New Zealanders are among the most healthy people in the world. The country ranks 18th in the list of the healthiest countries according to the Bloomberg Global Health Index. Meanwhile, New Zealanders have a life expectancy of 82 years old.
So, the good health of most New Zealanders can be attributed to the government’s healthy lifestyle campaign. For instance, the Ministry of Health advocates eating healthy food to prevent and delay the onset of long-term health problems.
That being said, many people probably buy turmeric in NZ to augment their diet. This is because turmeric is packed with proven health benefits.
Turmeric is a root herb that gives the curry sauce its yellow colour. And, for thousands of years, various Asian countries have been using it as a spice and medicinal herb. Moreover, recently, there were scientific studies done to back the traditional claims.
So, here are some of the proven benefits of turmeric:
Anti-Inflammatory
Arthritis affects one in six people in New Zealand, making it one of the leading causes of disability in the country. Meanwhile, turmeric can help combat this as it contains curcumin, which is a natural anti-inflammatory compound. It helps people with arthritis because it can reduce the aggravation in their joints. It can also help lower the risk of inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, and various degenerative conditions.
In the meantime, not only does it prevent arthritis, but it also provides pain relief for people experiencing arthritis pain. And there are even studies that show that it has the same pain relief effect as ibuprofen.
Protection Against Heart Diseases
One in every 20 New Zealanders is diagnosed with heart disease. And this number can be reduced with the help of turmeric. This is true since the curcumin in turmeric may improve the endothelial function or the health of the membrane that covers the blood vessels and the heart. Moreover, it is the membrane that functions as a blood pressure regulator. So, curcumin helps in protecting the membrane from age-related function loss, reducing your likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases.
May Help Prevent and Treat Cancer
More people in New Zealand are now developing cancer, and there are many peculiar causes for this, while age and lifestyle are two of them. Meanwhile, the increase in cancer cases may be lessened with the help of turmeric. It is because the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric help prevent breast, prostate, gastric, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers.
Curcumin helps slow down and may even prevent tumours from forming. And it is said that it can also help cure cancer. Although, research is still going on to back this claim.
May Help Prevent and Treat Diabetes
It has been studied that almost 2 per cent of New Zealanders have type 2 diabetes. And, there are studies that show that turmeric can help lower this percentage. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of turmeric may prevent diabetes. It can also lower the body’s insulin level and blood sugar to help treat diabetes. Furthermore, it can prevent diabetic nephropathy or diabetic kidney disease.
May Have a Role in Treating Depression
One in every five New Zealanders experiences depression once in their lives. And turmeric may play a role in preventing this. It is because the spice is shown to increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is a protein in the brain that keeps neurons healthy.
These are just some of the health benefits you can reap from consuming turmeric. So, you can search online if you want to buy turmeric in NZ to help keep yourself healthy. Nevertheless, who doesn’t want to live a healthy life?
