Modern science is beginning to uncover the ultimate power of spices and herbs, as weapons against illnesses from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease. While science has yet to show that any spice cures disease, there’s compelling evidence that several may help manage some chronic conditions.

In India, turmeric paste is applied to wounds to speed healing; people sip turmeric tea to relieve colds and respiratory problems. Modern medicine confirms some solid-gold health benefits as well; most are associated with curcumin, a compound in turmeric that has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties

Health benefits of any food or herb is based on its key active ingredients.

Piperine is the key chemical in black pepper. Similar to capsaicin a chemical in chili and has many benefits. Curcumin which is a polyphenol plays the same role in turmeric.

Researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered that black pepper and turmeric combined together could play an important role in preventing and even treating breast cancer.

Though, turmeric is a powerful medicinal herb on its own, when consumed orally, it has a poor bioavailability (absorption) due to its rapid metabolism in the liver and intestinal wall. The bioavailability, serum levels and levels of absorption of curcumin all improved dramatically. Thus, black pepper can increase the bioavailability of the cancer, inflammation and infection fighter, curcumin, up to two thousand percent.

Both these compounds have been studied to examine the potential health benefits they can offer individually or together.

Reduces pain and inflammation-

Piperine and Curcumin compounds have influence more than 700 genes, and it can inhibit the synthesis of cyclooxygenase-2 and 5-lipoxygenase and the activity as well as other enzymes that have been implicated in inflammation. Curcumin has been studied for its anti-inflammatory capabilities especially in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory conditions.

Weight- loss

Fat burning is critical to weight loss. The liver is the organ that is essential for fat burning. Studies have found that when the liver gets damaged, detoxification process reduces. Turmeric can help detoxify the liver and protect cell damage caused due to environmental pollutants, attack from free radicals etc.

Anti-Cancer Combination.

Turmeric and black pepper compounds both inhibited mammosphere formation. They also did not cause any toxicity, therefore showing that they could be possible cancer preventive agents. New research is trying to find possible ways to target stem cells. Studies have found that turmeric and black pepper combined could target breast stem cells. Recent studies have found that a compound in black pepper called piperine makes the cancer-fighting curcumin in turmeric as much as 1,000 times more bioavailable. Without piperine, bioavailability of turmeric is really low. In a study published in the Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Journal, researchers discovered that curcumin and piperine, when combined, were able to target cancer stem cells.
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