Description of seasoning
Nature itself has endowed turmeric with a lot of beneficial properties for humans, in which pharmaceutical preparations are inferior to it. The main disadvantage of medications is the significant risk of side effects.
The high safety of the spicy product is ensured not only by the naturalness of its origin, but also by the special production technology. Indeed, despite the fact that technological progress has made significant changes in the process of processing medicinal plant raw materials, the final product does not contain harmful impurities. For this reason, turmeric is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry as well as in modern medical practice. Basically, powder obtained from the root of an exotic plant is used for treatment. But many recipes also suggest using fresh roots or young shoots of shrubs.
At home, it is also easy to prepare an effective composition from golden spice for the treatment of various liver disorders. Today you can easily purchase a spicy product in a store or market. But many amateur gardeners grow such useful vegetation at home. Fortunately, today up to 40 types of decorative varieties of turmeric are known. Therefore, there is no shortage of material for growing useful plants.
Useful properties of spices
Turmeric has many beneficial properties:
- removes waste and toxins from the body;
- increases general immunity;
- improves metabolism, promotes regeneration of damaged cells and tissues;
- prevents the development of cancer;
- reduces blood cholesterol levels;
- helps cope with toxic, chemical, alcohol poisoning;
- fights liver diseases.
Despite the fact that turmeric is a natural and therefore relatively safe remedy for the treatment and prevention of the above ailments and a number of other diseases, you should treat its use with caution, consult your doctor and study the contraindications.
Features of the composition
The oriental spice turmeric is endowed with abundant healing power. Moreover, the healing power of the plant is based on its unique composition, in which the main role is played by the substance curcumin. In addition to this active agent, the spice contains elements of the following main groups of chemicals:
- Vitamins. Their presence is especially valued in this spice: ascorbic acid, tocopherol, pyridoxine and other representatives of the B vitamin group are far from the complete composition of the “vitamin” team. Substances in this group nourish liver tissue.
- Mineral components are also represented by micro- and macroelements, among which there are such vital substances as iron, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium. Mineral compounds stimulate biochemical processes, participate in the synthesis of enzymes, and ensure normal patency of the network of small vessels.
In addition, turmeric contains:
- essential oils;
- tannins;
- organic acids;
- flavonoids;
- vegetable proteins and fats;
- carbohydrates;
- fiber and many other useful components.
Such an impressive set of substances in composition and diversity provides the same diverse medicinal properties of the spice for liver pathologies. This aspect deserves special attention.
Benefits of turmeric for the liver
By the way, the very composition of the spicy product speaks of its unlimited possibilities. With rational use of spices, the condition of the liver can be significantly improved and the progression of many pathologies can be stopped at the outset. The fact is that even a tiny portion of the spice will have a complex effect not only on a specific organ, that is, the liver, but also on the entire body as a whole. Among the main properties of turmeric:
- antibacterial (the spice destroys almost all types of parasitic organisms, including Giardia, which often affects the liver);
- immunomodulatory (the balanced composition of the spice increases resistance to various diseases);
- the ability to regulate metabolic processes is especially evident in lipid metabolism;
- antioxidant properties prevent the formation of cholesterol not only on the walls of blood vessels, but also in the very structure of liver tissue.
Since the liver is an important part of the digestive system, its normal functioning has a beneficial effect on the process of food processing. It was said above that turmeric has a positive effect on the production of enzymes, and this should also be attributed to the positive abilities of the oriental spice.
Any type of home treatment is associated with certain risks. Therefore, before starting the course, you should consult your doctor.
Why the liver needs to be protected
We will not touch on diseases, most often viral, that affect the liver, for example, hepatitis. This is to the doctor!
But, unfortunately, even a healthy person can experience problems with this organ.
T.N. fatty liver reaches 11% in developed countries, and its frequency continues to increase; today this pathology is classified as a “disease of civilization.” And she is not at all harmless. The final result for this change in the liver is the formation of cirrhosis.
There are several reasons: stress, poor nutrition, when food is dominated by heated and heavy animal fats and fast carbohydrates, a constant supply of toxins from food (traces of antibiotics, hormones, herbicides, pesticides) used in agriculture, as well as dyes and preservatives.
Our liver tries to neutralize all these xenobiotics, but over time it fails. Cells begin to break down, triggering a chain of changes: weakening of hepatocytes by oxidative stress – low-grade inflammation – replacement by adipose tissue.
A universal mechanism of cell death is oxidative stress. Without going into details, it occurs due to an imbalance between the formation of reactive (destructive) oxygen species and the antioxidant defense system. For the liver, this ends in non-alcoholic fatty degeneration with all the ensuing complications (Rolo AP, Teodoro JS, Palmeira CM Role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis // Free Radic. Biol. Med. - 2012).
To protect hepatocytes from damage by this mechanism, the use of additional antioxidants has long been recommended. It’s just that earlier they were approached intuitively, but now it’s clear how they work. The choice naturally falls on safe substances, preferably of natural origin, that do not lead to adverse reactions. Turmeric extract is one of them.
Signs of an unhealthy liver
Just knowing what the spice turmeric is good for the liver is not enough. You also need to be able to determine the nature of the violation in the work of this important organ. Of course, a professional doctor, having at his disposal all the advanced diagnostic tools, will accurately diagnose. But sometimes situations arise when a minor malfunction of the liver occurs. For example, this often happens after a large feast. In such cases, you can completely cope on your own. But the following signs should cause caution:
- nausea;
- heaviness and pain in the right hypochondrium;
- yellowness of the skin and sclera of the eyes;
- general weakness;
- changes in the color of the stool (if the stool becomes discolored, you should urgently contact a doctor);
- There may be an increase in temperature.
The causes of these deviations are most often alcohol and poor nutrition. All these symptoms should be regarded as a pathology, which turmeric can help cope with. However, if poor general health does not go away after a week, you should visit a doctor.
Healthy Recipes to Maintain Liver Health
Oriental spice in the form of powder and fresh elements of an exotic plant will bring significant benefits to the liver. From plant material, you can prepare medicinal tea, medicinal mixture with other spices and herbs, decoctions and infusions in your home kitchen in a few minutes. Here are some useful recipes for home use using gold powder.
Fresh root
This remedy is more suitable for the prevention of diseases, but it can also be used to normalize liver function. Fresh plant roots must first be thoroughly cleaned and washed. Then take a small piece (no more than 2 cm), chop it, add a pinch of ground black pepper to the resulting mass. Freshly prepared product can be added to a finished dish, for example, added to a salad.
You shouldn’t expect a strong therapeutic effect from this recipe, but this simple remedy will help cleanse the liver and improve its functioning.
Turmeric tea
Drinks with spices based on tea in complex treatment demonstrate a fairly powerful therapeutic effect. There are many options for preparing turmeric-based teas, but all known recipes have a beneficial effect on the liver. It is best to first prepare a paste from the powdered component of turmeric root, and then add it in small portions to any tea. Drinking 1-2 cups of a healing drink a day can significantly improve the condition of the diseased organ. Turmeric tea will also improve digestion and bile production.
Golden paste
As already mentioned, preparing a paste based on golden spice is recognized as the most effective option for solving many liver problems.
Starting Ingredients:
- turmeric – 60 g;
- natural vegetable oil (preferably olive product) - 70 ml;
- water – 1 glass;
- black pepper (ground) – 1.5 – 2 tsp.
It is necessary to heat the specified volume of water in a saucepan, add turmeric. Boil for 7-10 minutes with constant stirring. The result should be a mass that resembles a paste in consistency. The thickness of the product can be adjusted by adding water. When the paste has cooled, add pepper and oil component to it.
Golden paste can be stored for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, adding 1/4 tsp to the tea first. means, gradually increasing the portion to half a spoon. The maximum permissible dose is a whole teaspoon at a time. Of course, this is possible if there are no side effects.
Spicy milkshake
Very often, turmeric is used in combination with milk for home liver treatment. The drink also has a characteristic golden hue, which is why it is often called “golden milk”. The principle of preparing the healing composition is extremely simple: just add a teaspoon of “golden paste” to a glass of whole milk, heat it a little, and then sweeten the drink with a teaspoon of high-quality honey.
A healing drink according to this recipe is considered a good means of preventing cancer.
It will cleanse the liver well and relieve spasms. There is another preparation option when the spice is added in its pure form to milk. Regardless of the method of preparing the drink, it is recommended to drink no more than two cups per day.
Additives to dishes
This option does not cause problems when used if the dosage of the spicy product is strictly observed.
In its pure form, turmeric powder is usually added to prepared dishes in a dose not exceeding a teaspoon per day.
This specific supplement is useful for hepatitis C, hepatosis, and gall bladder problems. But if you have serious liver diseases, you should always consult your doctor about all nutritional supplements.
Contraindications and precautions
Despite the proven effectiveness of turmeric in treating liver diseases, there are a number of contraindications that should be familiarized with before starting use.
Who is turmeric contraindicated for:
- with inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis) and the presence of stones in it;
- with inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis);
- children under six years old;
- for stomach ulcers and gastritis;
- with low stomach acidity;
- if you are allergic to components;
- for gout and urolithiasis;
- with hepatitis in acute form;
- during pregnancy and during breastfeeding;
- while taking diabetes medications.
To ensure that turmeric for the liver is an effective therapy and does not harm you, you must follow the following precautions:
- when consuming spices, do not increase the recommended dose;
- To exclude negative reactions and side effects, it is recommended to consult a doctor. If there are contraindications, it is better to refrain from using the spice for medicinal purposes;
- if you have allergies or worsening health conditions, you must stop taking turmeric;
- use high-quality spices that have been stored correctly: in a dark place in a glass and sealed container.
Taking turmeric to treat the liver can be considered as a supportive measure. When taking the spice, you should not refuse the treatment prescribed by your doctor.
Rules for using spices
If we are talking about the medicinal use of gold powder, you must definitely learn how to take the spice so as not to harm your health.
- Since curcumin is not water soluble, it is best to combine the spice with healthy fats. It is also useful to prepare alcohol tinctures from it.
- When heated moderately, some components in the spice are activated. Therefore, all drinks should be drunk warm.
- For better absorption of the components, it is recommended to combine turmeric with black pepper, because its main active component, piperine, increases the bioavailability of the product several times.