Powerful Produce
/By Dr. Nikki
Throughout any given day we are exposed to a plethora of toxins which result in oxidative stress within the body and cause bad molecules, known as free radicals, to form. These free radicals go around attacking and attaching to healthy atoms, causing damage to cells, proteins, and DNA! While you probably aren't looking for a chemistry lesson, I want to paint a picture of why it’s important that we do what we can to prevent and get rid of free radicals! This is where antioxidants enter the scene, preventing the free radicals from causing damage throughout the body.
So how do we get antioxidants? Antioxidants are not something that our bodies can make, but are found in a variety of foods!
A food that is seriously jam-packed with antioxidant power is turmeric! Widely known as an ingredient in Indian foods, turmeric is a root that looks similar to ginger but has a rich orange/yellow coloring to it. You can find turmeric in powder form in the spice aisle of your local grocery store or in whole-root form in the produce section of stores such as Whole Foods and Central Market.
The active compound found in turmeric is called curcumin. Curcumin is a very potent antioxidant that is extremely beneficial in preventing cellular damage as well as helping our bodies to detoxify. The only problem is that our bodies aren’t very good at absorbing curcumin by itself. Fortunately, adding a few ingredients to some turmeric and we’re able to enjoy ALL of the benefits of this antioxidant-rich root!
What are these three necessary ingredients? Great question! One of the elements necessary for us to absorb curcumin is called quercetin. Quercetin is a plant pigment found in red onions, capers, cranberries, kale, blueberries, romaine lettuce and apples (to list a few). Another element which increases the bioavailability of curcumin for our bodies is called piperine. Found in black pepper, piperine increases the bioavailability of curcumin (turmeric) by 2000%!! No, that is not a typo, two thousand percent!! The final ingredient that is extremely helpful in our absorbing curcumin is a healthy fat. By consuming turmeric with a healthy fat we are able to absorb curcumin directly into the bloodstream through the lymphatic system, rather than having it filtered through the liver first!
These may sound like some random ingredients to throw together in order to have better health, but a little concoction called a Turmeric Tonic (see recipe) does just the trick! In the video below, I show you how to make a turmeric tonic and the benefits of each ingredient that goes into it!
Turmeric Tonic Recipe:
2 cups of coconut water
2 inches of turmeric root
1 drop of food quality black pepper essential oil
1 inch of ginger root
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon of local honey
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until the consistency of a juice. Pour and enjoy! Makes 2 servings.
Making a recipe that calls for turmeric? Throw in a dash of black pepper and you’re automatically making your meal a natural detoxifier! What are your favorite ways to cook with turmeric? We would love to hear how you integrate this power-house antioxidant into your daily routine!
