Turmeric and black pepper are more than just flavorings, they also have potent health benefits. These spices were long used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicines to cure many diseases. In the 21st century, they’re slowly gaining recognition in Western society too. While you can just add these spice powders to your meals every day, taking a supplement is a good way to ensure you’re getting enough. Here are just a few of the benefits of taking turmeric and black pepper supplements.
Turmeric Supplements
1. They Reduce Inflammation
Turmeric’s main bioactive compound is circumin, which is responsible for most of its benefits. Circumin is an extremely effective anti-inflammatory compound. Our body naturally produces an inflammatory response when it’s trying to fight pathogens, but sometimes, this inflammation can become chronic. Inflammation is the root cause behind most chronic diseases we see today. Taking turmeric supplements can fight inflammation and reduce its symptoms.
2. It’s A Powerful Antioxidant
Turmeric is one of the most powerful natural antioxidants known to us. Every day, our body comes into contact with thousands of free radicals. Free radicals attach themselves to healthy cells and cause them to degenerate. Free radical damage has far-reaching effects, from premature aging to cancer. Circumin has the power to neutralize these free radicals before they can inflict any damage. Turmeric supplements can keep you looking younger and help you live a long, healthy life.
3. It Can Improve Your Brain Health
BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) is a hormone that is essential for healthy brain functioning. It encourages new connections to be formed, keeps brain synapses intact and prevents neural degeneration. A dip in this hormone has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Studies have shown that circumin in turmeric can actually increase BDNF levels. This can help in preventing the onset or even reversing many neural diseases.
4. It Can Fight Cancer
One of the most exciting areas of cancer research today is studying the effects circumin has on cancer. Studies on rats have shown that circumin has the potential to slow the growth of cancerous cells and in some cases, even kill the cancerous cells. While there hasn’t been enough research done on humans yet to provide a conclusive link, the initial findings look promising. Turmeric supplements give your body a high dose of circumin, which can reduce your risk of cancer.
5. It Can Help You Fight Depression
Low levels of BDNF hormones has been linked to depression. Because circumin increases production of this hormone, it has the potential to treat depression. In one clinical trial, patients suffering from depression were divided into three groups. One was given only circumin, one was given Prozac and the third was given a combination of the two. At the end of the trial it was found that the first two groups showed the same level of improvement, while the third showed the most improvement. If you’re battling depression or are at a risk for it, turmeric supplements could be very beneficial for you.
Benefits Of Black Pepper Supplements
1. Improves Digestion
Piperine is to pepper like circumin is to turmeric. Piperine sends signals to the stomach to produce more acid, which helps food digest better. If you suffer from excessive flatulence, bloating, IBS and other digestive issues, it means your food isn’t getting broken down properly. Black pepper supplements will encourage your stomach to fully digest the food, which improves your overall digestive health.
2. Helps You Lose Weight
Pepper contains active compounds which help fat break down. It also helps ease water retention by making you sweat and urinate more. Excessive water retention makes up a significant portion of our overall body weight. By losing it, you’ll find a dramatic reduction in your weight. Some studies have also shown that pepper can increase your body’s metabolism and help you burn through fat faster.
3. It Improves Brain Function
Pepper supplements can boost cognitive functions and keep your brain activity sharp no matter what your age. It has been shown to delay the onset of degenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Piperine also acts as a mood enhancer, but there haven’t been conclusive studies about its ability to treat depression.
4. It Helps You Absorb Circumin
One of the most important reasons you should consider pepper supplements is that it could make your other supplements more effective. Black pepper increases your body’s ability to absorb nutrients, especially circumin. This is why a dash of black pepper is always added to turmeric drinks.
