Golden Paste
Everyone is talking about turmeric at the moment...
Golden Paste
Everyone is talking about turmeric at the moment, and it seems like it is the new superfood. Well, let me tell you, it is. Turmeric contains bioactive compounds with powerful medicinal properties. This bright yellow powder has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb. Curcumin is the main active compound in a group called curcumanoids. It has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect and is a very strong antioxidant.
On one site alone (PubMed) there are over 3970 researches carried out to prove the authenticity of just how awesome curcumin (turmeric) is. These range from breast and uterine cancer, gallbladder disorders, pancreatitis, depression, diabetes, osteoarthritis, Alzheimer's, liver disease, pain alleviation, Rheumatoid arthritis, skin cancer and inflammatory diseases/syndromes, and bone prevention loss in post menopausal women amongst many more.
Unfortunately, curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream, unless it is consumed with piperine, a natural substance in black pepper that enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2000%. curcumin is also fat-soluble, therefore taking it with coconut oil is advisable in order for it to be absorbed to its full capacity.
The paste keeps for about 2 weeks in the fridge so when you are starting out, I recommend sharing it between several glass jars and freezing the others. You can use it straight from the freezer but it is quite hard to extract and it puts you off trying to get at it! Start with 1/4 of a teaspoon a day and work up to at least 2 tsp a day. I put a teaspoon in my eggs (looks an odd colour but you get used to it) or my morning smoothie, then another in whatever I am cooking in the evening such as stir fry's, stews, soups or any sauces.
It has had amazing results for animals too, in particular dogs and horses:
Horse dosage: Same as humans, 1 tsp twice a day.
Here's the recipe for golden paste:
* 1/2 cup turmeric powder (125 mls) – Use organic powder if possible
* 1 cup water (250 mls)
* 1/2 cup water extra, if needed (125 mls)
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper (7.5 mls)
* 70 ml organic virgin Coconut oil – Choose healthy oils such as virgin coconut oil or if you can not tolerate coconut, add virgin olive oil but keep the heat very low.
Add turmeric to water in a pan. Heat gently along with stirring. Do this until you get a thick paste. This can take anything from 6 to 10 min.
If you feel your paste is watery, add some more turmeric if you feel it has become too thick, add some water. Then add the pepper and oil, stirring to ensure that all ingredients are mixed properly. Allow it to cool and transfer to glass jars. Enjoy and reap the benefits!