I Started Drinking Turmeric Tonic Every Day. Here's What Happened

Turmeric is fascinating and a popular anti-inflammatory spice that has been used for centuries for its health benefits. It's often used to give an intense golden hue and zest to smoothies, soups, and curries. More than that, turmeric root is extremely healthy, and a spoonful a day might just be able to work miracles.

A little while ago I stumbled upon an elixir on a trip to Bali that supposedly functions as a cure-all. The Kunyit Jamu is a traditional Indonesian herbal tonic and chock-full of lemon juice, pulp, and fresh turmeric root.

One of the most exciting things about traveling as a holistic nutritionist is finding new recipes and health rituals. So I started drinking the turmeric tonic every day. Here's what happened:

In my mid-20s, I was diagnosed with lupus. By making certain lifestyle changes, I manage to keep my autoimmune symptoms under control, but my face still flares up in stressful times. A metaphorical butterfly will then spread its wings on my cheeks. Ever since I started drinking the turmeric tonic daily, my facial flare-ups have diminished to almost zero.

Turmeric is an immune booster1 because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Although already used successfully for centuries in Ayurvedic treatments, turmeric has recently become one of the most well-researched herbs in the world with hundreds of scientific studies proving the healing properties of turmeric's most active compound: curcumin.

Curcumin regulates many processes linked to inflammation2 and can thus help in treating symptoms of autoimmune diseases3, diabetes, allergies, arthritis, Alzheimer's, Crohn's disease, and other chronic illnesses4.

There's even research that indicates that curcumin reduces the development of cancer tumors5 and might lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Sipping on all of those turmeric tonics also strongly benefited my digestion. It helped relieve bloating, belly aches, and stomach cramps.

Researchers have also tested the effect of turmeric on digestion6. When they prescribed a daily turmeric extract to their subjects, they could see a favorable shift in bowel patterns and improvements in IBS symptoms after eight weeks.

I already eat clean, practice mindfulness, and exercise regularly but was surprised to see a decline in fat percentage in the weeks after I started getting my daily dose of turmeric.

Research in the Journal of Nutrition7 supports this effect, showing that curcumin suppresses the growth of fat tissue (angiogenesis) and reduces weight gain. Others even suggest using curcumin as prevention and treatment of obesity-related and metabolic diseases8.

After returning from Bali, I started to experiment with different flavor combinations. I especially like turmeric tonic with persimmon, one of my favorite fall fruits. It gives the whole drink a velvety texture and balances out the acidity of the lemon and the slight bitterness of the turmeric. You can also leave out the persimmon or replace it with a grapefruit, orange, or mandarin. I like to mix it up every day.

If you take your turmeric with a pinch of black pepper, you'll improve the bioavailability of its anti-inflammatory compound curcumin.

Serves 1

Puree all the ingredients in a blender. Add water if needed. Enjoy immediately for optimal health benefits!