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Dr. Susan E. Brown

5 turmeric recipes for Better Bones – Better Bones

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I love cooking with turmeric because it adds a brilliant yellow color and pungent taste to so many foods. Plus, its active compound, curcumin, has been extensively studied and displays an impressive list of benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that are important to bone health.

Used in foods, turmeric can deliver a significant amount of curcumin. You may be most familiar with turmeric as a key ingredient in curry powder and other savory dishes. I like to use it whenever I can. Here are some of my favorite recipes using turmeric:

Read on for nutritious and delicious turmeric recipes!

1. Turmeric-spiked ghee

Turmeric is fat-soluble, and in traditional Indian cuisine, it’s generally cooked in ghee (clarified butter) or oil. Heat 1 Tbsp of ghee, add ½ tsp of turmeric powder and lightly sauté it for a few minutes. Store your “turmeric ghee” refrigerated in a jar and use it as a colorful and healthy oil for sautéing vegetables, nuts and seeds.

2. Beautiful yellow rice

Use the same turmeric ghee as nutritious condiment when cooking rice. Put 1 Tbsp turmeric ghee in a saucepan, along with ¼ tsp cumin seeds and a pinch of black pepper and salt. Sauté this spice mix a few moments before adding to the rice cooking water.

3. Turmeric-ginger tea

Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a saucepan. Put in ½ to 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp ginger powder, 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon, and a pinch of pepper. Simmer this for 15 minutes, then let settle, strain, and drink hot or cold with sweetener if desired.

4. Golden milk (one of my favorite turmeric recipes)

In a saucepan, mix and bring to a light boil the following:

  • 2 cups of any “milk” you choose (dairy, soy, rice, almond, or ½ almond and ½ coconut milk)
  • 1 Tbsp of ground turmeric (feel free to start with less)
  • 1 tsp powdered or fresh ginger
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamom
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 Tbsp sweetener (maple syrup, sucanat, etc.)
  • Pinch of black pepper

5. Chicken curry salad

  • Dress shredded chicken or chopped tofu with a mixture of turmeric, curry powder, cumin, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.
  • Add chopped celery or red pepper, raisins, chopped walnuts, minced garlic and a pinch of cayenne pepper and black pepper to taste.
  • Drizzle with a bit of lemon or lime juice, and serve over salad greens, rice, or use as a colorful sandwich filling.

More ways to use turmeric powder:

  • In deviled eggs or chicken soup
  • As a natural coloring for bland foods such as mashed potatoes, rice or quinoa
  • Sprinkled on avocado or salads

How much turmeric powder to aim for?

To gain health benefits from the spice, the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends taking 1 to 3 grams of dried, powdered turmeric root per day, which is about 1/2 to 11/2 tsp. A small amount of black pepper enhances the bioavailability of curcumin, as does boiling.

With so many ways to use turmeric, no wonder it is one of the most widely used culinary spices worldwide! If you would like to learn more about the benefits of turmeric and curcumin, see my recent blog “New study suggests curcumin helps build bone.”

Turmeric Recipes

Turmeric Recipes

Curcumin build bones
Dr. Susan E. Brown

New study suggests curcumin helps build bone

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A recent study shows that use of a new bioavailable derivative of curcumin significantly increased the bone density in the heel, upper jaw and little finger bones in older men. While the study looks at men — more about that below — I think it has some very interesting implications for us all!

What did the study look at?

  • The trial population consisted of 57 older Italian men — all between 68 and 73 years old — described by study authors as “reasonably fit” with a BMI below 25.
  • All study participants began a standardized bone health management program that included regular exercise, nutritional evaluation and dietary modifications, with particular focus on vitamin D, vitamin C and calcium.
  • 29 of them spent 24 weeks supplementing their program with the curcumin supplement, while the remaining 28 did not.

Now, it’s important to note that this is a small, preliminary study, and some of the choices the researchers made limit its usefulness. Men have fewer risk factors for bone loss than women in the same age group, and it’s unclear how “low” the subjects’ bone mass was (relative to their overall body size) to begin with. Plus, given that the individuals were “reasonably fit” Italian seniors (who likely had eaten an alkalizing Mediterranean diet most of their lives), we can infer that their initial risk of osteoporosis and fracture wasn’t high.

The powerful effects of curcumin

But as a starting point, it has some interesting implications. Curcumin has long been known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. And there’s evidence suggesting it inhibits an important biochemical mechanism for osteoclast development know as the RANKL pathway (Bharti et al., 2004) — which is the same process targeted by the powerful bone drug denosumab (Prolia; Hanley et al., 2012).

That’s why it makes sense that a bioavailable curcumin could have such powerful effects to build bone when combined with common-sense healthy diet and exercise habits.

Obviously, the researchers have much more work to do, but I am encouraged to see scientists turning to nature to find the best ways to build bone health!

 

References

Bharti AC, Takada Y, Aggarwal BB. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) inhibits receptor activator of NF-kappa B ligand-induced NF-kappa B activation in osteoclast precursors and suppresses osteoclastogenesis. J Immunol. 2004;172(10):5940–5947.

Hanley DA, Adachi JD, Bell A, Brown V. Denosumab: mechanism of action and clinical outcomes. Int J Clin Pract. 2012 Dec;66(12):1139–1146.

Riva A, Togni S, Giacomelli L, et al. Effects of a cucurmin-based supplementation in asymptomatic subjects with low bone density: A preliminary 24-week supplement study. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Stud. 2017;21:1684–1689.

Better Bones Blog
Dr. Susan E. Brown

Make the most out of curcumin’s benefits

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I recently took full advantage of a true adventure — keeping up with my 20-year-old son and his friend as we skied and toured through Europe.  I’m proud to say I returned home in one piece and with my confidence intact!

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I really try to make the most out of everything, even when it comes to something I do every day such as taking supplements. I want to make sure that each and every vitamin, mineral and nutrient is working as hard as possible.  You might be surprised how the benefits can vary from supplement to supplement — one notable example is when it comes to the benefits of curcumin.

Why I’m so excited about curcumin

Curcumin is found in the popular spice turmeric and helps protect your body from oxidative stress that can lead to cell damage and negative health effects.  It’s also shown promising results as an anti-inflammatory.

When it comes to bone health, curcumin helps to reduce the bone-harming RankL protein.  In addition, curcumin has antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory effects in other areas, including:
• Neurological health
• Lung health
• Joint function
• Kidney, liver and cardiovascular health

As we get older, we may notice that the ongoing damage from oxidative stress becomes more visible and severe.

Getting enough curcumin

Making sure your body has access to the optimal amount of curcumin can be tricky — even if you’re taking supplements.  Many people have a difficult time absorbing curcumin, and when they do, it can be eliminated from your body quickly.

Luckily, a new form of curcumin called Meriva® Curcumin Phytosome is now available. This patented formulation of curcumin includes phosphatidylcholine, an easily absorbed soy lecithin.  This highly effective absorption means that your body can use more and get the full benefit. Meriva® Curcumin Phytosome is the curcumin I use in my exclusive Super Antioxidant formula to protect your body from oxidative stress damage and to increase joint comfort and flexibility.

Plus, here’s a recipe that combines the wonderful flavor of turmeric with other spices:

Curried Squash Soup

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients
1 Tbsp clarified butter
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground turmeric
6-8 C peeled and diced butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
3 C water or vegetable stock
½ tsp sea salt or 1 tsp miso dissolved in ¼ C warm water
1 C unsweetened almond milk
½ C light cream
¼ C chopped fresh cilantro as garnish

Steps
1. In a 4 ½-quart saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until translucent.
2. Add the garlic, coriander, cumin and turmeric to the saucepan and stir fry for 1 minute.
3. Add the squash, water and salt to the saucepan, cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender. Reduce the heat to low.
4. Pour the soup into a blender, process it until smooth, and return it to the saucepan, or use a hand blender directly in the saucepan.
5. Add the milk and light cream to the soup and stir until well blended. Reheat, top with a sprinkle of cilantro and serve.
Courtesy of The Amazing Acid Alkaline Cookbook by Bonnie Ross

 

References:

Belcaro, G., et al. 2010. Efficacy and safety of Meriva®, a curcumin-phosphatidylcholine complex, during extended administration in osteoarthritis patients. Altern Med Rev. 15 (4), 337-44. URL (abstract):http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21194249 (accessed 11/27/2012)