Turmeric root | why?
Curcuminoids can increase memory & attention by 28%.
Curcumin caught my interest because of a new randomised controlled trial recently published. The study showed that a bioavailable form of curcumin improved memory in older people with mild memory complaints.
One of the active curcuminoids in turmeric is curcumin. The bioavailability of curcumin can be increased with the addition of fat and a component of black pepper called piperine.
In a randomised controlled trial recently published, the curcumin group had a 28% improvement in their memory/attention abilities and fewer amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain via PET analysis while the placebo group showed no improvements.
The mechanisms by which curcumin affect memory and plaque accumulation in humans are not known. However, animal studies have shown that curcumin prevents proteins from aggregating and amyloid plaque accumulation.
Larger trials with the bioavailable form of curcumin need to be done before conclusions can be made particularly since clinical trials with non-bioavailable curcumin supplements have yielded mixed results. But for now...I will continue to add curcumin to my diet and I recommend the following morning ritual.
Pre-breakfast drink, first thing after waking up.
Steep sliced root turmeric & ginger in hot water, when cooled add a whole lemon & drink first thing in the morning before food. Black pepper & coconut oil help increase the bioavailability of the Curcumin.
- 0.5 litres warm water
- 1/2 Tbsp fresh sliced ginger
- 1/2 tbsp sliced root turmeric
- 30 ml fresh squeezed lemon (approximately 1 whole lemon)
- Table spoon coconut oil
- Touch of fresh ground black pepper
- To taste you could add a cinnamon stick & honey.