Turmeric has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb. Recently, science has started to back up what Indians have known for a long time — it contains compounds that may support wellbeing (1).
The most important curcuminoids in Turmeric are called curcumin.
Most of the studies on turmeric use extracts that contain high levels of curcumin, meaning that in powder form a significant quantity is needed to elevate blood curcumin levels, and ideally with black pepper and a fat source.
Curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream through the human digestive tract. It helps to consume black pepper with it which contains piperine, a natural substance that enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2,000% (3).