Deemed as a ‘Superfood’ just in the last decade, ‘Turmeric’ has been used in South-Asian cuisine for thousands of years. Ayurveda, the traditional practice of medicine in India, has been talking of the many benefits of turmeric for thousands of years now. With several scientific studies corroborating these medicinal properties of Turmeric, the world has woken up to the amazing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of this humble Indian spice.
In this master guide to Turmeric Teas, we shall be taking a look at the following topics.
- Turmeric & Ayurveda
- What is Turmeric
- Curcumin - The Super Active Ingredient
- Why India’s Turmeric is the Best in the World.
- What is Turmeric Tea
- Benefits of Turmeric Tea
- The Toxicity in Turmeric and How to Choose Carefully
- Vahdam’s Blends of Turmeric Tea.
- Questions on Your Mind?
1.Turmeric & Ayurveda
Turmeric has been hailed as a super-spice in India’s Vedic culture, 4000 years ago, where at first it was used for culinary purposes and also enjoyed religious reverence. An ancient Indian physicist Suśruta, who wrote a comprehensive Sanskrit text in 250 B.C on medicine and surgery, quoted ‘Turmeric’ as a key ingredient in treating food poisoning and praised it for its healing powers.
Ayurvedic healers and sages used Turmeric as a medicinal spice, suggesting the intake in a variety of forms like turmeric tea, as the famed Turmeric golden milk, as a spice used in everyday cooking, or applied topically as ointments, creams, paste etc. A variety of ways developed over time of how turmeric could be incorporated into our lives for curing common ailments.
The ancient ways also mention turmeric being ground into a fine paste and being topically on bruises, wounds, and injuries to effectively heal them. A paste of turmeric, lime, and salt was used to reduce the inflammation in joints. A paste of turmeric and tulsi (basil) leaves to alleviate skin diseases and conditions like eczema, itching, ringworm and parasitic infections etc. Susruta’s vedic texts also mention turmeric’s unique properties in alleviating respiratory disorders, to alleviate common cold and flu, and to treat a plethora of gastrointestinal ailments.
2.What is Turmeric?
Turmeric or Curcuma longa, is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant that belongs to the Ginger family and has its origins in Southeast Asia. Turmeric is originally a tuberous rhizome with a rough outer skin. The tuberous root has a yellow and dull orange color inside, which on being dried and grounded produces the popular golden spice in the powdered form.
The turmeric plant requires warm temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C and generous rainfall in a year. With long oblong leaves, the plant can reach 2 metres in height. It typically takes eight to ten months to mature, usually in warm weather, and is harvested only once a year.
3.Curcumin - The Superfood Ingredient in Turmeric
Research has brought more than 250 bio-compounds in turmeric to light. Of these, it is the volatile oils that contain the powerful polyphenolic compounds, collectively known as Curcuminoids.
Curcumin, from the group of circuminoids, is the star active ingredient in turmeric which has potent antioxidant immunity boosting properties, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial effects amongst several bountiful health benefits.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database states that one tablespoon of turmeric powder has 29 calories and contains 0.91g of protein, 0.31g of fat, 6.31g of carbohydrates, 2.1g of fibre and 0.3g of sugar.
Additionally, Turmeric also provides 26% of daily manganese needs, 16% of daily Iron, 5% of daily Potassium, and 3% of our daily Vitamin C requirements.
4.Why India’s Turmeric is the Best in the World.
India produces a whopping 94% of the total turmeric being harvested in the world with more than 70 species of the same.
It also is the biggest consumer, responsible for 80% of it. Though turmeric is indigenous to Southeast Asia, it has been used and cultivated in India for more than 5000 years now.
There is a cocktail of favorable geographical factors that contribute to the unmatched quality of Indian origin Turmeric. Consistent generous rainfall and the warm temperatures of the peninsular region, especially in Southern Indian states, is what nurtures the world’s best quality turmeric.
The state of Andhra Pradesh currently is the largest producer, followed by ‘Erode’, a city in the Southern state of Tamil Nadu in India, which is the world’s second largest producer of turmeric and has been awarded a prestigious GI tag. Next in line to Tamil Nadu, the western state of Maharashtra is also one of the largest producers of turmeric.
5.What is Turmeric Tea
One of the best and most popular ways to enjoy and incorporate Turmeric and its countless health benefits into your daily life is to relish a bright, golden cup of immunity - Turmeric Tea. Perfect light cup of tea made with premium-quality turmeric blended with a variety of other revered herbs and spices, resulting in a variety of delectable herbal teas, each with its own set of functional benefits.
Curcumin, the active ingredient of Turmeric, although has powerful medicinal properties, but has a poor bio-absorption rate, which means that it isn’t retained in our body but gets expelled with toxins. To fix this, Black Pepper comes in. With the active ingredient ‘Piperine’, Black pepper has been proven to increase the bio-absorption of curcumin in the body by 2000 times! Hence one of the best ways to ensure you are on top of your daily superfood dose is to have a calming and bountiful cup of Turmeric Tea.
Turmeric Teas are an excellent choice for those who are looking for ways to switch to low-caffeine beverages and with minimal calories. It is vegan and also is gluten-free, perfect for a variety of lifestyle diets like KETO, Low-FODMAP etc.
A great way of strengthening your body’s immunity with a dose of beneficial antioxidants ; a calming adaptogen cup, and something that your gut will thank you for - Turmeric Teas have a whole range of scientifically-proven health benefits.
Let’s take a look at what they are.
6.Health Benefits of Turmeric Teas
Thanks to a whole range of research studies corroborating the medicinal properties of turmeric, the modern world has adapted this Turmeric Teas as one of the leading sources of superfood. Let’s take a look at what the health benefits of Turmeric are :-
Good for your Heart
Turmeric has deemed to be incredibly beneficial for improved health of the heart. It has been proven to improve the endothelial function of the heart which regulates blood pressure, blood clotting, and other important functions of the heart. Curcumin has been known to stop the oxidation of LDL Cholesterol (bad cholesterol), thereby preventing the deposit of cholesterol on the walls of the blood vessels of the heart, also known as ‘Atherosclerosis’.
The superspice has been also known to prevent the buildup of platelets along the walls of injured blood vessels, thereby preventing blood clots and consequent arterial blockages.
Boosts Overall Immunity
Being rich in antioxidants, Turmeric helps in boosting one’s overall immunity. Curcumin has been proven to have powerful antioxidant properties. This helps in neutralizing harmful free radicals in the body, thereby reducing the risk of chronic diseases. This also helps in reducing cell damage. Research also suggests that curcumin increases the effect of the body’s own antioxidant enzymes.
Hence, turmeric tea is the perfect cocktail for boosting one’s overall immunity.
Helps Improve Brain Functions.
This golden superfood has been known to be great for your brain as well as it improves several of the brain’s functions. Curcumin, the active bio-compound, has been proven to boost a kind of growth hormone in the brain - BDNF (Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor). This hormone increases the growth of new neurons in the brain which helps in improving cognitive functions like memory, focus, etc. Another important research suggests that Curcumin can actually cross the blood-brain barrier and clear something called ‘amyloid plaques’, a kind of protein tangles which is a key feature of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Hence a daily cup of Turmeric Tea not only improves your memory and focus, but also lowers the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
Reduces Inflammation & Alleviates Pain.
Chronic inflammation is bad news for your body and can contribute to a variety of health disorders. Good news, Turmeric Tea is the perfect anti-inflammatory cup for you. Curcumin, the active ingredient of Turmeric, has tremendous anti-inflammatory properties and hence helps reduce chronic inflammation as well as any anti-inflammatory drugs. It has been known to block a molecule known as ‘NF-kB’ which is known to travel to cells and turn on inflammation genes. Curcumin blocks this molecule and hence fights against inflammation. Hence it's quite beneficial for people struggling with rheumatoid arthritis.
Boosts Digestion, Good for the Gut.
Turmeric has been revered since ages for its effectiveness as a carminative. It helps to calm down an upset digestive system. Since centuries, turmeric has been used to aid digestion as well.
It stimulates bile production in the liver thereby helping the body effectively digest fats. It works well to strengthen the stomach, reduce bloating in the stomach, and provides great relief from gastrointestinal problems. Typically turmeric tea with ginger is an excellent herbal tea for improving digestion.
Nourishes Skin & Heals Scars.
A daily cup of turmeric tea is essentially a cup of wholesome nutrition for your skin and hair. Turmeric helps in treating many skin ailments like acne, blemishes, rashes etc. Curcumin, the active bio-compound of Turmeric, has powerful anti-microbial properties which inhibit the growth of P. Acnes, the bacteria that causes acne, thereby controlling the production of sebum and prevents the clogging of the skin’s pores. But it also works on the inside and helps to do some gut-cleansing work.
Turmeric has incredible anti-inflammatory properties as well which help calm down an inflamed skin. Owing to its incredible antibacterial properties, Turmeric tea also helps in healing wounds, injuries and scars as it reduces the time the skin takes to heal these wounds.
Owing to its antimicrobial properties and detoxifying abilities, turmeric can aid the cure of a variety of skin diseases like eczema, psoriasis, and acne.
7. The Toxicity in Turmeric and How to Choose Carefully
With the ever-increasing globalization of food chains, countering the adulteration of ingredients and safeguarding the quality and safety of foods has become the obvious priority.
Stanford University published a research paper in September of 2019 on the Lead contamination in Turmeric in Bangladesh. High amounts of Lead and Chromium were found in turmeric as a result of the soil being contaminated. Lead is a neurotoxin that can significantly increase the risk of heart and brain diseases. Chromium, on the other hand, can cause severe damage to various organs like kidneys and the respiratory system in humans.
Apart from this, the amount of Arsenic and other heavy metals is also higher in turmeric of sub-standard quality. Hence one needs to be very careful in knowing the source of turmeric they are going to consume and be assured of the quality of the spice.
In order to make an informed choice of purchasing turmeric teas, one needs to take a close look at the brand that they are buying from.
An increasing number of responsible and ethical-sourcing brands are declaring sources, ingredients, and nutritional information on pack labels, providing all necessary information. Vahdam is one such home-grown brand that sources only the best quality turmeric from the spice’s best native origins like the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu (‘Erode’ a town in this state has an esteemed GI Tag), Andhra Pradesh, ans Kerala which are known all over the world for producing the best quality Turmeric.
Vahdam, since the start, has had a highly stringent, selective, and careful process of sourcing Turmeric. The brand has always ensured that it purchases the spice only certified and proven growers and manufacturers.
8.Vahdam’s Turmeric Teas
With a heady aroma and a myriad of health-promoting benefits, Vahdam has been very passionate about curating a unique, exclusive and functional range of Turmeric Teas.
Sourcing premium-quality, organic Turmeric from certified growers and boutique farms in South Indian states, the brand’s team of experienced blenders and tea masters have curated an award-winning range of Turmeric Teas. By combining prime quality Turmeric with other revered Ayurvedic ingredients, like Ashwagandha, Black Pepper, Moringa, Ginger, Saffron, Tulsi etc ;
The brand has curated the most impressive range of Turmeric Teas. Sincerely flavorful, low-calorie, vegan, and gluten-free, Vahdam’s Turmeric Teas, both in loose-leaf and loose-leaf tea bag variants, are one of its best-selling products.
Choose from its SOFI award-winning blend - Turmeric Spiced Herbal Tea Tisane. Turmeric Pepper Herbal Tea Tisane, Turmeric Ginger Herbal Tea Tisane, Turmeric Saffron Herbal Tea Tisane, Turmeric Moringa Herbal Tea Tisane, Turmeric Ashwagandha Herbal Tea Tisane, and Turmeric Tulsi Herbal Tea Tisane.
9.Questions on Your Mind?
- Can I drink turmeric tea every day?
Yes, you can drink Turmeric Tea everyday and in fact thrice a day pre or post meals, depending on which functional blend you choose. You will not exceed the daily intake limit of turmeric and can enjoy a non-caffeinated, low-calorie beverage with loads of health benefits.
- I am a vegan. How do I get my daily-dose of Turmeric?
Not to worry as all our Turmeric Teas are 100% Vegan. There are no dairy-ingredients used in any of our teas, right from the farms to your cup.
- I am lactose-intolerant. Can I consume Your Turmeric Teas?
Absolutely! You can consume all our turmeric teas as they are all lactose-free and have no dairy component whatsoever.
- I am trying to switch to Low-Caffeine Beverages. Will this suit me?
This will be the perfect choice of beverage for you as our Turmeric teas are all low-caffeine. With no ‘tea leaves’ being used in these blends, these are pure herbal teas which means their caffeine content is actually quite low.
- What is the right time to drink Turmeric Tea?
Since our Turmeric teas are low-caffeine, low-calorie but high on nutritional content, you can actually consume them at any time of the day. But depending on the blend you choose, we can advise specific times of the day that having the tea will benefit you the mosT. For example, a cup of Turmeric Ginger is great after a heavy meal or after a workout. A cup of our Turmeric Ashwagandha is a calming cup that helps alleviate stress and hence is a great choice before bed.
- How can I choose good-quality Turmeric Tea with no side effects ?
In order to choose good-quality Turmeric, one should always be aware of where the brand sources its turmeric from and of its quality and safety certifications. Vahdam only sources from certified farms, organic growers, and manufacturers. Plus we process our teas in a BRC-certified facility and have several food safety certifications to our name.
- Will drinking Turmeric Tea help me lose weight?
Weight loss is effective when a healthy metabolism has the support of a decent diet and some form of physical exercise. Turmeric teas are very effective in improving your metabolism by speeding digestion, helping break down the body’s excess fats, and in also reducing cell damage after a workout. Hence a cup of Turmeric tea can actually work wonders for your weight-loss efforts if coupled with healthy eating habits and a little bit of exercise.
- Will Turmeric Tea help improve my digestion?
Yes! Turmeric is a great proven carminative. This means that it is an excellent solution for several of your digestion woes. It helps in increasing the bile production in the liver, thereby helping it break down excess fats. It also strengthens your gut, reduces bloating, and speeds digestion.
Editor-in-Chief | Vahdam India
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