What happens when you mix black pepper and turmeric
Traditional physicians and naturopathy practitioners would swear by the medicinal properties of natural products and its greater effect on the human body as compared to pills, tablets, syrups and injections. For centuries, mankind has relied on more nature-friendly solutions to cure illnesses, such as herbs and spices. One of the many such natural solutions to battle many problems is a concoction made by mixing black pepper and turmeric.
Both black pepper and turmeric are healthy spices, which are used to
enhance the flavour and colour of food. Turmeric has been used as a
medicine to treat a variety of problems like rheumatoid arthritis,
cardiovascular disease, and dementia . So why add black pepper to an
already medicinal food? Curcumin is an ingredient present in turmeric is
what is responsible for giving it its medicinal properties. The problem
is that curcumin is not absorbed well in the body. This is where black
pepper comes in. It contains a compound called piperine, which when
combined with turmeric, increases the absorption of curcumin by upto an
astonishing 2000%.
There are two theories to explain how piperine helps in increasing the
absorption of curcumin. Firstly, piperine slows the breakdown of
curcumin by the liver, increasing its blood levels. Secondly, piperine
makes it easier for curcumin to pass through the intestinal wall and
into the bloodstream. As a result of the combination, the health effects
of turmeric get enhanced, making it a more beneficial spice altogether.
So once black pepper and turmeric are
combined, what benefits do we get? For starters, the mixture helps with
digestion. Curcumin has been shown to have digestive properties, and
piperine enhances the activity of digestive enzymes in the stomach,
helping the body process food more quickly and easily. Moreover, both
black pepper and turmeric have anti-inflammatory properties which reduce
gut inflammation, which help with digestion.
The mixture can be used as a natural
pain reliever. The anti-inflammatory property of both the spices help in
desensitizing the pain receptors in the body, which reduce the feeling
of pain or discomfort, therefore acting as a substitute for
pharmaceutical painkillers. It is most effective when used to ease
musculo-skeletal injuries.
Test tube studies have shown that
curcumin can not only treat cancer, but can also help in preventing it.
It can decrease the chances of cancer by killing cancerous cells and
stopping the development of such cells at the molecular level. Even
piperine plays a role in killing cancer cells, reducing the risk of
tumours. A study showed that both curcumin and piperine worked
individually and in sync to interrupt the self renewal process of breast
stem cells. This is vital as this process is where breast cancer
originates. More studies have linked black pepper and turmeric with
having protective effects against other cancers like prostate and
pancreatic.
Both black pepper and turmeric contain
compounds that offer medicinal properties. When mixed together, they
for a sort of potion where the effects of curcumin, the compound present
in turmeric, increases manifold. It is a good idea to regularly consume
these two spices as part of a healthy diet to reap their benefits.