How to Use Turmeric - Creative Ways To Incorporate Turmeric Into Your Daily Life

Turmeric comes in a variety of forms on the market, so you can wind up with multiple types in your medicine cabinet. At Me First Living, we care about keeping you informed, and our World of Turmeric does just that. Below, we’ll talk about the many forms of turmeric, their dosages, and how to prepare them.

Turmeric tincture

Turmeric tinctures come in a liquid form typically dissolved in an alcohol. You can add it to juices, tea, coffee, or blended shakes, taking as many as thirty drops in one day over time.

We don’t typically recommend turmeric in tincture form as it can be hard to tell exactly what’s in your product, and not many manufacturers test their tinctures for efficacy and safety before releasing them to the public.

As with any turmeric supplement, however, it’s important to begin this routine slowly, working your way up to the effective dose over the course of several weeks. Working your way up allows your body to get used to the tincture. 

The recommended dosage may vary depending on the manufacturer, however, most tinctures recommend ten drops at a time, up to three times per day.

Turmeric Root

You may know by now that adding turmeric root to your diet can help in alleviating some pain and inflammation, but it isn’t as effective as a curcumin and black pepper extract. Most turmeric root available on the market is for culinary use, meaning the root hasn’t been allowed to ripen long enough to achieve peak medicinal benefits, however, it is just ripe enough to taste good.

That doesn’t mean you should avoid it. Turmeric root is a tasty additive in many foods, and it can still give you an underlying glow of pain relief and cheeriness when eaten as a regular part of your diet.

You can slice, grind, or chop the root, adding it to soups, salads, casseroles, or juices for a delicious kick of flavor.  The total recommended dosage of turmeric root is between 1,000mg and 3,000mg per day. This translates to about a half-inch piece of the fresh, ripened root.

Keep in mind that 1,000mg of turmeric root will contain between 50 to 300mg of curcuminoids. Unless it’s taken with a Piperine extract or black pepper, your body won’t fully absorb that amount.

Turmeric Root Powder

If you have turmeric root powder in your kitchen pantry, it has probably been there for a while. If not, it’s been sitting on the store shelf for longer, meaning there is very little curcuminoids in your root powder depending on storage conditions. The level of curcuminoids varies so much on storage conditions that it can be hard to give an established dosage.

That being said, turmeric powder is still an easy way to add a kick of flavorful spice whether you add it to soups, stews, casseroles, hot drinks, or other meals. Taken daily, it has the potential to enhance the effects of the supplement you are already taking.

Assuming you have the freshest, most vibrant powder that was allowed to ripen to peak medicinal quality in the field before being processed, powdered, and sold to your local market, you can expect 3-4% curcuminoids to volume.

The total recommended dosage is between 1,000 and 3,000 mg, or one-to-three teaspoons. To enhance absorption, take the powder with one-quarter teaspoon of ground black pepper. Of course, again, this won’t be as effective as the extracted supplements, but it is effective for the underlying glow of pain relief.

The starting dosage is one teaspoon per day for mild pain relief effects. If your pain ranges between moderate and severe levels, you can take this dosage up to three times a day. Just be sure to begin this regimen gradually to give your body a chance to adjust, otherwise you may wind up with minor nausea at first.

Turmeric Paste

Turmeric paste is a unique product that, when certified to have what it says on the label, can be effective. This type of preparation combines healthy fats with black pepper and turmeric to enhance both absorption and results.

You can include this paste into your meals, and with the addition of the healthy fats you are sure to feel more energized throughout the day.

 The starting dosage is one-quarter teaspoon per day. You can gradually increase the dosage by a quarter teaspoon until you are taking a full teaspoon. The maximum dosage for severe chronic pain is three teaspoons per day, however, it’s important to build up to that amount over several weeks to avoid stomach pains. The total recommended dosage is between 1,000mg and 3,000mg of curcuminoids, so take that into account when looking at the nutrition facts on the back. 

Turmeric Capsules

Before you take a turmeric supplement, it’s important to understand that which one you select matters. Opting for the most effective turmeric supplements means you’ll purchase a standardized amount of curcumin. This is critical because it means you’re getting what you paid for, not just any root powder. Standardized curcumin doesn’t mean much unless there’s an additional supplement like black pepper’s Piperine to back it up, however, as your body can’t absorb curcumin alone.

For the best turmeric supplement with the most benefit, choose a product that contains 95% standardized curcumin extract and 5% of a bioavailability enhancer like Bioperine®.

This standardized level of curcumin is a higher concentration than the 3-4% you’ll get with a ripened root right out of the field, so 1,000mg is the typical dosage.

In Me First Living’s supplement, 1,000mg is two capsules. Each capsule can be taken apart, allowing you to add it to hot beverages, casseroles, salads, stews, and other meals. All the benefit of a standardized curcumin product without the hassle of taking yet another pill.

Turmeric Tea

Are you someone who enjoys a hot cup of tea?

You may prefer to make your turmeric this way.

Turmeric can add a short kick to the taste of your tea, much like spiced chai. Add in your milk of choice, and you have a great morning cup.

The recommended dosage for turmeric tea is one cup a day for mild pain, or two cups for severe pain relief. You can one capsule (500mg curcuminoids) per cup. If you’re taking turmeric for the first time, it is important to introduce it gradually into your diet to avoid stomach discomfort.

Golden Milk

Golden milk is a spiced turmeric drink that tastes similar to chai tea, making it perfect for cold mornings. Use thinly sliced and peeled turmeric root or use the curcuminoid powder inside your capsules for the best effect.

The following recipe serves one. Adjust the recipe accordingly to make multiple services. Golden milk can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Use an air-tight container and keep for up to five days. Warm before serving for the best taste.

½ Cup Coconut Milk

1 Inch Cinnamon Stick

½ TSP Dried Turmeric

½ Inch Slice of Ginger

1 TBSP Local Honey

1 TBSP Coconut Oil

¼ TSP Whole Peppercorns

Whisk all the ingredients into a small saucepan, adding 1 Cup of water. Bring the pan to a low boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the flavors mix. This should take about 10 minutes.

Once the flavors have combined, strain the solids with a fine-mesh sieve and top with a dash of cinnamon powder.

Serve warm and enjoy.