Turmeric
Turmeric is a yellow spice made from the root of Curcuma longa, a plant in the ginger family. Its best-known compound, curcumin, is studied for inflammation, but the body absorbs little of it and human trials have shown few clear benefits.
No set daily amount
3 mg/kg of body weight a day: EFSA's acceptable intake for curcumin as a food color
~3% curcumin · in ground turmeric by weight, on average
- Part used Rhizome the underground stem
- Main compounds Curcuminoids curcumin is the main one
- Absorption Poor much is broken down in the gut and liver
- Evidence Limited early positive data for knee arthritis
Curcumin share from published analyses of the spice; acceptable intake from the EFSA opinion of 2010; evidence summary from NCCIH. Not a recommended amount.
Where Turmeric and Curcumin Come From
Turmeric is an ordinary spice, so food does supply some curcumin. Supplements are a second source and give far more.
- Ground turmerica teaspoon weighs about 3 g and holds roughly 90 mg of curcumin, though the share varies a lot between batches
- Curry powder and curriesturmeric is one spice among several, so a curry powder holds less curcumin than the same weight of pure turmeric
- Fresh turmeric rootmostly water, so it holds less curcumin per gram than the dried spice
- Food color E100curcumin colors some mustards, cheeses, sauces and snacks yellow
- Supplementsconcentrated curcumin extracts, often with black pepper extract or other absorption boosters
What Is Turmeric?
Turmeric is the dried and ground rhizome, or underground stem, of Curcuma longa, a plant in the ginger family grown mainly in India and Southeast Asia. Its color comes from curcuminoids, a family of three related pigments. Curcumin is the largest of them, and it is what most research and most supplements are about.
Curcumin in Turmeric Spice vs. Supplements
A level teaspoon of ground turmeric, about 3 g, contains roughly 90 mg of curcumin at the average share of 3%. A curcumin supplement can hold several times that in one capsule. That gap is why the spice in a curry and a supplement are not the same thing, either for effects or for safety.
EFSA set an acceptable daily intake of 3 mg of curcumin per kg of body weight for its use as a food color, E100. For a 70 kg adult that is about 210 mg a day, a little over two teaspoons of the spice.
Why Curcumin Is Poorly Absorbed
Curcumin dissolves poorly in water, breaks down easily in the gut, and is quickly changed by the gut wall and liver into other compounds. Taken by mouth, even large doses produce low blood levels. Reviews of curcumin research point to this as a main reason lab results have not carried over to people.
Makers work around it in several ways: adding piperine from black pepper, which slows that breakdown, or binding curcumin to fats, phospholipids or tiny particles. These raise blood levels, but NCCIH warns that such better-absorbed products may harm the liver, and the boosted products cannot be compared with each other or with plain turmeric.
What Turmeric and Curcumin Trials Found
NCCIH says there is not enough evidence to conclude that turmeric or curcumin helps any health condition. For knee osteoarthritis pain and stiffness, the early evidence taken by mouth is positive, but higher-quality trials are needed. NCCIH adds that trials are hard to compare because products differ in how much curcumin they actually contain. For the same joints, compare glucosamine, whose evidence is also mixed.
Common Turmeric Mistakes
Thinking turmeric and curcumin are the same. Curcumin is about 3% of the spice. A study of 1 g of curcumin is a study of more than 30 g of turmeric.
Assuming a spice is harmless in any form. The spice is safe in food. Concentrated supplements made to be better absorbed have been linked to rare liver injury.
Counting the yellow color as proof. Curcumin is a strong pigment, so a deep yellow food can hold very little. Like other plant compounds such as quercetin, it looks active in the lab more often than in people.
Turmeric and Curcumin Supplements
Supplements are the main source of curcumin at the doses studied. Labels may give the weight of turmeric, of curcuminoids or of curcumin, which are three very different figures.
Types of Turmeric and Curcumin Supplements
- Turmeric root powderthe plain spice in a capsule, with a low curcumin share
- Curcumin extractconcentrated curcuminoids, far above the share in the spice
- With piperine or in absorption-boosted formshigher blood levels; NCCIH links liver damage reports to these better-absorbed forms
Turmeric and Curcumin Safety
Turmeric in food is safe. NCCIH says ordinary turmeric or curcumin supplements are likely safe for up to 2 or 3 months, and may cause nausea, vomiting, acid reflux, stomach upset, diarrhea or constipation. Better-absorbed forms have been linked to rare liver damage, and supplements may be unsafe in pregnancy. Stop and see a doctor if you notice tiredness, nausea, poor appetite, dark urine or yellow skin or eyes, and ask before combining supplements with a medicine.
Sources are listed at the end of this page. Not medical advice.
Turmeric in Caltide
- Not totaled yetCaltide does not add up curcumin yet. The dishes you cook with turmeric still count toward calories and nutrients, with every ingredient's breakdown in the food library.
Related Nutrients
Turmeric Sources and References
The figures and claims on this page are checked against these sources.
Questions About Turmeric
Turmeric is the dried, ground root of the plant Curcuma longa. Curcumin is one compound in it, the main yellow pigment, and makes up only a small share of the spice, roughly 3% by weight on average. Most supplements and most studies use concentrated curcumin.
Not in a way that has been shown clearly in people. Curcumin affects inflammation in lab studies, but NCCIH says there is not enough evidence to conclude that turmeric or curcumin helps any health condition. For knee osteoarthritis the early evidence is positive, and better trials are needed.
Because the body absorbs very little curcumin on its own. Piperine, a compound in black pepper, slows its breakdown and raised curcumin blood levels many times over in a small early study. NCCIH warns that such better-absorbed products may harm the liver.
Yes. Turmeric in the amounts used in food is considered safe. The safety questions are about concentrated supplements, especially forms made to be better absorbed.
Rarely, yes. NCCIH says liver damage has been reported in some people taking curcumin products made to be better absorbed. Stop and contact a doctor if you notice tiredness, nausea, poor appetite, dark urine or yellow skin or eyes.
EFSA set an acceptable daily intake for curcumin as a food color (E100) of 3 mg per kg of body weight, about 210 mg for a 70 kg adult. It is a safety ceiling set for the additive, not a recommended amount.
It may. NCCIH advises talking to a health care provider before taking turmeric supplements with any medicine. It also says turmeric supplements may be unsafe in pregnancy.
Track anywhere. On any device.
Your calorie counter and food diary in your pocket, free and without ads, with Tide one tap away.
- Log by photo, barcode or voice, right where you eat
- Steps and workouts from Apple Health and Health Connect
- The same log on your phone and in your browser, always in sync