Curcuma - Detailed information

Turmeric – the spice of India

In a broader sense, turmeric is a genus of plants in the ginger family, which includes around 100 species. In a narrower sense, it usually refers to turmeric (Curcuma longa) and, in particular, the spice obtained from its rhizome (underground stem). Turmeric has long played an important role in Indian and Thai cuisine, both in dried and ground form and as a whole tuber. The rhizome of turmeric contains various essential oils, acids, and curcuminoids, such as the yellow pigment curcumin.

Curcumin is synthesized in the plant itself to protect against microbial pathogens. Accordingly, curcumin is said to strengthen the immune system. There is also evidence that the active ingredient has a positive effect on cholesterol levels.

Special combination: turmeric and black pepper

Curcumin is poorly soluble in water and is therefore only poorly absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract. The bioavailability of curcumin—that is, the proportion of the active ingredient that is actually available to the body after ingestion—is therefore low. Dissolving it in oil, heating it, or mixing it with piperine (a component of black pepper) significantly increases the bioavailability of this health-promoting pigment. You should also ensure that turmeric products contain as high a concentration of curcuminoids as possible.

The Indian turmeric

Shortly after eating, we often feel tired and lacking energy. No wonder – our digestive system has started working and needs a lot of energy, especially if our diet isn't as balanced as it should be. We suggest you sit back, relax, and while you digest, read about turmeric, one of the world's oldest medicinal plants.

What is turmeric?

Curcuma longa, also known as Indian turmeric, belongs to the ginger family and has been used for thousands of years in both Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine. The plant's yellow rhizome is highly branched and resembles that of ginger. While Indians primarily process and consume it as a powder, Southeast Asian cuisine favors the fresh tuber. In this country, we know turmeric primarily as a flavor enhancer and coloring ingredient in exotic curries.

The relevant ingredients of turmeric are the curcuminoids, which include curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin and cyclocurcumin.

Taking Curcuma

Curcuminoids are poorly soluble in water and are therefore only poorly absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract. The bioavailability of curcuminoids—that is, the proportion of the active ingredient that is actually available to the body after ingestion—is therefore low. Dissolving them in oil or heating significantly increases the bioavailability of this health-promoting pigment. However, the addition of piperine (a component of black pepper) is particularly effective. Combined with piperine, the bioavailability of curcumin increases by 2000 percent.

The recommended minimum dose per day is 500 mg.

Medicom offers you premium-quality turmeric. The maximum daily intake recommended by the European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy (ESCOP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) is 3 g of turmeric powder from the dried rhizome.

The easy-to-open Medicom Curcuma capsules each contain 250 mg of high-quality turmeric with 95 percent effective curcuminoids and 2.5 mg of black pepper extract with 95 percent piperine. Take one capsule at least twice daily with plenty of liquid with your meals. Curcumin is generally considered to be very well tolerated.

Turmeric is a useful component of the daily diet. High-quality dietary supplements such as Turmeric from MEDICOM