilia;
- chronic hypotension.
How to cook and drink turmeric water on an empty stomach with benefits?
To maximize the effect, you should use the elixir of health, observing certain rules:
- Consume only a freshly prepared portion and only when warm.
- For cooking, take only purified water, preferably bottled. Pure water on an empty stomach itself has powerful cleansing and stimulating effects.
- The morning reception should be no later than half an hour before meals.
- Before using, make sure the powder is thoroughly mixed without leaving any lumps.
- In order for the body to adapt, start taking curcumin with the smallest dose (no more than 0.5 tsp in the first week), gradually increasing it.
- With normal tolerance, the dosage can be increased once a week by 0.5 tsp.
- The general course of therapy or prophylaxis should not last more than 4 weeks. Then they take a break - at least 2 weeks, after which the course can be repeated.
Basic recipes
Nutritionists recommend several recipes for use, tested in practice, and giving a powerful healing effect.
Classical
The classic recipe consists of two ingredients - water and turmeric. To prepare a drink:
- Take 200-250 ml of water and heat it to 40-50 ° C.
- Add 0.5 tsp. turmeric and stir well until the lumps disappear.
To enhance the properties of the elixir, you can add a pinch of black, white pepper or a mixture. The increased pungency of the drink "accelerates" the blood better and more effectively solves a specific health problem.
Slimming
A green tea-based drink works well for weight loss. To prepare it, put 1 tsp tea leaves and spices and pour 250 ml of boiling water in a cup. Leave the mixture stand for 7-10 minutes. It is now ready to drink in the morning on an empty stomach and throughout the day before main meals.
If your body gained excess weight, it will also be useful for you to read the article " The best spices for weight loss ."
Fat burning
An effective and very popular fat burner is turmeric with lemon and honey, which is drunk at least 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals. To prepare the mixture, take 10 g of grated turmeric root, ½ lemon juice, and 30 g of honey. Pour the mixture with 350 ml of boiling water, stir, let it brew for 20 minutes, and you can take it.
Detoxing
To detox the body, you can use the following recipes:
- Boil 500 ml of water, add 4 tbsp. of unflavored black tea, 4 small pieces of ginger root, ground cinnamon on the tip of a knife, 2 tbsp. of turmeric, 1 tbsp. honey. Stir the mixture, add 500 ml of kefir and mix again. Consume once a day instead of breakfast or instead of dinner.
- Add 1 tablespoon to 100 ml of warm water, honey, and ¼ tbsp. turmeric, stir and take twice a day: 2 hours before breakfast and 2 hours before dinner.
Summing up, we can state that the benefits and harms of water with turmeric on an empty stomach are incomparable. Subject to the indications, dosages, rules for preparing and taking medicinal drinks, the benefits are enormous, and the harm is practically reduced to zero.
