No herb’s health halo shines as brightly as turmeric. While the bright orange powder has long been a cornerstone of cooking and medicinal use in India, the US has become the biggest importer of the herb. Why? Tumeric’s health benefits. You may know someone who takes turmeric supplements for their arthritis or as part of their post-workout recovery plan. Or maybe your FYP on TikTok is getting flooded with ads for Dose turmeric shots. Perhaps you’ve had it in one of the cold-pressed bottled juices sold near the checkout stand at Whole Foods or clocked its presence in a bar of soap.
Is it worth the hype? The benefits of turmeric are legit, but if you want to use the herb medicinally, it’s important to know how much to consume and the best way to do it. We talked to registered dietitians and clinical herbalists to learn about the five major ways you can benefit from consuming turmeric and how much it takes to make a notable difference on health.
1. It helps with arthritis and joint pain
One of the biggest health claims related to regularly consuming turmeric is that it can help with arthritis and joint pain. Paul Bergner, a medical herbalist, clinical nutritionist, and director of the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism, says that’s true, citing repeated evidence published in scientific journals and improvements he’s observed at his own health clinics.
He says that people can experiment with replacing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin or ibuprofen with turmeric to see if the herb works as a natural alternative.
“When this is effective, it is very beneficial because turmeric [works differently] than NSAIDs and doesn’t have the risk of intestinal bleeding presented by those drugs,” he says.
