Turmeric is a flavorful spice that gives curry its yellow color, and it also has some powerful health benefits. The active compound in turmeric, curcumin, has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s not easy for your body to absorb on its own, but taking it with black pepper helps you reap the amazing health benefits of turmeric.
How Pepper Works with Turmeric
Turmeric’s active compound, curcumin, has low bioavailability. If you’re just taking turmeric on its own, most of the curcumin isn’t going to be absorbed into your body. Piperine, which is found in black pepper, can enhance curcumin absorption by up to 2,000%.
Experts have two theories about why piperine works so well with curcumin. Some theorize that piperine helps curcumin pass through the intestinal wall, allowing more of it to enter the bloodstream. Others think that piperine slows down the liver’s breakdown of curcumin, increasing the level of curcumin in the blood. Whatever the explanation, we do know that taking black pepper with turmeric helps your body absorb a lot more curcumin.
Caution: Too Much of a Good Thing
Ever heard the expression “too much of a good thing is a bad thing”? There’s a chance that might be true for turmeric and black pepper. Because black pepper enhances the absorption of curcumin so effectively, people who take highly concentrated doses of turmeric and black pepper might be getting too much curcumin.
Recently, “Studies by physicians around the United States have shown a correlation between turmeric supplements, black pepper and liver injury.” While the number of people affected appears small, caution is warranted before taking large or highly concentrated doses of turmeric, particularly with black pepper. These new studies also underscore the importance of talking with your physician or a nutrition expert before taking any supplement, including natural ones.
Best Ways To Take Turmeric
One safe and easy way to take turmeric is to incorporate it into daily meals. Add a little turmeric and black pepper to your scrambled eggs in the morning, choose curry for lunch and add some pepper, or try adding both spices to your soups and salads. Taking turmeric with healthy fats (like avocado, nuts, or olive oil) may also increase absorption. There are plenty of delicious recipes out there to try!
You can also try one of the many turmeric supplements on the market, but here is where you need to be more cautious. Supplements typically include far higher levels of curcumin than the regular spice. Pair that with piperine to increase absorption, and you’ll dramatically increase your curcumin levels. Some studies show benefits to this, but as we already discussed, there are cautions as well. Talking with a medical professional or nutrition expert before you start taking a supplement can help you decide what’s the right choice for you. You can schedule a nutrition coaching session right here at Extreme Studio Performance.