Turmeric: Golden Spice, Super Food, and A Magic Herb for Consumers

    Turmeric, (Curcuma longa) is a plant that is used as a food color, flavoring agent, and as a medicinal agent.  It grows 60 to 90 cm tall.  Its leaves are clustered.  A yellow tuber is a long root that branches out from the sprout in the stem and goes into the soil. Cracking a finger on well-dried turmeric produces a metallic sound.  It is the oldest spice in India. Turmeric contains a chemical called curcumin, which gives turmeric its color and is the substance that gives turmeric its various benefits.  Turmeric requires temperatures between 20°C and 30°C (68°F and 86°F).  It also requires a lot of irrigation.  

What is Curcumin:

  Curcumin is an active ingredient commonly extracted from turmeric and ginger. Curcumin has inherent properties of the product, such as anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also widely used in skin-care applications, including the prevention of ringworms, eye infections, leech bites, sore skin, bruising, and swelling.

How is Turmeric Consumed: 

    Turmeric is extensively consumed in the South East Asian countries for food and medical products. With the medicinal value and health benefits of Turmeric(Curcumin), the product demand is massive among consumers, in many parts of the world. Demand is escalating due to increased consumer awareness, and the benefits of using organic and natural ingredients in medical products, and food applications will also increase demand. product demand during the forecast period.

    The pharmaceutical industry is largely using curcumin’s hydrophobic and lipophilic and traditional therapeutic(healing) qualities. The other qualities of curcumins like nanoparticles (properties that make them attractive), such as dendrimers, polymeric nanoparticles, and nanogels are under research for the treatment of cancer and therapy of various neurological diseases. It is believed to have significant health benefits along with the potential to prevent various diseases including Alzheimer’s, coronary heart disease, and cancer.

    The demand for curcumin is high in the US since consumers realized its medicinal properties and health benefits of curcumin. The product is being used in tissue engineering and companies are interested in investing in its research, particularly in the pharmaceutical segment since its non-toxicity.  The high demand is anticipated from countries including the U.S., Denmark, and Germany since consumers are aware of the research findings.*

Application of Curcumin:

    For many centuries, curcumin has been widely used in traditional Asian herbal medicines to treat infections and inflammation. The application of curcumin in the pharmaceutical segment and cosmetics segments has created high demand. The end product of both segments is estimated to have significant growth over the forecast period. Curcumin-infused products can reduce antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging properties. It also cures exposure to UV radiation DNA, and fatty acids, which creates irritation on the epidermis. It also reduces skin damage, hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and loss of skin tenacity.

    Pharmaceutical and cosmetic segments have led the market in 2020 with the highest revenue share of more than 51%. The segment is estimated to expand further at the fastest CAGR from 2020 to 2028. Thus, brand owners in the personal care and cosmetic segments are increasingly incorporating it as a preservative. The product benefits and consumer tendency for organically produced products will support the market growth during the forecast period. The food application segment is gained to achieve the second-highest CAGR of 16.0% over the forecast period 

Regional Insights

    Europe is looking forward to registering the fastest CAGR of 16.7% during the forecast period. The personal care & cosmetics industry is well established in Western European countries, such as Italy, Germany, and Spain. In North America, the highest revenue share in the year2020 was due to the high product demand for food & nutritional supplements. In North America, there are numerous premium cosmetic brands and these companies are progressively incorporating organic ingredients in their products, which, may provide growth opportunities to the market.

    Consumer awareness is lower in the Asia Pacific region about the health benefits of curcumin. However, it may create a great chance for brand owners to educate the population and launch products to meet regional demand. The rising demand for curcumin-based ayurvedic and herbal personal care products may fuel regional market growth.

   According to Grand View Research, the International curcumin market size was estimated at USD 58.19 million in 2020 and is likely to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.1% from 2020 to 2028.

Turmeric (Curcumin) is used in the following industries

• Pharmaceutical
• Food
• Cosmetics
• Others

    The International curcumin market size according to Grand View Research was evaluated at USD 58.19 million in 2020 and is looking forward to growing at a compound annual growth rate of 16.1% from 2020 to 2028 to reach USD 191.89 million by 2028. Pharmaceutical applications accounted for the highest share of 51.82% in the curcumin market in 2020.

    India is the highest producer, consumer, and exporter of turmeric in the world. The International production of turmeric is around 11 lakh tonnes per annum. India leads the world production scenario contributing 80% followed by China (8%), Myanmar (4%), Nigeria (3%), and Bangladesh (3%).In 2020-21, India exported 1.71 lakh tonnes of turmeric compared to 1.37 lakh tonnes during the previous year. Major turmeric importing countries from India are Bangladesh(49,522 tonnes), UAE (12,182 tonnes), Iran (10,964 tonnes), USA (9,712 tonnes) and Morocco(8,522 tonnes).According to Government's 2nd advance estimates, all of India's turmeric production in 2020-21 is at 11.02 lakh tonnes. However, compared with eastern countries, Curcumin is underutilized in India. India is the highest producer of turmeric in the world, and as the population swelled year after year, the demand for turmeric will be constant. Proper marketing and research will improve consumption. 

More information about Turmeric

    Early research suggests that adding turmeric to the diet may reduce the build-up of plaque in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease, a cause of memory loss in the elderly.

    Scientists have also found that a molecule called curcumin in turmeric removes beta-amyloid proteins from the brains of aged lab mice.

    Amyloid plaques are thought to be the damaging deposits that cause Alzheimer's in the brain.  If you put such beta-amyloid proteins in the human brain in a test tube and add a very small amount of curcumin, it prevents the beta-amyloid proteins from clumping together and forming clumps.  Alzheimer's disease is caused by beta-amyloid proteins clumping together in the brain.  So these new findings reinforce the idea that curcumin in turmeric can help treat and prevent Alzheimer's disease.

    Scientists have found that using turmeric powder in liquid form can help locate explosives.  Normally liquid turmeric absorbs light and glows when applied as a thin film, the luminescence of the turmeric changes as the chemical in the turmeric absorbs molecules of explosives such as TNT from the coil;  Blinking is reduced.

Here are some evidence-based health benefits of turmeric and curcumin.

• Curcumin is absorbed slowly into the bloodstream. To ascertain the full effects of curcumin, its bioavailability (the rate at which your body absorbs a substance) is required to improve. It helps to eat it along with black pepper, which contains piperine. Piperine is a natural substance that increases the absorption of curcumin by 2,000%.

• Curcumin is a natural anti-inflammatory compound

• Scientists now observed that chronic low-level inflammation takes part in some health conditions and diseases. 

• Believed to prevent Cancer

• Believed to prevent Metabolic Syndrome

• Believed to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and various degenerative conditions

• Turmeric can enhance the antioxidant capacity of the body

• Curcumin can increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor

• Curcumin may assist reverse many steps in the heart disease process 

• Grams of curcumin per day reduced the number of lesions by 40% 

• Whether curcumin can slow or even reverse the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in people is currently under observation.

• Other studies have looked at the effects of curcumin on arthritis and observed improvements in various symptoms 

• There’s also some proof that curcumin can boost the brain neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine 

• Understood that oxidation and inflammation are believed to take part in a role in aging, curcumin may have effects that go way beyond just preventing disease.

Turmeric May Worsen Acid Reflux, It’s a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant

• For a few people with mild stomach upset, gas and bloating from eating turmeric may result from the spice's anti-inflammatory properties. 
• Turmeric may also interfere with certain medications because it can thin the blood.
• It May Cause Stomach Upset and Indigestion. Turmeric may cause stomach upset, nausea, and diarrhea.
• May Increase the Risk of Kidney StonesCurcumin, 
• If you have diabetes and use or plan to use turmeric supplements, make sure to monitor your blood sugar closely 
• People who have already been diagnosed with a liver condition may have more problems and may cause liver damage if they take high doses of turmeric.
• It’s best to stop using curcumin or turmeric supplements, if you suffer from low blood pressure, curcumin is advisable
• Curcumin should be avoided for patients with bleeding disorders or those taking drugs that may increase the risk of bleeding. Dosage adjustments may be necessary.
• It is important to test before applying turmeric to the skin.
• Turmeric is used in most foods, think before using it while pregnant.

The maximum daily dose of turmeric (curcumin) is 1200 mg/day.

Turmeric for dogs has been used for centuries.

• It's a powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial agent that can do wonders for your dog's health.

• It comes in capsule form, but dogs prefer the taste of turmeric powder mixed into their food. 

• We advise making your own turmeric paste, which is easy and inexpensive to do.

• Mix 3 tablespoons of turmeric powder with 1 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper. This helps the body absorb it into the bloodstream. Add all the ingredients to a saucepan and mix them together. Add 1/2 cup of coconut oil (or olive oil) and stir until it becomes a thick paste. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. This paste can be added to your dog's wet food or treats once per day. Start with 1/4 teaspoon per day for small dogs and 1 teaspoon for larger dogs. You can increase this amount by 1/4 teaspoon each.

Conclusion:

    Turmeric, a golden spice and the basic ingredient of curry powder, consists of healthy antioxidants. As with any other herb or spice, too much turmeric can be harmful. However, the positive effects are plentiful.