Role of Turmeric and Curcumin in Preventing Stomach Cancer

Turmeric, that spice that makes curry look like curry (it is what grants curry its distinctive yellow hue) has been classified as a superfood as of late. All kinds of turmeric products are popping up all over the place: turmeric smoothies, turmeric supplements, turmeric tonics, etc. This isn’t just due to turmeric’s unique taste. It is primarily because recent studies have suggested that turmeric may have true cancer-causing properties. Before we learn more about the potential cancer-causing ingredients, a word of warning is appropriate. Turmeric on its own cannot cure cancer, this is meant to be a supplementary treatment at best, and not a primary treatment method.

How Turmeric Prevents Stomach Cancer

One of the active compounds in turmeric is curcumin, a polyphenol that makes up about 3% of turmeric’s composition. Research done on animals and cell cultures has shown evidence that extremely high doses of curcumin can have an anti-inflammatory affect. This effect combined with curcumin’s natural antioxidant properties gives the compound the ability to inhibit the growth of certain cancer cells.

The Problem with Turmeric

As previously stated, turmeric is not a one stop shop cancer cure. The fact is both the effects of turmeric and curcumin need more study. The studies up to this point have been too small and contained. The large-scale effects of turmeric need to be examined before we can definitively state that it is a cancer cure. Further study could also have the fortunate result of illuminating ways to more efficiently use turmeric and curcumin to prevent cancer.

In the interim though, keep including turmeric and curcumin in your diet. It may not actually improve your condition if you already have cancer, but it will certainly help to prevent the development of cancer.