With over 100 different types of this life threatening disease, it sometimes seems like getting a cancer diagnosis may be inevitable. According to the 2014 statistics from the American Cancer Society, cancer causes nearly 1 out of 4 deaths in the United States.
However, emerging research studies prove that your diet plays a vital role in preventing cancer. One common kitchen ingredient that you can add to your anti-cancer diet today is turmeric.
Studied extensively by the University of Texas and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the bright yellow-orange earthy tasting Asian spice commonly found in curry is now a well-known cancer preventing food.
These groundbreaking studies found that the turmeric rhizome (root) might just be one of the most effective common ingredients in the world for keeping you healthy and cancer-free. If you’re still are not convinced, then keep reading to discover for yourself the top five health benefits of turmeric for cancer prevention.
Turmeric and Cancer: 5 Health Benefits of Turmeric
1. Powerful Medicinal Properties
Turmeric is a member of the ginger family that has been used for centuries in traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. With its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, immunostimulant, antiseptic, and antimutagenic properties – it’s been used in the treatment of digestive disorders, liver problems, skin diseases, wounds, parasites, and periodontal diseases. Did you know… turmeric can also be used as a mouth wash?!
2. Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Chronic inflammation is believed to play a role in virtually every chronic disease in the Western hemisphere. Cancer, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease have all been linked to chronic inflammation.
Inflammation and cancer have a circular relationship − meaning that inflammation in the body can create cancer and excess inflammation fuels cancer growth.
In countries where turmeric is heavily consumed the incidence of cancer is significantly lower. The effects of turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties were examined on inflammatory cell factors NF-kB and STAT3. Turmeric rather than pure curcumin (a compound in turmeric) inhibited these factors that accelerate inflammation.
Turmeric contains over 300 bio-active components; the focus of most research studies has been centered around curcumin. Curcumin has 150 potential therapeutic uses. Imagine the healing potential of turmeric that could be unleashed once its other active compounds are studied! In fact, turmeric has been shown to work as well and better than many over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs.
3. DNA Control of Cancer Cells
Cancer cells are just like every other cell in the human body in that they contain DNA. Their DNA regulates growth and development. A one millimeter cluster of cancerous cells typically contains somewhere in the ball park of a million cells, and on average, takes about six years to get to this size.
Most tumors can’t be detected by traditional testing until it spreads past the one millimeter mark, meaning that cancer cells often go undetected for several years. By adding turmeric to your daily cancer prevention diet, you may be able halt the growth and spread of cancer cells since curcumin alters DNA instructions of cancer cells and effectively induces cellular death in cancer cells.
4. Prevents Angiogenesis
Angiogenesis is a physiological response in which your body creates new blood vessels when new tissues form inside of your body. Through angiogenesis, newly formed tumors and cancer cells develop the additional blood supply they need to grow.
Cancer cells cannot rapidly spread or even survive without a blood supply and turmeric has the ability to prevent angiogenesis within your body. There are a number of powerful anti-cancer foods that can starve cancer cells.
5. Increases the Antioxidant Capacity of the Body
Highly reactive compounds known as free radicals are created in your bloodstream daily through environmental pollution, stress, personal care products, and chemical exposure.
These free radicals create cellular damage. They weaken cell structure and integrity paving the way for chronic diseases and cancer. Turmeric contains three powerful antioxidants known as curcuminoids (demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, and acetylcurcumin) that remove and repair the damage caused by free radicals.
The spice also contains other potent antioxidants and is 5 times stronger than vitamins C and E. These antioxidants found in turmeric can boost your body’s production of one of the Master Antioxidants − glutathione − which is vital for cellular health and immune system function.
Powerful prevention ,,turmeric may be more than meets the eye
Powerful prevention ,,turmeric may be more than meets the eye
Curcumin/tumeric cured my husband’s chronic cough (24/7 coughing) The pulmonary doctor wasn’t able to help him. Amazingly, tumeric completely cured his hacking cough that he had for 8 months straight. Now, he takes tumeric as needed. When the cough comes back. It always goes away when he takes the tumeric. You can also get the fresh tumeric root from the Indian market and make a potent tea out of it too.
Nanette, where did you buy the curcumin/turmeric? Do you buy it at a health food store or a vitamin store..?
I buy it a natural food store like Lassens or sprouts.
if this turmeric is so great, how come so many of asians die each year of
cancer, depression and whatever else?
i would love to think it is a good cancer-prevention capsule.
BUT IS IT?
You know what? Some citations for the studies that you say have been done would be helpful.
Brent McCartney, the unbeliever…what, you can’t take people’s word for it, you need the proof? The proof is in the pudding, so wake up.
What is a therapeutic dose to prevent cancer?
What do you recommend for a daily dosage?
Can Trumeric replace one for a blood thinner pill
I would also like to know the answer to the blood thinner question Eileen.
What’s not discussed is the bioavailabilty of turmeric (curcumin.) There are 3 levels of curcumin available commercially. First, there is the base turmeric … index at 100. Then there is the 95% standardized curcumin … index at 900. Lastly, there is curcumin with phytosomes or bioperine. These additives dramatically increase bioavailability … index at 2700. I have been taking Doctors Best with phytosome for years (Amazon) and also use a wonderful topical pain reliever with turmeric therapeutic oil… Reunion AI at ReunionPN.com
you do not say how much to take and i see others are asking the same ……a lot of info Great !!but why not say what amount to take.. left hanging…
more the better, i fill me own large capsules and take 2 after every meal… i do the same with ginger
Ty do you fill with the powder or liquid turmeric? Should i juice the root?
ATTN: Moderator … my apologies for being obnoxious regarding posting my Comment. Thank you. Karl Zetmeir
I don’t see any answers as to how much to take?
i would take at least 1200 mg a day. get an organic brand, and the one with black pepper is even better
I have read and also heard Dr. Oz say that if you combine turmeric with black pepper it works at its best. There are Facebook groups for turmeric user just an FYI.
but we need to know how much we need to take daily. I take but need to know if i am taking enough.
Brent, it’s not going to hurt you & natural medicine always has positive effects.
My husband had a very bad flu but he refused to take any medication and had only my juices at the time and immun busting coctails & lemon + manuka at least was taking that folowing my example. So about week later i bought him Solgar turmeric in our local helath food store HANSA that was only what they had at the time , but two weeks in to taking 1 a day he was feeilng pain but still took them another week but the pain was so bad he just stoped taking them . Only went across ones the same simptoms that another man had , it`s strange . Now Im looking to get something for myself organic (im a cancer survivor) as i was researching long time which is te best to buy , and will see how he feels then.
take one and half teaspoonful of Turmeric powder and mix it with milk and drink it before bedtime !! and see the natural spice take its curing ablities.
Sure, Mihail, let’s all take some random, unsubstantiated, un-cited, medical advice from a stranger on the internet who goes by the name “Daily Super Food Love.” I mean, what could possibly go wrong…?
Please tell me his regimen. Dosage..etc. ????
I can attest to its powerful anti-inflammatory properties. I started developing knee pains. And within 2 days of using it (turmeric) as a supplement, it’s done wonders. I use 1 capsule a say. Awesome.
It is part of cancer prevention as it is the alcaline diet,the baking powder,the soursop leaves and specially the damasco kernnels
Turmeric can and will also detox your body. It is best to start out taking 300 mg once or twice a day ( if you develop diarrhea just do once a day) but work your way up to taking 300mg 3 times a day. I take 1050mg GNC green brand every night. Best I have found, I also buy the grounded root to make skin paste for anything suspicious. 1 tablespoon of turmeric 3 tablespoons of raw honey mix together and take 1 tsp every hour as needed for sinus issues or as an antibiotic ( day 1 every hour as needed) (day 2 every 3 hours as needed) ( day 3 take as needed but you should be lots better ) I have been studying holistically for 5 years now. This is the best I can find outside of garlic and onions. 🙂
Thanks so much for that concise information Lori.
You have an unbelievable infornation site,, and the best thing is you get to the source of things and get the solution in minutes? Which other sites, they put you on videos for hours and end up without any solution or no information cencerning the problem. Waist of time. We need answer for our problems and you assist the public to many health problems in minutes.
Thank you again for your incredible site.
LUCY from the Farwest of Canada.