What happens when you mix black pepper and turmeric

Traditional physicians and naturopathy practitioners would swear by the medicinal properties of natural products and its greater effect on the human body as compared to pills, tablets, syrups and injections. For centuries, mankind has relied on more nature-friendly solutions to cure illnesses, such as herbs and spices. One of the many such natural solutions to battle many problems is a concoction made by mixing black pepper and turmeric. Both black pepper and turmeric are healthy spices, which are used to enhance the flavour and colour of food. Turmeric has been used as a medicine to treat a variety of problems like rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and dementia . So why add black pepper to an already medicinal food? Curcumin is an ingredient present in turmeric is what is responsible for giving it its medicinal properties. The problem is that curcumin is not absorbed well in the body. This is where black pepper comes in. It contains a compound called piperine, which when combined with turmeric, increases the absorption of curcumin by upto an astonishing 2000%. There are two theories to explain how piperine helps in increasing the absorption of curcumin. Firstly, piperine slows the breakdown of curcumin by the liver, increasing its blood levels. Secondly, piperine makes it easier for curcumin to pass through the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream. As a result of the combination, the health effects of turmeric get enhanced, making it a more beneficial spice altogether. Turmeric So once black pepper and turmeric are combined, what benefits do we get? For starters, the mixture helps with digestion. Curcumin has been shown to have digestive properties, and piperine enhances the activity of digestive enzymes in the stomach, helping the body process food more quickly and easily. Moreover, both black pepper and turmeric have anti-inflammatory properties which reduce gut inflammation, which help with digestion. The mixture can be used as a natural pain reliever. The anti-inflammatory property of both the spices help in desensitizing the pain receptors in the body, which reduce the feeling of pain or discomfort, therefore acting as a substitute for pharmaceutical painkillers. It is most effective when used to ease musculo-skeletal injuries. Test tube studies have shown that curcumin can not only treat cancer, but can also help in preventing it. It can decrease the chances of cancer by killing cancerous cells and stopping the development of such cells at the molecular level. Even piperine plays a role in killing cancer cells, reducing the risk of tumours. A study showed that both curcumin and piperine worked individually and in sync to interrupt the self renewal process of breast stem cells. This is vital as this process is where breast cancer originates. More studies have linked black pepper and turmeric with having protective effects against other cancers like prostate and pancreatic. Both black pepper and turmeric contain compounds that offer medicinal properties. When mixed together, they for a sort of potion where the effects of curcumin, the compound present in turmeric, increases manifold. It is a good idea to regularly consume these two spices as part of a healthy diet to reap their benefits.