Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Many of us use turmeric in cooking and as a supplement as an effective and natural anti-inflammatory. While there are great quality supplements available, they can be expensive and using the turmeric root or powder can be a cost effective option.

However, the important part to remember is that turmeric and its constituent, active part, called curcumin is not absorbed very easily and to be effective it must have Piper nigrum, aka black pepper, added to the mix, in order to be absorbed into the body and brain. That is why if you buy supplements of curcumin, always look to see if piper nigrum is added. If not, they are not good quality.

It is also why homemade Chai tea, which has turmeric, black pepper, black tea, cinnamon and other wonderful spices is a superb drink for body and brain health. (See recipe below.) Drinking a daily Chai is possibly why dementia rates are very low in India.

La Curcuma: La pista para el éxito...

Muchos de nosotros usamos la cúrcuma en la cocina y como suplementos como una eficaz y natural anti-inflamatorio. Si bien hay grandes suplementos de calidad disponibles, pueden ser costosos y el uso de la raíz de cúrcuma en polvo o pueden ser una opción rentable. Sin embargo, la parte importante a recordar es que la cúrcuma y su constituyente, parte activa, llamado curcumina no se absorbe muy fácilmente y ser eficaz, debe tener Piper nigrum, también conocido como pimienta negro, añadió a la mezcla, con el fin de ser absorbido en el cuerpo y el cerebro. Eso es por eso que si usted compra los suplementos de curcumina, siempre mira a ver si se añade Piper nigrum. Si no, no son de buena calidad. También es por qué el té Chai, que cuenta con la cúrcuma, pimienta negro, té negro, canela y otras especias maravillosas es una bebida excelente para el cuerpo y el cerebro de la salud. Beber un Chai diaria es, posiblemente, por qué las tasas de demencia son muy bajos en la India.

Turmeric-Chai Tea Recipe
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
5 cups water
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
2-inch piece of fresh turmeric, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon cardamom pods
1 teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon black (Assam) tea, or to taste
1 cup almond milk (or milk of choice: goat, coconut, or rice, etc.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon extra-virgin coconut oil
Sweetener of choice (honey, stevia, or agave)

Directions:

1. Place the water, ginger, and turmeric in a medium size pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cardamom pods, cloves, black peppercorns, and cinnamon and simmer for another 15 minutes.

2. Strain the tea into a large bowl, reserving the spices and roots to use for another batch of chai. Add the black tea to the bowl and cover, steeping for 2-3 minutes.

3. Strain the tea back into the pot. Add the milk, vanilla, and coconut oil and gently heat over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring to combine. Serve in individual cups and sweeten to taste using honey, stevia, or agave nectar.

---

Dr. Leslie Korn specializes in integrative mind body health integrating nutritional and herbal medicine, therapeutic bodywork and psychotherapy. She completed her graduate training at Harvard Medical School and the school of Public Health She has conducted research on Traditional Medicine and Culinary traditions and directed a natural medicine clinic in Cabo Corrientes since 1974. She was a 2009-2010 Mexico Fulbright scholar and is the author of 3 books. To learn more about her work, visit DrLeslieKorn.com, and healthalt.org. She can be reached at lekorn(at)cwis.org.

Click HERE to read more articles by Leslie Korn.