5 Impressive Anti-inflammatory Remedies with Turmeric

Reviewed and approved by the physical therapist Abel Verdejo.

Written by Elena Martínez Blasco

Last update: 09 October, 2022

Due to the curcumin in turmeric, it’s perfect in anti-inflammatory remedies — both topical and oral.

Some of the most effective and popular anti-inflammatory remedies in existence are based on turmeric. It is incredibly powerful and capable of reducing inflammation, protecting your body from free radicals, and detoxifying your organs.

Continue reading to learn about 5 anti-inflammatory remedies with turmeric. They each combine it with special medicinal ingredients that will enhance its effect, including coconut, cinnamon, olive oil, and black pepper. They even taste good!

5 impressive anti-inflammatory remedies with turmeric

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a medicinal plant with potent anti-inflammatory qualities. It also acts as an antioxidant and improves liver function. It belongs to the same family as ginger, which is another spice with impressive healing powers.

Therefore, turmeric is a very nutritious spice to add to all kinds of food. However, today this article is going to share with you a few specific remedies to add to your diet.

1. Golden milk

Golden milk is getting quite popular. It’s made with coconut milk and turmeric, and compared to cow’s milk, coconut milk is much more easily digested and even detoxifies your body. Golden milk provides a significant amount of minerals and your immune system will love it. In fact, it’s so energizing that it might even replace your morning coffee!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of coconut milk (200 ml)
• 1 teaspoon of powdered turmeric (4 g)
• Honey or stevia (to taste)

Instructions

• First, boil the coconut milk with the turmeric for about 5 minutes.
• Then, sweeten as you desire, and enjoy.

2. Spicy turmeric tea

Turmeric is a must-have ingredient in any tea meant to improve your digestion. If you drink it hot it’s rather soothing, and it’s really refreshing if you drink it cold.

Ingredients

• 4 cups of water (1 liter)

1 teaspoon (4 g) each of:

• powdered turmeric
• cinnamon
• powdered ginger
• anise seeds
• cardamom seeds

Instructions

• First, heat the water and add the seeds.
• Let it boil for 10 minutes.
• Then, remove from the heat and add the powdered spices.
• Afterwards, cover and let it sit 10 minutes.
• Finally, sweeten (to taste) and enjoy.

3. Olive oil, black pepper, and turmeric remedy

A 2014 study demonstrated that if you combine turmeric with black pepper, the piperine in the black pepper helps your body absorb the curcumin.

Then, if you add some healthy fat to it, like olive oil, the anti-inflammatory effect enhances. To take advantage of these interactions, you can make this remedy at home or take supplements containing all three ingredients.

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons of powdered turmeric (80 g)
• 4 tablespoons of black pepper (40 g)
• 4 tablespoons of first press extra virgin olive oil (60 ml)

Instructions

• Mix the ingredients together and store in an airtight container.
• Take 1 tablespoon a day apart from meals.

4. Food coloring

A good portion of the medicinal properties of turmeric come from curcumin, which is the yellow pigment found in the rhizome. Therefore, you can use it in place of saffron and still keep the yellow color. It doesn’t take much to add color to your whole recipe. Likewise, it’s great in all kinds of recipes, too: soup, rice, smoothies, cake, and much more.

5. Topical lotion

Turmeric is also one of the best topical anti-inflammatories and pain relievers. However, keep in mind that it may turn your skin yellow for a few hours.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons of coconut oil (90 ml)
• 3 tablespoons of aloe vera gel (45 g)
• 3 tablespoons of powered turmeric (30 g)

Instructions

• Combine the ingredients and store in an airtight container.
• Apply to your skin like a lotion.
• Use as often as necessary for inflammation and pain.