Turmeric Benefits -- Clear Heart Arteries
For healthy, flexible, clog-free arteries, add more ethnic flare to your favorite dishes with this spice: turmeric.
Turmeric is a favorite spice in Indian cooking. And the principal component of turmeric -- curcumin -- has been shown to help prevent arterial plaques from gaining a foothold in blood vessels. Nice!
Culinary Clog-Stopper
Squeaky-clear arteries are a very good thing. They mean less risk of atherosclerosis, a disease that ups the risk of stroke and heart attack. And curcumin seems to help clamp down on artery clogging in three ways: It curbs inflammation-induced damage to the lining of your arteries, it lowers blood cholesterol, and it regulates blood-platelet production (think thinner, less clot-prone blood). Check out what the YOU Docs have to say about five other foods that do wonders for your heart and arteries.
Wait, There's More . . .
Curcumin does more than protect your heart and arteries. Research suggests it may also curb the development of Alzheimer's disease, certain types of cancer, and arthritis -- just to name a few more benefits. So do both your palate and your health a favor by whipping up some of these turmeric-inspired seasonal recipes from EatingWell.
- Start your next meal with a bowl of this: Pueblo Pumpkin Stew.
- Serve this side with roasted meats: Golden Couscous with Currants and Scallions.
- Include this vegetarian option at get-togethers: Five-Vegetable Curry.
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Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin. Menon, V. P., Sudheer, A. R., Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 2007;595:105-125.
