Posted on 06/23/2008 2:45:07 PM PDT by blam
Common Cooking Spice Found In Curry Shows Promise In Combating Diabetes And Obesity
Researchers believe that curcumin, the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant ingredient in turmeric, may lessen insulin resistance and prevents Type 2 diabetes in these mouse models by dampening the inflammatory response provoked by obesity. (Credit: iStockphoto/Nilesh Bhange)
ScienceDaily (June 23, 2008) — Turmeric, an Asian spice found in many curries, has a long history of use in reducing inflammation, healing wounds and relieving pain, but can it prevent diabetes? Since inflammation plays a big role in many diseases and is believed to be involved in onset of both obesity and Type 2 diabetes, Drew Tortoriello, M.D., an endocrinologist and research scientist at the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center at Columbia University Medical Center, and his colleagues were curious what effect the herb might have on diabetic mice.
Dr. Tortoriello, working with pediatric resident Stuart Weisberg, M.D., Ph.D., and Rudolph Leibel, M.D., fellow endocrinologist and the co-director of the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, discovered that turmeric-treated mice were less susceptible to developing Type 2 diabetes, based on their blood glucose levels, and glucose and insulin tolerance tests. They also discovered that turmeric-fed obese mice showed significantly reduced inflammation in fat tissue and liver compared to controls. They speculate that curcumin, the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant ingredient in turmeric, lessens insulin resistance and prevents Type 2 diabetes in these mouse models by dampening the inflammatory response provoked by obesity.
Their findings are the subject of a soon-to-be published paper in Endocrinology and were recently presented at ENDO 2008, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in San Francisco.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) has no known dose-limiting toxicities in doses of up to at least 12 grams daily in humans. The researchers tested high-doses of a dietary curcumin in two distinct mouse models of obesity and Type 2
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...
Isn’t that the same spice found to shrink enlarged hearts as well?
I’m sure the fact that Indians eat basmati rice, which has a lower GI than most rice varieties, helps, too.
So any 7-11 clerk can fill the prescription?
I would prefer shots to smelling like the average convenience store worker.
Are you supposed to snort it like powered snuff?
Also fends off chicks, and most non Indian people...
Ingredients in yellow mustard
vinegar, water, mustard seed, salt, turmeric, paprika
I guess it makes hot dogs into health food.
It’s also a powerful anti-cancer substance.
Like green tea, it’s one of those things to find some way to include in your diet.
And a haggis-only diet has been found to help people lose weight too.
They need to put it in pill form for people who don*t like it, but might benefit from taking it.
Where can I go long on turmeric futures?
And to think I only have about 15 lbs of good Trini Currys left in my locker! Have to re-stock real soon!
I lived in Trinidad for many years and the Indian population (dot as opposed to feather) have made the place wonderful. If anyone wants good curry recipes get hold of the Naparima Girls’ School Cookbook. If you Google “Trini Foods” there are several companies that have great collections of currys and the cookbook.
In Ayurvedic medicine it is also said to loosen tight ligaments and tighten loose ligaments and is recommended for those beginning a hatha yoga program.
You should make some curried spinach with cheese sometime. Really very good.
Tumeric is the ingredient that gives the US version of “yellow rice” most of the yellow.
Saffron gives a slight tinge, much taste, but not much color.
Much of the nasty taste, and odor, IMHO, is due to Cumin, which you either like, or you don’t like.
I am ready, and happy, to be corrected by folks who come from the Indian sub-continent, or from around there, who have more knowledge of spices and herbs than I.
Is there a list of new healthy foods and quantities that we can add up to make our ultimate media-frenzy diet?
They already do. GNC carries Turmeric Curcumin. About $20 per 100 if you have a members card. I take it daily to help with gout.
When referring to “nasty taste” in my previous post, I am referring to the taste of generic “curry”, and not yellow rice. Yes, my Indian friends, I know that there are a multitude of curries, (and I like many, but not all, of them), and that practically none of them are at all similar to what most Americans think of as “curry”.
That sounds SO good! I know what I am cooking tomorrow evening!
http://www.everythingtrini.com/commerce/home.php Lots of currys!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.