6种方式姜黄茶有益你的健康

What Is Turmeric?

Before we discuss the healing power of turmeric tea, let’s talk about what turmeric actually is. Here’s the long and short of it: Turmeric—the powdery pantry staple you might have sprinkled on your food in the past—is a dried spice derived from the root of the turmeric plant, a close relative of ginger. (In fact, if you chance upon fresh turmeric in the store you could very easily mistake its knobby appearance for a piece of ginger root—at least until you break it open and reveal its pumpkin-orange interior.) The root is boiled, baked and ground into a fine powder to produce the familiar, finger-staining spice. One more thing you should know about turmeric is that it’s really good for you. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, boasts a whole host of health benefits (but more on that later).

And What Is Turmeric Tea?

Though it’s most commonly used as a cooking spice, turmeric can also be consumed as a tea, which is prepared by steeping either the fresh root or pure dried powder in hot water. So why might one want to consume turmeric tea, you ask? Aside from the fact that it’s a warm, soothing beverage, turmeric tea is also an effective way to consume enough curcumin to reap the rewards of its medicinal properties, our friends atMedical News Todaytell us. (Note: Curcumin has low bioavailability, which means relatively large amounts of it are needed if you want the health-boosting benefits).

Long used as anAyurvedicremedy, curcumin has captured the interest of the medical and scientific communities as well—namely because an impressive amount of research supports its health benefits in numerous areas.

1. Boosts the Immune System

Curcumin is a polyphenol with powerfulantioxidant properties, which means that, by neutralizing harmful free-radicals, it protects the body from the effects of oxidative stress—a systemic imbalance that has been linked to decreased immune function as well as a host of other diseasesincluding diabetes and Alzheimer’s。In other words, an antioxidant-rich cup of turmeric tea can help your immune cells stay healthy so they can do their job. In fact, the positive impact of curcumin on the immune system goes beyond fending off the common cold: Recent studies have pointed to curcumin as apromising cancer-fighting agent。

2. Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

In addition to being an antioxidant,curcumin is also a known anti-inflammatory。(如果你错过了它,炎症是坏消息for your body.) For this reason, curcumin is believed to have preventive potential when it comes to the myriad conditions associated with inflammation, including allergies, psoriasis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression, arthritis and even Alzheimer’s disease. Research also shows that curcumin can help relieve symptoms associated with some of these conditions—arthritic pain, in particular.

3. Pain Reliever, Mind Sharpener and Mood Lifter

It turns out that curcumin has benefits for healthy people, too. Research targeting people without a pre-existing condition suggests this powerful substance is effective at alleviatingmuscle sorenessand at least one study showed that the anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin might have apositive impacton mood, attention and working memory in the general population as well. (Sounds pretty good, right?)

4. Skin Saver

Good news, friends: The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory (and did we mention antimicrobial?) cocktail known as curcumin might work wonders for your complexion—or at least that’s what early evidence suggests.Multiple studieshave shown that curcumin, as both an oral and topical treatment, has the power to improve overall skin health and effectively target specific skin concerns. (Acne, facial photoaging and psoriasis are just a few of the dermatological issues that curcumin alleviated.) Learn more about the curcumin’s cosmetic potentialhereor just find out for yourself by enjoying aturmeric maskwith your evening cup of turmeric tea.

5. Protects the Liver

As an antioxidant, another benefit of curcumin’s ability to reduce oxidative stress has been seen in relation to liver health.Researchconducted on mice suggests that treatment with curcumin has a potential preventative effect with regard to liver injury and can halt or slow the progression of liver disease as well. Considering how vital the liver is, we’ll call this one a major win for turmeric tea. (New rule: One cup of turmeric tea for every hot toddy consumed.)

6. Improves Metabolic Health

The role of curcumin in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation has far-reaching implications when it comes to overall metabolic health. Studies have suggested that these properties in curcumin may have a positive effect onblood sugarandblood pressureand may alsopromote weight loss and prevent obesity。Bottom line: A lot more research is needed to determine how and to what extent curcumin can treat metabolic issues, but the consensus in the scientific community is that the stuff looks pretty promising on that front, too.