Getting Started

why take turmeric?

In study after study, science has shown that turmeric plays a vital role in:

Preventing, and even reversing, many diseases
Reducing aches and pains associated with arthritis and aging
Enhancing your immune system and response to illness

Ancient cultures depended on turmeric for healing, even adopting it as a primary seasoning in many dishes. It was revered for its properties in restoring health, providing energy, and warding off disease. These cultures used “whole root” turmeric, cutting it and then fermenting it in earthen jars. The American Turmeric Company™ seeks to revive this ancient practice and bring the restorative properties of turmeric to you.

why is curcumin important?

Turmeric rhizomes contain over 200 beneficial compounds. However, the most well-known of these is curcumin, a compound that makes up only 2-5% of the total weight of turmeric. It is one of three “curcuminoids” in turmeric. This small percentage, however, packs a potent punch, with extensive health benefits and regenerative properties.

Curcumin helps with so many conditions because it is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Most chronic diseases in humans either stem from or are exacerbated by inflammation. Stamping out the fires of inflammation allows the body to heal naturally. A few anti-inflammatory conditions that are particularly relieved by curcumin are as follows:

Osteoarthritis: Curcumin's anti-inflammatory effects have been proven to help reduce pain and improve function in people with osteoarthritis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis: Studies have shown that curcumin may alleviate symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Curcumin has been explored as a potential complementary therapy for IBD, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Heart Disease: Curcumin contributes to heart health by reducing inflammation and improving markers of cardiovascular health.
Cancer: Curcumin has been studied for its potential in cancer prevention and as an adjunct to conventional cancer therapies due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Skin Conditions: Curcumin's anti-inflammatory properties have been proven in the context of skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema.
Chronic Pain: Curcumin may be used as part of a pain management strategy for conditions associated with chronic inflammation.

There are many turmeric products being sold which are “95% curcumin extract”. We recommend that you do not use products that are based solely on curcumin. The reason is simple – Nature created a nearly perfect plant with incredible healing abilities. Why would you want to throw out all of the other beneficial compounds and just take one? Think of turmeric as a food. Use it the way Nature intended it to be used. For thousands of years, turmeric was used in Ayurvedic Medicine as a “balancing and harmonizing” agent. Playing around with nature will lead to imbalance and disharmony. We don't believe that we should do that.

Read more about the value of Curcumin on our Blog here.

So What is the Deal with Black Pepper/Piperine?

The subject has gotten much attention on the internet. A much more in-depth review of this subject will be posted on our blog. The “popular” opinion is that you should add black pepper to your turmeric in order to increase its bioavailability in the intestines. However, there is compelling scientific evidence that adding black pepper has EXACTLY the opposite effect.

We do not add black pepper or piperine to our turmeric products because many of our customers ask us not to do so. They now understand that it may negatively affect their liver function. If you are using one of our fermented products, you will get the best absorption with the probiotics created during the fermentation process. This is a great boost to your body.

HOW MUCh turmeric SHOULD YOU TAKE?

We offer turmeric in several forms, so you can find the one that fits your lifestyle and health needs the best. Fortunately, whole turmeric has been found to be very safe and is easily absorbed by the body.

The suggested serving size is 1 tablespoon per day. This is a good place to start, but feel free to take more if you’re sick, experiencing health issues, or just want an additional immune boost. It can take 30-60 days before you experience alleviation of symptoms, so be sure to take it regularly. It may help for you to keep a journal of how you feel each day, particularly if you’re looking to alleviate joint pain or other health conditions. We also suggest that you test your blood sugar and cholesterol during your journey. You may be surprised to find that turmeric can have a marked effect on these things as well.

what is the value of fermentation?

The benefits of fermented food are all over the literature as well as the news! Researchers have shown that fermented foods provide many health benefits such as anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-atherosclerotic activity.

Our Fermented Turmeric products improve your body’s ability to absorb the valuable healing compounds of turmeric.

Fermented turmeric has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants protect our body from damage caused by the aging process “oxidation” -referred to as “free radicals”. These unstable molecules damage cells and contribute to the development of chronic diseases. Fermented turmeric contains antioxidants that neutralize free radicals and protect against oxidative stress.

Modern medicine has turned to Fermented Turmeric because it increases the absorption of its hundreds of healing compounds – including Curcumin. Its benefits include brain health. Whole fermented turmeric protects the neuronal pathways which improves cognitive function. It reduces the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer's. Many take fermented turmeric to improve their mood and to reduce their depression and anxiety.

How can I find independent research on a particular disease?

There are thousands of human clinical trials that report specific findings regarding turmeric's ability to treat or prevent a variety of diseases or conditions. But you want to ensure that you are looking at legitimate, scientific studies. The best way to do this is to narrow your search to articles published by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). The best way to do that is to visit “Google Scholar” (https://scholar.google.com/) and type in “turmeric” along with the name of the disease or condition you’re interested in investigating and then type "site:nih.gov". See screen shot for example.

Last - but not least - is the required disclaimer from the FDA: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

scientific references

Leelavinothan Pari, Daniel Tewas & Professor Dr. Juergen Eckel (2008) Role of curcumin in health and disease, Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry, 114:2, 127-149
James W. Daily, Mini Yang, and Sunmin Park.Efficacy of Turmeric Extracts and Curcumin for Alleviating the Symptoms of Joint Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.Journal of Medicinal Food.Aug 2016.717-729.
Praditya D, Kirchhoff L, Brüning J, Rachmawati H, Steinmann J and Steinmann E (2019) Anti-infective Properties of the Golden Spice Curcumin. Front. Microbiol. 10:912.
Qin, S., Huang, L., Gong, J. et al. Efficacy and safety of turmeric and curcumin in lowering blood lipid levels in patients with cardiovascular risk factors: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutr J 16, 68 (2017).
Şanlier N, Gökcen BB, Sezgin AC. Health benefits of fermented foods. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(3):506-527.

lead-free turmeric