What are Turmeric & Curcumin?
Everyone has heard of turmeric & curcumin, but they are not just used to spice up your favorite curry dish, they are so much more. You see them in the vitamin section and the spice aisle. So what are the differences between them and how they are used? Let’s take a look!
Popular in India and Southeast Asia, many people use turmeric in the kitchen as a spice where its unique flavor touts many health benefits. However, where turmeric really shines as a powerful booster of health lies with a compound it contains called curcumin. Curcumin is a polyphenol compound found within the root of the turmeric plant (Curcuma Longa). Curcumin has a long history in Ayurvedic medicine for its ability to promote respiratory, digestive, and joint health. There are many documented studies on curcumin and its ever growing list of medicinal benefits.
The Benefits of Curcumin
Curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, neuro protector, cardio protector, and anti cancer compound, that can help combat many common ailments. Aside from being beneficial for humans, curcumin has numerous benefits for both horses and dogs. It has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties, making it a popular supplement for both animals.
Black Pepper vs. Fats for Maximum Absorption
Many people have heard that black pepper can help the body absorb curcumin better. Black pepper contains piperine, a compound which can increase the bioavailability of curcumin by inhibiting its metabolism in the liver. This allows more curcumin to enter the bloodstream and exert its effects in the body. However, it has been shown that piperine can irritate the lining of the stomach, causing GI distress. A safer way to insure curcumin is absorbed properly is to include it with a high quality fat. Curcumin is fat-soluble, which means it dissolves in fat. Consuming curcumin with a source of fat, such as the human grade MCT oil used in Nature’s Rein products, can help to improve its absorption. The fat helps to transport the curcumin through the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream without irritation.
The Nature's Rein Difference
Just like all of the other human grade ingredients we source at Nature’s Rein, our 95% curcumin extract is no exception. A curcumin extract refers to a supplement that contains a high concentration of curcumin, typically extracted from turmeric. This extract is standardized to contain 95% curcuminoids, the group of compounds that includes curcumin. The main difference between the two is that turmeric contains a range of compounds including curcumin, while a 95% curcumin extract is a concentrated form of the one most beneficial compound. This means that a 95% curcumin extract is likely to have a more potent effect than turmeric alone, as it contains a higher concentration of the active compound. So remember while turmeric and a 95% curcumin extract both offer health benefits, they are not the same thing.
Nature’s Rein products such as our Alpha Blend for dogs, and our Pro and Power Blends for horses all contain the highest quality 95% curcumin extract, so your horses and dogs get the maximum benefits curcumin has to offer. That’s the Nature’s Rein difference!