What is curcumin?

Curcumin is a polyphenol in with a quite remarkable set of potential health benefits. These potential benefits include better regulation of inflammation, oxidation, cell signaling, blood sugar levels, blood fat levels, and brain levels of the omega-3 fatty acid called DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), among its many benefits.

In addition to curcumin, there are many other health-supportive substances in turmeric, and the amount of curcumin in turmeric root can be fairly small. The actual amount of curcumin in turmeric varies from species to species, growing conditions, and timing of growth and harvest. But it typically accounts for only 2-5% of the root weight and can drop even lower under some conditions.

We are delighted to see great studies on the health benefits of curcumin, yet since we are most interested in the spice itself (turmeric) and the potential benefits of this spice in recipes, we also realize that some of the research on curcumin doesn’t easily translate into these more practical kitchen and recipe applications.