When we talk about eating foods for their specific health benefits, many people think simply eating the food is enough.
For instance, if you struggle with inflammatory bowel disease and have read that turmeric is effective in healing many digestive issues, you may simply get a turmeric (curcumin) supplement to start taking.
But you would be overlooking one crucial fact about turmeric that could mean the difference between simple consumption and full-absorption.
Turmeric is fat-soluble, that means it dissolves in fat. Without fat, the active component in turmeric, curcumin, has a difficult time making it past the stomach, into the small intestine, and into the blood where it can offer the greatest benefits.
In order to make the most of turmeric, you must take it with a bit of fat. With curry (where turmeric is most popular), your body is able to make the most of the curcumin because there is usually some oil in the recipe.
We can learn from this by trying to take turmeric as part of a healing synergistic whole—one healing piece of an overall healthful meal. But even when curry isn’t on the menu or when you simply want a “hit” of curcumin, you can use its fat-soluble qualities to ensure your body makes the most of it.