What is the difference between Turmeric and Curcumin?
This is a question we get asked daily, and with a lot of conflicting information available online, it is understandable why people get confused.
The simple answer is that Turmeric is a natural whole-food and Curcumin is a single extract found within the Turmeric root.
Turmeric in its natural state (the root) is a whole-food containing a range of nutrients including; Zinc, Iron, Potassium, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, as well as Curcumin.
We like to say that Turmeric, as a whole-food, is the way Mother Nature intended us to consume it, whether that be in its raw root form, as a powder, as a paste or capsulated. There is generally between 3-5% Curcumin, which is the “active” nutrient, found naturally within the Turmeric root.
“Let food be the medicine and medicine be thy food” – Hippocrates
The 95% Curcumin that people refer to is the extracted nutrient after it has been standardised, manufactured, and processed. This percentage can range from 65-95% depending on the process of extraction. Due to the process of extraction, Curcumin cannot be Organic, however, it can be extracted from Organic Turmeric.
There are arguments for and against the natural whole-food form vs a single extracted nutrient that is processed for the commercial market. It is a bit like asking which is better for you; eating a whole Orange or taking a Vitamin C tablet. A whole Orange will give you many benefits that a single Vitamin C tablet may not, as you are missing the other nutrients found naturally within the whole food.
Many clinical studies have been conducted on the benefits of both Turmeric as a whole food and extracted Curcumin with positive results for each. You can find extracts of these studies on sites such as GreenMedInfo and PubMed.
Note: Curcumin is not safe for consumption by animals.
Note: This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Results may vary from individual to individual.
