Despite the skin being the most visible part of the body, it can often be victim to our own inattentional blindness. This lack of attention to what is quite literally right in front of our face has caused skin health to be one of the most overlooked components to a healthy lifestyle. This may likely be because we often forget just how important our skin actually is and how vital certain nutrients can be. Turmeric for skin is one such glowing example.
Our skin is the largest organ in the body and it’s the one organ that comes into contact with the rest of the world. Among its many functions, it is responsible for holding body fluids in, preventing dehydration, regulating temperature, and keeping harmful microbes out. Maintaining healthy skin is essential, especially since healthy skin is a mirror to a healthy body. Luckily, there are many nutrients that can aid in maintaining our skin health.
Turmeric is a spice made of the ground roots of the turmeric plant. It is widely recognized for its golden color and bioactive properties known as curcuminoids. The primary curcuminoid in turmeric is curcumin. Curcumin contains antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, but it’s best known for its ability to support the body’s capability to balance inflammation. It is these characteristics that are responsible for turmeric’s full-body benefits.
Although turmeric is most widely recognized for supporting the heart, joints, and brain, turmeric can benefit your skin too. Here are some ways turmeric may be able to benefit your skin.
1. Skin Brightening
Turmeric’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components may rejuvenate and help enhance skin radiance. Historically, ancient Indian medicine has touted turmeric as an herb with the ability to boost glow and luster. 1 Similarly, a recent study found turmeric may brighten skin after only three weeks by promoting the natural health of the skin. 2
2. Support Skin Healing
When you get injured, your body’s natural response is to send white blood cells and healing enzymes to the wound, which causes inflammation, sometimes in the form of heat, redness, and pain. Turmeric can counteract this response by fighting inflammation and oxidation to calm the swelling of wounds. Turmeric may also speed the skin’s ability to form new, healthy tissue by boosting collagen production. 3
3. Reduce Acne
Acne is commonly caused by a bacteria (specificially, Propionibacterium acnes). One 2013 study suggests curcumin, found in turmeric, combined with lauric acid could be an effective way to combat acne-causing bacteria. 4
4. Combat Signs of Aging
Another study found that turmeric’s antioxidant compounds may significantly relieve sun damage.
This is because antioxidants prevent free radicals like pollution and UV rays from affecting your skin’s elasticity. Additionally, turmeric blocks the enzyme elastase, which attacks your skin’s ability to produce the substance that gives your skin structure, that is, elastin. Too much elastase can lead to increased wrinkles and pre-mature aging. 5
By caring for your skin, you are taking one more important step toward healthful living. Your skin is responsible for crucial tasks, and with the help of beneficial nutrients such as turmeric for skin, we can better equip our real-life body armor to protect and keep us healthy. That said, the positive impact of turmeric is more than just skin deep. Turmeric provides benefits which can be experienced throughout the entire body. As more research regarding this popular spice continues, we will be able to connect the dots to even more ways we may be able to use the powerful turmeric spice.
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