The Real Reason You Should Combine Turmeric And Black Pepper
Turmeric is a gold-tinted spice that helps to enhance flavors of popular dishes such as curry or chicken. In addition to serving as a delicious seasoning, turmeric also has a multitude of health benefits. It serves as a powerful antioxidant as well as an anti-inflammatory and has been found to have unique abilities to help with pain management and to fight off disease (via University of Utah). When coupled with the medicinal effects of black pepper, the benefits of these combined spices become twice as great.
The main ingredient associated with turmeric's health benefits is curcumin. In addition to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, curcumin also plays an important role in fighting off bacterial and fungal infections (via Healthline). Unfortunately, it's not easy for the body to naturally absorb the full amount of this ingredient on its own, and additional spices are needed to help further absorb these medicinal compounds (via Everyday Health).
Compounds in both spices enhance anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties
Piperine, an important ingredient in black pepper, is able to enhance absorption of curcumin into the body (via NDTV). By mixing both spices, you can ensure that your body is getting enough of each of these compounds that it needs. According to research conducted at UMASS Medical School, curcumin only accounts for 5 percent of turmeric's ingredients just as piperine makes up only 5 percent of black pepper's. These numbers may sound small, but together, studies show that 20 milligrams of piperine coupled with 2 grams of curcumin can result in an increase of absorption into the body by as much as 2,000 percent (via Everyday Health).
The health benefits of black pepper and turmeric are significant enough on their own, but together, it only amplifies the positive effects. From improved digestive health, to the lessening of inflammation related to diseases such as arthritis or Alzheimer's, the combining of these two spices is not only healthy, but also tasty (via Journal of Translational Medicine). If you're looking for creative ways to spice up your diet, consider adding both turmeric and black pepper to your salads, soups, rice, vegetables, scrambled eggs, or other recipes.