By Laura
August 28, 2023
8 minutes
Have you ever observed how Indians use turmeric in almost every recipe and how the Chinese make their conservative medicine with turmeric? This is because turmeric, also known as Indian Saffron, is a magic ingredient for almost every part of the body.
Turmeric can help you whether it is your hair and skin that adds to your appearance or your gut, heart, and brain that ensures your physical and mental well-being. Now you will be wondering how is it possible for a single little plant to be so beneficial, right?
Well, hold on as you are going to believe it all once you read the information based on the scientific evidence. So, let us see what turmeric has in its roots for your hair, skin, and viscera.
Table of Contents:
- Part 1: What are the Nutrients Present in Turmeric?
- Part 2: Benefits of Turmeric for Skin
- Part 3: Benefits of Turmeric for Hair
- Part 4: Benefits of Turmeric for Body
Part 1: What are the Nutrients Present in Turmeric?
With a little bit of protein, fats, and sugar, turmeric offers a good amount of carbohydrates and fiber providing you with both energy and good digestion. In addition, it contains manganese, iron, potassium, and vitamin C, sodium, riboflavin, niacin to fulfill approximately ¼ of your daily requirement of these nutrients.
The major content of turmeric which is responsible for its countless benefits is curcumin, a phytochemical which is known for its medicinal properties. These details about the nutritional contents of turmeric have been stated in an article by Medical News Today [1].
Part 2: Benefits of Turmeric for Skin
Starting from the skin, which is one of the most delicate yet strong organs, let us see what turmeric can do for you.
1. Brightens the Skin
Turmeric contains vitamin C, one of the top ingredients known for its skin-brightening properties. This helps in reducing areas of hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone on the face and other parts of the body.
Additionally, it reduces skin redness and inflammation and boosts the natural complexion of the skin. A clinical trial shows that the usage of extracted turmeric oil proved to lighten the skin in the axilla [2]. Furthermore, papaya can also be used for skin lightening as explained in Papaya’s skin benefits and how to use it.
2. Prevents Pre Mature Aging
The curcumin of turmeric is a potent anti-oxidant and vitamin C adds to the free-radical resisting ability of Turmeric.
So, it helps to strengthen your skin to fight against the environmental factors that damage the skin and make it prone to the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots. Consequently, your skin glows and appears youthful.
Moreover, you can know about several other antioxidants for skin health here.
3. Reduces the Incidence of the Acne
Acne is mostly caused by the clogging of pores due to the overproduction of oils and bacterial infection. Turmeric has anti-microbial properties to kill bacteria and anti-inflammatory properties to soothe acne.
In addition, turmeric regulates the production of oils and helps cleanse the skin due to its anti-pectic properties. So, it reduces the incidence of acne and also fades acne scars. An informative article by Pharma Tutor explains how turmeric can be used for the treatment of acne vulgaris [3].
4. Treats Several Skin Conditions
Turmeric can be successfully used in the treatment of dermatitis and eczema because it reduces the swelling, redness, and skin irritation that are characteristic of these conditions. It can be used in the treatment of scabies as well.
Additionally, it helps in the treatment of psoriasis, in which there is dry and thick skin. It presents in the form of flare-ups. Turmeric can be used to calm and reduce these. A randomized controlled trial evaluates the usage of turmeric for several skin conditions like eczema [4].
5. Helps in Treating Dark Circles
Dark circles can be genetics or acquired. Genetic ones are difficult to treat while acquired ones can be treated by removing the cause. However, turmeric can be used to reduce the appearance of dark circles.
It does so by brightening the hyperpigmented under the eye’s skin, improving blood circulation, and stimulating lymphatic drainage. In this way, it treats both dark circles and under-eye puffiness. This effect of turmeric has been illustrated in a study [5].
6. Helps in Nourishing and Moisturizing the Skin
The mineral and vitamins present in turmeric are essential nutrients that the skin needs. Additionally, it helps in maintaining the moisture content of the skin by balancing natural oil production.
So, applying turmeric masks added with your favorite ingredients can help you make the skin well-nourished, moisturized, and healthy.
7. Adds an Instant Glow to the Skin
Turmeric is added to skincare products and DIY homemade remedies as it soothes the skin and makes it radiant. This is why turmeric face packs have been used in Indian culture for centuries to add an instant glow to the skin.
8. Helps in Healing the Skin and Fading Scar Marks
The curcumin in turmeric helps in stimulating the release of active chemicals that cause healing in the body. Similarly, it reduces the inflammatory mediators that delay the healing process. So, regular application of turmeric on wounds can help the skin heal faster.
Moreover, turmeric improves the removal of dead skin cells while allowing the skin to regenerate new cells. As a result, the dark spots and scar marks also fade away.
9. Reduces Facial Hair
One of the best things that turmeric can do to make your skin smooth is reduce facial hair which is an eye sore. It does so by inhibiting the growth of hair from the hair follicles. The usage of turmeric extract oil is specifically beneficial for reducing facial hair growth as has been explained in a study [6].
As hair removal with turmeric can take a while, you can choose Ulike Sapphire Air3 IPL Hair Removal Device for permanent hair removal within 3 weeks at an economical cost. Furthermore, check out the Best ways to remove facial hair permanently at home.
Part 3: Benefits of Turmeric for Hair
Not only skin, but turmeric can also help you deal with hair concerns as well.
1. Treats Dandruff in the Hair
Dandruff is actually an infection of the scalp which presents in the form of a dry and itchy scalp having a flaky white material. Turmeric works as an anti-microbial agent to kill the fungi and bacteria giving rise to dandruff in the hair.
Additionally, it reduces the inflammation caused by itching in the scalp and helps your head and hair relax. You can add turmeric to your favorite oil to allow the nutrients of turmeric absorb into your hair.
2. Improves the Hair Growth
The antioxidants present in turmeric enable your hair to fight environmental damage. It also strengthens the hair strands and stimulates the growth of the hair by supplying it with vitamins, polyphenols, and minerals.
Additionally, turmeric improves blood flow to the scalp and thus boosts the supply of nutrition and the removal of wastes in that area. This has been explained in an extract by the Journal of Dermatology [7].
3. Helps in Maintaining Natural Hair Color
Turmeric powder and extracts have been used in the formation of hair dyes because of the beautiful yellow color that it imparts. Additionally, turmeric preserves the color and helps your dye last for a long time without greying the hair.
So, it is a natural resource used in the synthesis of hair colors as stated in a pharmaceutical journal [8].
4. Prevents Hair Loss
Hair loss commonly results from poor scalp health, overproduction of oils, inflammation, and imbalance of hormones. Turmeric improves the health of the scalp, regulates the oil produced by it, reduces inflammation, and finally balances the hormones.
So, it prevents hair loss. The effect of turmeric in balancing hormones is evidenced in a clinical study [9].
Part 4: Benefits of Turmeric for Body
Lastly, below are the benefits of turmeric for general physical health.
1. Helps in Relieving Inflammation
Curcumin in turmeric inhibits the production of inflammatory chemicals in the body. So, the presence of phytochemicals in turmeric has enabled it to reduce the swelling, redness, and tenderness in the joints caused by chronic inflammatory diseases, especially if they are involving the joints.
One such disease is arthritis and turmeric capsules are now used in the treatment of arthritis to reduce pain as prescribed in several citations of the arthritis foundation [10].
2. Fights Against Free Radicals
Free radicals are one of the biggest enemies of the body. Whether they are produced because of unprotected sun exposure, environmental factors, or industrial wastes, they are harmful.
Turmeric has the ability to fight free radicals because of its structure which neutralizes the free radicals and reduces their production. It also helps in strengthening the defense mechanism of the body against such harmful factors.
The antioxidant properties of turmeric have further been elaborated in an article published in PubMed [11].
3. Helps in Alleviating the Pain
Pain is caused because of the stimulation of the nerves and tenderness is mainly because of activation of inflammatory mediators that collect in one tissue giving rise to pain. Turmeric capsules have been used to reduce pain as a method of pain relief.
A study was carried out on 107 patients to see how effective turmeric is to alleviate the pain of patients suffering from chronic inflammatory disorders and joint diseases [12]. Moreover, turmeric can be as useful as ibuprofen as a painkiller.
4. Can Boost Functions of the Brain
Curcumin can be used to boost the physical, mental, and emotional functions of the brain. First of all, it helps in dealing with depression and improves mental stability.
Then it reduces the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease by crossing the blood-brain barrier to reach the brain where the non-functional proteins of the brain are accumulated causing memory problems. Turmeric dissolves these protein aggregates.
Moreover, it improves the consciousness, creativity, learning ability, and working capacity of the brain. It does all of these by stimulating the production and release of brain-derived neurotrophic factors as explained in a Study [13].
5. Improves Digestion and Gut Health
The use of turmeric in the Indian curry was actually to improve the taste of the meal. The improved taste helps in getting over anorexia. Additionally, the color the turmeric adds to the food increases its palatability.
Not only intake of the food, but turmeric also improves digestion. So, it has been a part of Ayurvedic medicine for the symptomatic treatment of gut diseases like diarrhea and indigestion.
Furthermore, it can be used for the treatment of gut diseases like irritable bowel syndrome as concluded in a randomized controlled crossover trial [14].
6. Decreases the Risk of Cancer
Turmeric helps to prevent cancer and fasten up its treatment as well. Cancer is actually the excess production of immature body cells and blood vessels. Curcumin prevents the immature production of cells and also prevents the development of new blood vessels that supply cancerous cells.
Consequently, cancer cells begin to die and this role is especially evident in tumors of GIT. You can know about the role of each phytochemical of turmeric in a study by PubMed [15].
7. Reduces the Risk of Chronic Diseases
Diseases like hypertension, heart, liver, and lungs can be prevented by regular use of turmeric. Turmeric works to detoxify the body, strengthen its immunity, regulate the cellular cycle, and prevent unnecessary oxidation.
Moreover, it improves overall health and makes the body actively fight such diseases. So, it reduces the long-term risk of chronic disorders.
Conclusion
Turmeric is a colored flowering plant in the family of ginger Zingiberaceae. It is an important ingredient of Indian cuisine, an ingredient under study in Western medicine, and a part of traditional recipes.
Turmeric plays a role in improving the tone, texture, barrier, and appearance of the skin. It strengthens the hair strands, makes them grow long, and prevents dandruff. Additionally, turmeric helps in treating several diseases like arthritis, depression, Alzheimer, psoriasis, and more.
It also helps in the prevention of premature aging, cancer, memory loss, and digestive disorders. So, the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of turmeric have been explained above.
