Turmeric
Turmeric is a flowering plant of the ginger family, the roots of which are used in cooking,tea/herbal infusion and skincare. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
Turmeric powder has a warm, bitter, black pepper-like flavor and earthy, mustard-like aroma. The rhizomes are used fresh or boiled in water and dried, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a coloring and flavoring agent in many Asian cuisines, especially for curries, as well as for dyeing.
It has been long used in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine and towns as far as Madagascar and Polynesia.
turmeric
The active component of turmeric powder is collectively known as curcuminoids or curcumin for short. This is what gives it its medicinal properties. Curcumin has received worldwide attention for its multiple health benefits, which appear to act primarily through its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.
Through research, it has been shown to have a wide range of therapeutic actions which are;
It protects against free radical damage because it is a strong antioxidant.

It reduces inflammation by lowering histamine levels and possibly by increasing the production of natural cortisone by the adrenal glands.

It has been shown to prevent platelets from clumping together, which in turn improves circulation and may help protect against atherosclerosis.
It protects the liver from a number of toxic compounds.

Laboratory tests have found that turmeric is antimutagenic, as it potentially helps prevent new cancers that are caused by chemotherapy or radiation used to treat existing cancers. It effectively inhibits metastasis (uncontrolled spread) of melanoma (skin cancer) cells and may be especially useful in deactivating the carcinogens in cigarette smoke and chewing tobacco.

A separate double-blind clinical trial found that curcumin was superior to placebo or phenylbutazone (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug [NSAID]) for alleviating post-surgical inflammation.
Turmeric in the diet increases the production of enzymes that digest fats and sugars and stop cholesterol from forming gallstones.
Turmeric is helpful for people with indigestion. Results in people with stomach or intestinal ulcers have not shown it to be superior to a placebo and have demonstrated it to be less effective than antacids.
Preliminary research indicates a possible benefit of oral curcumin supplementation for chronic anterior uveitis (inflammation of the iris and middle coat of the eyeball).
Turmeric is exceedingly useful in the treatment of some urinary disorders such as diabetes mellitus.
Turmeric stimulates the secretion of bile, is anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, eases stomach pain, and is an antioxidant. Turmeric in the diet increases the production of enzymes that digest fats and sugars and stops cholesterol from forming gallstones.
When applied to the skin and exposed to sunlight, turmeric is strongly anti-bacterial.
It can be used for parasitic infections.
Fresh juice from the rhizome or a paste prepared from turmeric or decoction is often used as a local application as well as internally in the treatment of leprosy, snake bites, and vomiting associated with pregnancy.
In case of smallpox and chickenpox, turmeric is applied as a powder or as a paste to facilitate the process of scabbing.
Turmeric powder with alum powders are mixed in a proportion of 1 to 20 and is blown into an ear that has chronic discharge or otorrhoea.
According to Chaturvedi, Turmeric can be used in following ways to offer relief from dental problems:
Rinsing the mouth with turmeric water (boil 5 g of turmeric powder, two cloves, and two dried leaves of guava in 200 g water) gives instant relief.
Massaging the aching teeth with roasted, ground turmeric eliminates pain and swelling.

Applying the powder of burnt turmeric pieces and bishop’s weed seed on teeth and cleaning them makes the gums and teeth strong.
Applying a paste made from 1 tsp of turmeric with ½ tsp of salt and ½ tsp of mustard oil provides relief from gingivitis and periodontitis. Rub the teeth and gums with this paste twice daily.
Curcumin has a long established safety record. For example, according to JECFA (The Joint United Nations and World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives) and EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) reports, the Allowable Daily Intake (ADI) value of curcumin is 0–3 mg/kg body weight. Several trials on healthy subjects have supported the safety and efficacy of curcumin. Despite this well-established safety, some negative side effects have been reported when it is consumed in excess and these include nausea, diarrhea, headache, rash, and yellow stool.
Ingesting curcumin by itself does not lead to the associated health benefits due to its poor bioavailability, which appears to be primarily due to poor absorption, rapid metabolism, and rapid elimination. There are several components that can increase bioavailability. For example, piperine is the major active component of black pepper and, when combined in a complex with curcumin, has been shown to increase bioavailability by 2000%. Curcumin combined with enhancing agents provides multiple health benefits. The piperine in black pepper aids easy absorption of curcumin found in turmeric that is very beneficially to the body

turmeric and black pepper tea

BLACK PEPPER
Black pepper is obtained from a flowering vine cultivated for its fruits known as pepper corn. The fruit is usually dried and used as spice and seasoning. It is the world’s most traded spice and it has been used since time immemorial both for flavor and as a traditional medicine.

black pepper

The main active chemical compound is piperine which accounts for the spiciness of black pepper.
According to Web Med, People take black pepper for stomach upset, bronchitis, and cancer. Black pepper is sometimes applied directly to the skin for treating nerve pain (neuralgia) and a skin disease called scabies. Black pepper and white pepper are also used topically as a counter irritant for pain. In foods and beverages, black pepper, white pepper, and pepper oil (a product distilled from black pepper) are used as flavoring agents.
Piperine is under study for its potential to increase absorption of selenium, vitamin B12, beta-carotene and curcumin, as well as other compounds.
Black pepper is safe when used in food amounts and might be safe for most people when used in medicinal amounts. Pepper might have a burning aftertaste.
Black pepper, when applied directly to the skin, are safe for most adults. However, there isn’t enough information to know if use on the skin is safe for children. Black pepper may cause redness and burning if they get into the eyes.
A turmeric and black pepper combination is a quite good combination since the latter facilitates proper and efficient absorption of turmeric. When combined together it greatly helps with digestion, reducing pain and aids with the fight against cancer (it is an anti-cancer combination), it is aslo helps with inflammatory

turmeric and black pepper tea by Tea Orb

Despite the numerous positive health effects of the combination. I would advise it to be taken in moderation. Also, diabetic patients should seek medical advice before trying turmeric since it is known to drastically reduce blood sugar level.

Sydney Nee Kwaatei Phixon-Owoo

Food nutritionist and scientist

The university of Ghana

The Tea Orb has Turmeric and black pepper in tea bags which makes it easy to have a cup of turmeric and black pepper without the stress of making it yourself. To follow the Tea Orb and as well as order Turmeric and black pepper herbal infusion/tea  open the tea orb link below

References

1.TP Chaturvedi: Uses of turmeric in dentistry: An update. Retrieved from http://www.ijdr.in/article.asp?issn=0970-9290;year=2009;volume=20;issue=1;spage=107;epage=109;aulast=Chaturvedi on 26/06/2019

2. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turmeric on 26/06/2019

5.  Susan J. Hewlings  and Douglas S. Kalman Curcumin: A Review of Its’ Effects on Human Health. Retrieved from

6.  Ibid

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