Explore the several benefits found in key ingredients and superfoods that can be added as a supplement to your meal, from turmeric, apple cider vinegar and molasses.
Turmeric
It’s surprising just how often you come across turmeric in foods, drinks, and meals you consume regularly. Used widely across India and South East Asia, the spice serves as a go-to herbal medicine for everyday treatments and to add flavour and colour to foods. Found commonly in curries, turmeric is a major ingredient that gives vibrancy in colour and that extra deliciousness to your favourite meal.
The active ingredient in Turmeric is curcumin, which promotes an incredible list of healing properties. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects, anti-bacterial compounds and is a very strong antioxidant – which is more than enough reasons to consider using the spice in your foods.
HERE ARE 3 AMAZING HEALTH BENEFITS OF TURMERIC
1) Reduces the risk of heart disease
Studies show that chronic, inflammation is a major factor in causing heart disease. Preventing chronic inflammation is key to treating such a disease. Curcumin is a strong anti-inflammatory that may reduce the development of clogged arteries, a key risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.
2) Helps to prevent Cancer
Curcumin has shown noticeable benefits that prevent the growth and spread of cancerous cells. This is promoted through the antioxidant properties in the spice that contributes to the possible reduction of swelling. This is at curcumin levels of about 100mg – 200mg a day over a length of time.
3) Aids digestion
Further benefits of the anti-inflammatory compounds of turmeric is said to improve digestion. This is through supporting acid production and muscle movement, which may contribute towards the reduction of stomach discomfort and improving bowel movement.
WAYS TO INCORPORATE TURMERIC IN YOUR DIET
To achieve the optimum benefits of curcumin, it is best to consider that turmeric is poorly absorbed by the body on its own. Which is why you would need to pair turmeric with black pepper, which contains piperine, a natural substance that strengthens the absorption of curcumin by 2000%.
Turmeric pairs great with many dishes and luckily, it tastes great too. To reap the benefits of the spice, add it to a veggie soup, make your own chai tea for those cold winter days, your curries, or even blending the spice into your smoothies.
If you feel like this is not enough, you may want to consider taking curcumin supplements or turmeric supplements for the best results.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is made through the fermentation of sugars from apples, which formulates into the main component, acetic acid. It has been commonly used for centuries in households for cleaning, cooking and promoting health benefits. You will find this ingredient in salad dressings, flavourings and preservatives. You can incorporate this into your diet through drinking apple cider vinegar or taking apple cider vinegar capsules.
THE BENEFITS OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
1) Lowering blood pressure
One way to keep your blood pressure in check is by drinking apple cider vinegar over a long period of time. The main property of acetic acid is believed to give it its benefits. This is achieved through lowering bad cholesterol, which as a result has a positive effect on blood pressure.
2) Alzheimer’s disease
One aspect of lowering the risks of Alzheimer’s disease is by eliminating sugar intake and refined carbohydrates from your diet. Apple cider vinegar is considered to play a key role in lowering blood sugar levels. Consuming 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before or after a high carb meal is said to reduce your blood sugar levels by 19%.
3) Helps with weight loss
There is some evidence that shows drinking 1 to 2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar along with your meal is said to increase the feeling of fullness. This, in turn, leads to lower consumption of foods throughout the day. Studies have shown that daily consumption of apple cider vinegar has led to reduced belly fat and weight loss.
If you’re thinking about purchasing some Apple Cider Vinegar, come and have a look at our other article where we go into more detail here. Or you can view our extended range of Apple Cider Vinegars
Molasses
Most commonly identified as black treacle, molasses is produced from sugar beets and extracted during the process of sugar cane production. This is so all the nutritional benefits are infused into the molasses. The main properties of the superfood are iron, calcium, magnesium and vitamin B6. To ensure you gain the nutritional benefits of the syrup, blackstrap molasses is the most potent with it being the darkest in colour, containing the most vitamins and minerals.
Used mainly as a sweetener, blackstrap molasses barely has any sugar content and unlike refined sugars, it is considered one of the healthiest of sweeteners due to the number of nutritional benefits.
THE BENEFITS OF BLACK STRAP MOLASSES
1) Manages weight
Unlike white sugars, your body will use the vitamins and nutrients from black molasses and not store this as fat. Studies suggest using this sweetener as an alternative to white sugars, which encourages the body to lose weight by lowering the bodies fat.
2) Promotes blood health
In addition to the key vitamins and minerals found in molasses, vitamin B is considered one of the main property which promotes the production of red blood cells. Blackstrap molasses is a good source of iron. You can get your daily value for iron from 1 tablespoon of molasses.
3) Keeps your bones healthy
Blackstrap molasses contains high levels of both calcium and magnesium. Just two tablespoonfuls of molasses approximately 25% of the recommended daily allowance, 45% of iron and 20% of magnesium. This is key to ensuring your bones stay healthy and strong.
Check out our Black Strap Molasses’
