Turmeric has been used in cooking and medicine for thousands of years in South Asia, and is an important spice in Ayurveda, an ancient form of traditional Indian healing still used today. Known as the ‘golden spice’, in cooking, turmeric gives Indian, Asian and Thai curries their yellowy-orange colour and is often used in a spice blend to give warmth and flavour to dishes.
Medicinally, it’s been used in India for generations to help relieve conditions of the digestive tract and the skin, to help manage stiff joints, and general aches and pains.
In recent years, the Western world has become more aware of turmeric and its potential health benefits. In fact, many, many research projects have studied turmeric and its active ingredient that’s now known to be responsible for its health benefits, curcumin. These studies have found promising results and suggest that turmeric supplements could have many health benefits and uses, including as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
As a result of this scientific interest, there are many different types of turmeric supplements available.
Our top-rated turmeric supplements are the organic fermented turmeric capsules from Living Nutrition. The bioavailability of turmeric, or how easily and how well it’s absorbed into the bloodstream, can be fairly low in some supplements, but fermented turmeric is considered more bioavailable and can therefore impart more benefits.
|
Turmeric supplement |
Highlights |
Total turmeric |
Per unit |
Price |
|
Certified organic, 100% natural, highly absorbable |
18,000mg |
300mg |
£24.99 |
|
|
Best turmeric drink in powder form |
50,000mg |
2000mg |
£28.99 |
|
|
Certified organic gummies with 25mg of CBD |
1,500mg |
25mg |
£49.99 |
|
|
USDA organic with black pepper |
33,180mg |
553mg |
£26.49 |
|
|
Certified organic 100ml bottle |
33,300mg |
333mg |
£14.45 |
|
|
Organic drink with lemon |
Unknown |
Unknown |
£6 |
Turmeric and curcumin are often thought of as being the same thing. But in fact, turmeric is the spice we’re familiar with in the kitchen, whilst curcumin is a compound found within turmeric.
Used primarily as a spice in cooking, turmeric is most commonly found as a dried powder. It comes from the Curcuma longa plant which is in the same family of plants as ginger. In the same way, as ginger comes from the root of the ginger plant, turmeric powder comes from the root (sometimes called the rhizome) of the Curcuma longa plant.
Most turmeric available in the West originates from India. To produce the dried spice, the root is boiled, dried in a hot oven or in direct sunlight and then ground into a powder. Fresh turmeric is also available, which can be peeled and then sliced or grated into dishes.
Turmeric contains around 200 active compounds called curcuminoids. Of these, the most notable, and most well-researched, is curcumin. Curcumin is considered the key active ingredient in turmeric and is what gives turmeric its distinct colour.
As well as colour, curcumin is responsible for the health benefits of turmeric, since curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent and antioxidant.
Aside from adding turmeric to your cooking, taking concentrated, pure turmeric supplements with no binders or fillers to ‘mask’ the active ingredient curcumin is considered the most beneficial.
Pure or organic turmeric supplements are available as capsules, powders, drinks, gummies and tinctures, and it’s down to personal choice which one you choose to take. If you’re new to taking supplements or you often forget to take them, for ease, a once-a-day capsule is the best way to take turmeric.
Turmeric isn’t very ‘bioavailable’, meaning that it doesn’t absorb well into the bloodstream. It’s also broken down by the liver during digestion, further decreasing the level of curcumin that can benefit the body.
An ingredient found in black pepper, called piperine, helps to increase the bioavailability of turmeric by up to 2,000%. It’s thought that this is due to two factors – piperine makes it easier for turmeric and curcumin to pass through the wall of the gut into the blood and also slows down the breakdown of curcumin by the liver.
However, some people find that taking a turmeric supplement that also contains piperine causes stomach upsets and discomfort. Therefore, taking a supplement that contains fermented turmeric is beneficial and is the best way to take turmeric, as fermented turmeric is more easily absorbed into the bloodstream. Unlike piperine, fermented turmeric doesn’t cause stomach problems.
Curcumin is a fat-soluble nutrient which means that it’s absorbed by the fats within the diet, so it’s also a good idea to take turmeric supplements with food that contains healthy fats, such as oily fish, olive oil, avocados, nuts, or seeds.
Turmeric is considered generally safe to take as a daily supplement. However, taking it with black pepper (piperine) may cause stomach upset. Plus, if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, its safety hasn’t yet been established.
There are some health conditions that may be negatively affected by taking turmeric, and these include kidney stones, diseases of the gall bladder, diabetes, iron deficiency and blood clotting disorders. If you have any of these conditions, speak to your doctor before taking turmeric supplements.
Whilst studies continue into the absolute link between curcumin and its potential to help manage these diseases, what is currently understood, is that the active ingredient in turmeric, is a potent anti-inflammatory and chronic inflammatory disease “will be at the forefront as promising targets for curcumin therapy”.
Turmeric supplements rich in curcumin have also been found to help people struggling with depression when taken alongside regular medications. It’s also been found to raise levels of the ‘happy hormones’, serotonin and dopamine.
Other studies have found links between taking turmeric supplements and healthier gut microbiota. The gut is home to trillions of bacteria, viruses and protozoa, collectively known as the gut microbiota. The more thriving the microbiota, the better our gut health and digestion.
In terms of the antioxidant properties of curcumin, taking turmeric supplements can benefit the immune system. An antioxidant such as curcumin can help to protect the immune system by neutralising free radicals, and unstable molecules of oxygen that can damage the cells of the immune system.
Turmeric supplements come in many different forms and we have chosen our personal favourites in each area. You can then find the supplement most suited to your needs.
Taking a more bioavailable turmeric supplement means that it will be absorbed through the gut wall and into the bloodstream more efficiently, meaning that it’s more beneficial to health as your body receives more of the active compound curcumin.
Living Nutrition have developed their own fermenting technique to increase the bioavailability of their supplements and are actively involved in nutritional and scientific studies directly linked to producing the highest quality products.
Their organic fermented turmeric capsules are suitable for vegans and are free from gluten, preservatives, fillers and binders. They’re designed to be taken once a day with food.
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body accounting for around 70% of the total protein level. It’s most well-known for providing a ‘scaffold’ for the skin to sit on, helping to keep it plump and youthful. Collagen is also found in the soft tissues and joints, helping to keep them lubricated and supple.
As we begin to age, from our mid 20s, we gradually lose our natural collagen reserves. This results in wrinkles, fine lines and sagging in the skin as well as stiff, immobile, painful joints.
For this reason, some people choose to take a collagen supplement to help keep their reserves topped up.
Combining collagen with turmeric as Planet Paleo have done with their turmeric latte pure collagen powder creates a warming, nourishing drink that can be enjoyed any time of day. It provides the benefits of both collagen and turmeric in one comforting drink.
With pure bovine collagen derived from grass fed cows and an organic turmeric latte blend of turmeric, coconut milk powder, cinnamon, ginger, black peppercorn (providing piperine) and other warming spices, this powder can be made into a drink using the dairy or plant based milk of your choice.
All Planet Paleo products are suitable for anyone following the paleo diet and contain nothing but pure, natural ingredients.
CBD is extracted from the Cannabis sativa plant and contains undetectable levels of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis responsible for its intoxicating effects. This means that taking CBD won’t give you a ‘high’.
Instead, CBD has been linked with several benefits. Taking CBD in gummy form is a popular way of taking CBD in a pre-measured amount.
The vegan CBD gummies with turmeric and spirulina from CBDfx contain 25mg of broad-spectrum organic CBD per gummy and are ideal for combining with a busy, stressful lifestyle.
They contain no animal gelatine, making them suitable for vegans, and contain 100% natural ingredients. The added turmeric provides protective anti-inflammatories and antioxidants, whilst the spirulina provides a multitude of vitamins and minerals.
CBD gummies from CBDfx are naturally sweet with a flavour similar to honey and come from a leader in the development of new and advanced CBD products.
Piperine is extracted from black pepper and has been found to help increase the bioavailability of turmeric and curcumin. This means that it helps the active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, cross from the gut into the bloodstream where it can benefit the body.
Extra-strength mykind organics herbal turmeric tablets from Garden of Life contain organic fermented whole turmeric along with ginger, black pepper, and probiotics. Both the piperine in the black pepper and the fact that the turmeric is fermented mean that this supplement has increased bioavailability.
Some people do find that taking turmeric with piperine causes them stomach problems. So, if you notice stomach cramping, bloating or pain, or you experience an upset stomach, it’s best to try a fermented turmeric capsule without the piperine.
These supplements however do contain natural ingredients grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides or fungicides and are free from dairy, soy and gluten. They’re also suitable for vegans.
Designed to be taken once a day as a single tablet, they also contain probiotics that are known to help support the health of the digestive system.
A tincture is a liquid solution designed to be taken in minimal amounts that contains an active substance such as an herb or a medicine, dissolved in alcohol to create a highly-concentrated supplement. Despite the alcohol content, a tincture is meant to be taken in very small servings, and sometimes mixed with water, there’s no risk of becoming intoxicated.
The turmeric tincture from Organic Herbal Remedies contains the finest quality turmeric root sourced from India and Sri Lanka and is manufactured in the UK. Just 1ml of this tincture contains the equivalent of 333mg of dried turmeric root.
Considered more bioavailable than some other turmeric supplements, this turmeric tincture contains no artificial ingredients and is approved by the Soil Association as organic.
A turmeric tincture is ideal if you prefer to take a liquid supplement rather than a tablet or capsule. Plus, due to its high concentration, there’s no need for a large or cumbersome bottle.
A turmeric shot doesn’t contain any alcohol, instead, these organic turmeric shots from KoRo contain only fresh turmeric juice and a squeeze of lemon.
With an intensely spicy, slightly acidic taste, these shots are not for the faint-hearted but are an ideal winter warmer during the cold months (or all year round) to provide you with a concentrated shot of turmeric that’s full of flavour. They can also be diluted into warm drinks, juices and smoothies.
KoRo prides itself on only using natural ingredients and the turmeric in these shots is certified organic.
Taking a daily turmeric supplement may benefit your health in many ways and may help to protect your immune system. We recommend taking any turmeric supplement 4-8 weeks to see any noticeable benefits.
If you would like any further advice on choosing the best curcumin supplement for you feel free to reach out to us using the chat function or via the information on our contact page.
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Hannah de Gruchy
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Health and wellness author and biologist specialised in sustainability, nutrition and eco-living.