The Best Turmeric Supplements? Opt for Liposomal Turmeric
The golden-yellow spice turmeric is not only a powerhouse for many Asian dishes but also for your health! Want to harness the full power of turmeric? Read this blog to discover why we believe liposomal turmeric is the best choice compared to other types of turmeric supplements.
What is Turmeric?
Turmeric, Indian saffron, or turmeric: all names for the same spice. Turmeric is extracted from the colourful root of the plant ‘Curcuma longa’ (Latin name) and is distantly related to ginger root. Turmeric is a popular culinary spice and is extensively used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Indian Ayurveda for various health purposes.
What is Liposomal?
You’ve already read a bit about liposomal turmeric in the introduction. But what is liposomal? The term ‘liposomal’ originates from Latin, where ‘lipos’ means fat. Liposomes are microscopic spheres with a lipid (fat-like) coating. These liposomes encase nutrients, protecting them from stomach acid and ensuring that none of these substances are lost in the digestive tract. Liposomes provide a slow, gradual release of active ingredients and are 6 to 10 times better absorbed than, for instance, capsules, tablets, tea, and powder. Sounds good, right?
What are the Benefits of Turmeric?
Incorporating the spicy and bittersweet note of the golden-yellow spice turmeric into your dishes is always a good idea. For your taste buds and your health! Additionally, you can choose turmeric supplements to support the immune system and protect healthy cells. It is also beneficial for normal stomach function, food digestion, and has a positive influence on the liver and gallbladder. Good news, as the liver is the most important organ if you want to detoxify your body. Turmeric helps the liver perform its functions effectively.
The active ingredient in turmeric is curcuminoid. Curcuminoids consist of 80 percent curcumin and also include demethoxy curcumin and bisdemethoxy curcumin. The yellow powder we use as a flavour, aroma, and colour enhancer in dishes like curry contains 2.5 percent curcuminoids. In turmeric supplements, this percentage is much higher. Want to know more? Read here all about turmeric.
Is Liposomal Turmeric the Best?
Liposomal supplements are increasingly gaining popularity. And for good reason. The secret of this targeted technique is the use of liposomes as carriers. As mentioned earlier, liposomes are small particles with a fatty layer (lipids). These lipids are found at the cellular level in our body, specifically in cell membranes. Simply put, a cell membrane is the outer layer of a living cell. All substances that need to enter this cell pass through the membrane. The membrane selects which substances may pass and which may not, making it selectively permeable.
How does this work when you take liposomal turmeric? The curcuminoids (curcumin particles) are contained within the liposome spheres in the supplement. When the liposomes containing the curcumin particles come into contact with a cell membrane in your body, the liposome membrane fuses with the cell membrane, releasing the contents of the sphere into the cell. The active ingredients thus pass directly through the cell membrane into the body’s cells. This ensures maximum absorption and processing without unnecessary loss of curcuminoids in this case.
This means that liposomal turmeric supplements can be more effective than other forms of turmeric, allowing you to fully benefit from the advantages.
Benefits of Liposomal Turmeric versus Other Forms
The turmeric component curcumin is known for its numerous health benefits when ingested. However, your body needs to absorb the nutrient well. This is a significant advantage of liposomal turmeric supplements compared to other methods of ingestion.
Research findings on the effectiveness of liposomal turmeric are promising. It appears that the bioavailability (the ‘degree of absorbability’ by the body) of certain liposomal turmeric supplements is 6 to 10 times higher than that of ‘regular’ turmeric supplements.
Due to the high absorbability of liposomal supplements, taking a low dosage is often sufficient. With 1 capsule per day, you usually have enough, which is very practical. Liposomal products are often slightly more expensive than regular supplements, but they more than pay for themselves due to the much better absorbability and efficacy.
Do you find it difficult to take tablets or capsules? Then liposomal turmeric in liquid form is a perfect solution!
Turmeric Tea, Powder, Tablets, or Capsules?
Does the advent of liposomal turmeric mean you should give up turmeric tea, powder, tablets, and capsules? Fortunately, no. Besides curcumin, turmeric also contains vitamins, minerals, and fibres, although these are present in smaller amounts. Curcuma longa is rich in vitamin C, vitamin A and carotene, vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), biotin, choline, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), folic acid, inositol, vitamin E (tocopherol), vitamin K, and much more. Additionally, turmeric contains minerals such as iron, potassium, manganese, magnesium, sulphur, iodine, selenium, silicon, chromium, and zinc.
It all depends on your (health) goal. If you enjoy the taste of turmeric, the root, powder, or tea will suffice. However, adding turmeric powder to your curry, smoothie, or tea alone will not provide you with sufficient curcumin.
Buying Turmeric? Here’s What to Look For!
Curious about what a liposomal turmeric supplement can do for you to support your health? Here’s what to consider when choosing a turmeric supplement:
-
Amount of Active Curcumin
If you want to use a turmeric supplement to improve your health goal, it’s important that the supplement contains the three types of curcuminoids (curcumin, bisdemethoxy curcumin, and demethoxy curcumin). The percentage of curcuminoids in a turmeric root or powder is relatively low. If you can’t find the curcuminoid percentage on the label, it’s likely ground turmeric root.
-
Bioavailability
Just because you take a turmeric supplement doesn’t mean the active ingredients will actually reach your cells to work effectively. Bioavailability refers to the extent to which body cells properly absorb the substances or nutrients. A liposomal turmeric supplement significantly enhances this absorption and is therefore recommended in this case!
-
With or Without Black Pepper
Adding piperine (black pepper extract) increases the bioavailability of curcumins. Research shows that when a nutrient is combined with this black pepper extract, the body absorbs more of that nutrient.
-
Price-Quality Ratio
Have you found an affordable turmeric supplement? Then it’s wise to check the recommended daily amount. Due to the high absorbability of liposomal turmeric supplements, the recommended daily dosage is often low. With 1 capsule per day, for example, you usually have enough to achieve your health goal. Liposomal products are often slightly more expensive to purchase than regular supplements, but they pay for themselves through much better absorbability and efficacy.
Good to Know
Using a liposomal turmeric supplement significantly improves the bioavailability of curcumin in the body and is much higher than other forms. The liposomal technique ensures that curcumin goes directly into the bloodstream and to the cells.
Liposomal turmeric supplements are therefore a good solution for anyone looking for a high-quality, well-absorbed supplement with high bioavailability. They are often slightly more expensive to purchase, but because they are better absorbed and you need a lower dosage, liposomal supplements are usually more cost-effective.
Sources
- Nelson, K. et al. (2017). The Essential [...] Chemistry of Curcumin. Journal of [...] Chemistry,10.
- Allam, A. N., El Gamal, S., & Naggar, V. (2011). Bioavailability: A pharmaceutical review. Int J Novel Drug Deliv Tech, 1(1), 77-93.
- Dutta, S. Bhattacharjee, P. (2014). Enzyme-assisted supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of black pepper oleoresin for enhanced yield of piperine-rich extract. The Society for Biotechnology.
- Akbarzadeh A et al. (2013). Liposome: classification, preparation, and applications; Nanoscale Research Letters 8(1):102.
- Sinha R et al. (2018). Oral supplementation with liposomal glutathione elevates body stores of glutathione and markers of immune function. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 72(1):105-111.
