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Nutri Inspector

How Much Turmeric Per Day is Recommended To Eat?

By Cindy Wilson

BS, Dietetics and Nutrition

Updated · 5 min read

Quick answer

We don't know enough to definitively conclude if turmeric or curcumin is beneficial for any health purposes. Conventionally formulated oral turmeric or curcumin (not modified to enhance bioavailability) is likely safe in the recommended amounts for up to 2 or 3 months. Oral curcumin products vary in how much curcumin they actually contain.

This is general information, not medical advice. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.

Key takeaways

  • Highly bioavailable formulations of curcumin may harm your liver, and liver damage has been reported in some people who consumed them.
  • Oral turmeric can cause adverse effects such as nausea and vomiting, acid reflux, stomach upset, diarrhea, or constipation.
  • The use of turmeric supplements during pregnancy may be unsafe.
  • If you take any type of medicine, talk with your health care provider before using any herbal product; some herbs and medicines interact in harmful ways.
  • The FDA does not have the authority to approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they are sold to the public.

People are using Turmeric for the longest time in history & we know how beneficial Turmeric is for good health.

The critical question, however, remains, which is; how much Turmeric per day is recommended?

Before I tell you the recommended dose of Turmeric per day, let me take you through some of the essential points about Turmeric.

Some herbs have a natural chemical composition which benefits in many ways. Turmeric is one such herb. When you add such herbs to your daily diet, it sure improves the health.

Turmeric also imparts a natural fragrance and color to the food.

How to Eat Turmeric?

You can use turmeric in many ways. I use it in curry powder form as well as the whole root.

You can prepare turmeric root for cooking by peeling the thin skin of it. To use the powder form, dry the rhizome (underground stem) and grind it.

I will divide this section into two parts.

1. Eating turmeric by slicing or chopping the root

How To Prepare Turmeric

Source: Pixabay

You can peel the root and slice it to use in stir-fries. Asians have turmeric as a staple and include it in their daily diet.

When I make stir-fries, I add turmeric in it before adding the vegetables and chicken.

To use it as an aside, you can take vinegar and add turmeric slices in it with a pinch of salt. It works as a taste enhancer to your food.

2. Eating turmeric in the powder form

Turmeric Spice

This section is essential for all of you who are looking to lose weight using turmeric.

In my weight loss regime, I used to start my mornings with turmeric and honey.

  • Take some lukewarm water in a cup and add a pinch of turmeric.
  • Add honey to it to subside the bitter taste of turmeric.
  • Have this daily for a month, first thing in the morning.
  • Turmeric has been used in traditional medicine for the common cold, but there isn’t enough evidence to definitively conclude that it helps.

There is one more way you can have this powder daily.

  • Take a tablespoon of honey and mix a pinch of turmeric powder in it.
  • Mix very well and have it.
  • You can have it anytime in the day.

How Much Turmeric Per Day…?

Below is more about the doses of turmeric for different health benefits.

How Much Turmeric Per Day to Lose Weight?

Flax Seed For Weight Loss

The recommended dose of turmeric for weight loss is anywhere between 400 mg to 600 mg twice or thrice a day.

Although the recommended value is more than I had, I could see noticeable results. But we don’t know enough to definitively conclude if turmeric or curcumin is beneficial for any health purposes, and dietary supplements are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before they are sold to the public.

Combining curcumin with piperine from black pepper is one way to improve absorption, but highly bioavailable formulations of curcumin, which enhance the body’s ability to absorb the curcumin, may harm your liver.

How Much Turmeric Per Day for Inflammation?

Turmeric has been used in traditional medicine for conditions such as arthritis and abdominal pain, but we don’t know enough to definitively conclude if turmeric or curcumin is beneficial for any health purposes. I am not talking about serious inflammation issues. For that, please consult your physician.

For inflammations like joint pain, swelling, etc., you can use turmeric topically as well. Apply turmeric powder along with water to the joints and keep it overnight, but note that topical curcumin can cause hives or itching, and it’s unclear whether topical curcumin ointment has an effect on pain related to knee osteoarthritis.

To reduce inflammation and pain, you can have turmeric milk. To make turmeric milk, bring the milk to a boil and add a turmeric pinch.

Hot turmeric milk might not suit you if you are suffering from gastritis. So be aware.

In Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric is also used to clean wounds. The recommended dose of turmeric is 500 mg twice daily.

How Much Turmeric Per Day for Arthritis?

The recommended dose of turmeric root for Arthritis is 1 – 3 grams per day. If you want to have turmeric powder, then the amount should be between 400 mg to 600 mg twice daily.

The doses for turmeric vary from a minimum of 400 mg to a maximum of 3 grams. Indians include about 3-gram turmeric in their daily diet.

If you are trying turmeric for the first time, start with a minimal amount.

What are the Benefits of Eating Turmeric Daily?

Today, turmeric is promoted as a dietary supplement for a variety of conditions, but we don’t know enough to definitively conclude if it is beneficial for any health purposes.

By including Turmeric in your diet daily, you can get the below-mentioned health benefits.

High Cholesterol

Many studies have been conducted on turmeric or curcumin for high cholesterol, but we don’t know enough to definitively conclude if it is beneficial.

High cholesterol level in the blood causes heart problems. To help get your cholesterol levels into the healthy range, you may need heart-healthy lifestyle changes or medicines.

Arthritis

For osteoarthritis knee pain and stiffness, the initial evidence on oral turmeric or curcumin is positive, but higher-quality evidence is needed to reach definitive conclusions.

Make sure you include a little bit of turmeric in your diet if you are suffering from Osteoarthritis. I will write about the recommended dose for this in the later section here.

Inflammation

Inflammation is caused when there are free radicals in the body. In arthritis as well, the free radicals cause inflammation in the joints.

They leave the joints swollen and painful.

Turmeric and Cancer

No herbal products, turmeric included, have been shown to be effective for treating cancer.

Some herbal products may be harmful when taken during chemotherapy or radiation therapy because they may interfere with how these treatments work.

Cancer patients should talk with their doctor about any vitamins and herbal supplements they may be using. Turmeric is not a remedy to cure cancer.

Immunity

Curcumin, which is an essential component of Turmeric, helps to boost immunity. There are free radicals in the body that are harmful. Curcumin destroys these free radicals from the body.

The activity of destroying the free radicals is also known as anti-oxidation. So Turmeric is known to be a potent anti-oxidant.

Weight Loss

You will be happy to know that Turmeric can help you lose weight. I have lost weight using Turmeric.

One important thing to lose weight is to eat in control and burn fat. Turmeric is often said to help with this, but there isn’t enough evidence to definitively conclude whether it does.

High metabolism of the body prevents fat deposition. This is one primary reason why I think you should include turmeric in your daily diet.

It is valid even if you are not trying to lose weight. At least you will keep your weight under control.

Eczema

Turmeric is also promoted for fighting eczema.

Warning Note

Oral turmeric can cause adverse effects such as nausea and vomiting, acid reflux, stomach upset, diarrhea, or constipation, and liver damage has been reported in some people who have consumed bioavailable curcumin formulations. Also, some people might be allergic to curcumin (turmeric vs. curcumin).

If you feel nauseatic, dizzy, or uncomfortable after trying turmeric, consult your physician.

However, it is always good to take precautions.

For pregnant and lactating women, it is better not to try this. If you are suffering from gastritis, turmeric might aggravate it.

Turmeric has not such fantastic taste, so be sure to read how to make it taste better.

Where can you buy turmeric?

It is essential to buy only proven turmeric quality from the oldest brand producers—check out my post for more details with detailed reviews.

Ending Note

I try to include this yellow root in my daily diet as much as possible.

You can also make it a practice to add turmeric to your food daily. It helps to maintain good health.

Good health is happiness.

By this, I come to an end. I hope you find this article a lovely read. If you find it helpful for you, do share it with your friends.

I would also be glad to receive your thoughts, comments, or queries on this in the comments below.

References

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