Written  by Sara Macauley

 

First it was green tea, then matcha lattes, now another wellbeing boost has arrived in coffee shops across the world; bringing with it promises of health benefits, improved dietary ailments and pain control.

Turmeric coffee started out as a foreign concept – fine for the health-conscious foodies we admire on Instagram, just not for the everyday Joe. But over time, this spiced coffee craze has reached new heights. Fashion magazines, online health forums and social influencers have all entered into the turmeric trend with gusto. When scrolling through your morning Insta feed, blurry-eyed and rubbing sleep away from your eyes, you’ve probably encountered a post featuring this golden-hue super drink. But does this latte’s “golden milk” really hold powerful health benefits within its frothy depths? Here at Word of Mouth Magazine, we decided to investigate.

Turmeric has earned a place on almost every UK food trend list between 2016-2017, with Google noting a 300% rise in searches leading up to their 2016 report. So what is it that makes this Indian spice so special?

Turmeric has been touted for offering a myriad of health benefits, and is said to counteract pretty much any minor health problem. The spice holds anti-inflammatory properties, which is good news for those who suffer from redness and skin irritation.

It’s also said to relieve joint pain, arthritis and even reduce delayed onset muscle pain – great for those of us who avoid the gym for fear of the second-day burn. The food world’s latest rising star also helps liver function, prevents dementia, boosts immune system and lowers cholesterol. Phew.

According to Karen Austin, founder of Topaz Fitness Academy and female hormonal expert, “turmeric has loads of amazing health benefits. It contains a component called curcumin, where its medicinal properties come from.”

A simple online search brings a tally of results raving about the benefits of biologically active polyphenolic compound, curcumin. But how much turmeric should we consume to see any health benefits worth a mention?

“Everyone’s different, but on average to experience any health benefits I would say you need to consume about 500 milligrams of curcumin a day. For reference, one teaspoon of fresh ground turmeric contains about 200 milligrams. What a lot of people don’t realise is that it’s not easily absorbed into the body, so can be pointless dosing up if it’s not getting absorbed to do the job. Adding pepper increases the ability of your body to absorb curcumin, so you can get the benefits.” Karen told us.

So can a single turmeric coffee solve all your health woes in one fell swoop? Unlikely. But by regularly using turmeric in cooking, drinks or supplement form, this is likely to give your immune system a helping hand. Consume it alongside a healthy diet and exercise for your best plan of action.

With promises of improved skin tone and a reduction in IBS symptoms, this is one food trend we’ll be trying out this winter.