One of the items that shoppers are buying more than ever right now is turmeric tea, and for good reason: This marigold-colored spice is a powerful immune-booster that contains anti-inflammatory compounds and has been shown to improve gut health. New studies about the powers of turmeric tea tell us that we shouldn't just drink it when we feel a cold or sore throat coming on, but make it a daily habit. Here are all the reasons to drink a hot cup of steaming turmeric tea to strengthen your immune system daily, especially now, to stay healthy all year round.

What is turmeric?

Turmeric is a root that comes from the same family as ginger and has been a go-to remedy for anyone dealing with inflammation or flu-like symptoms for centuries, dating back 4,000 years to the bronze age, first known to be used in the Vedic culture in India. Just one tablespoon of turmeric contains 26 percent of your daily recommended dose of manganese, 16 percent of your daily iron requirement, and 5 percent of your daily potassium need, plus 3 percent of daily vitamin C. Turmeric's golden color comes from curcumin, a natural compound with anti-inflammatory effects. Curcumin only accounts for about 3% of the turmeric root, but it's a powerful antioxidant in turmeric.

The sales of turmeric tea, turmeric root, ground turmeric, and other curcumin products are spiking at stores, according to a recent market research survey. Adding turmeric to your meals is a good way to reap these benefits, but drinking turmeric tea is an even easier way to ingest the benefits of this golden spice.

What is turmeric tea good for? 3 benefits of drinking it daily

1. Strengthens the immune system

Turmeric is powerful enough to strengthen your immune system and improve symptoms when feeling under the weather. A study found turmeric has the ability to shorten the duration and ease symptoms of illness from 10% to 20%. Specifically, curcumin is made up of anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties that can help the body stay healthy and the smallest amount is better than no turmeric at all. A study found that curcumin, even at low doses, can enhance antibody responses, helping your body fight off illness.

2. Supports a healthy gut and aids in digestion

Drinking turmeric tea ease digestive issues and helps to support a healthy gut. A study found curcumin exerts beneficial effects on the gut microbiome, without any apparent toxicity, restoring the imbalance in the gut and helps maintain a healthy gut. Curcumin alone is hard to digest but with black pepper, it's a great combination. It enhances the absorption of curcumin and helps your body process food more quickly and easily.

3. Relieves joint pain and lowers inflammation.

Curcumin is linked to reducing inflammation which can result in chronic diseases, such as arthritis. Inflammation and joint pain often go hand-in-hand and the Arthritis Foundation recommends curcumin as a spice that helps reduce inflammation. A study found turmeric alleviated arthritis symptoms including pain and inflammation-related symptoms.

Another study found 94 percent of those taking curcumin reported at least 50 percent improvement of knee osteoarthritis pain. The study also found those who were given curcumin opposed to losing taking diclofenac, had fewer side effects such as stomach problems.

How to make turmeric tea

Everyone is going crazy for turmeric tea because it's not only easier to find than actual turmeric root, but also because it's easy to make and has numerous therapeutic benefits. All you need is two teaspoons of freshly grated turmeric, half a lemon, and a few crushed peppercorns. Pour hot water into a cup, squeeze half a lemon, and add the turmeric and peppercorns. Peppercorn has been shown to increase the absorption of curcumin by up to 2,000 percent. Make turmeric tea even quicker by grating the entire turmeric root and then storing it in your fridge for the week. This makes it easy to grab two teaspoons in the morning.

How often should you drink turmeric tea?

Studies suggest the most effective dose of turmeric is 2,400 milligrams per day when you're healthy and 4,000 milligrams per day when you're experiencing a cold. Two teaspoons of turmeric will meet your daily dose when healthy and double that for when you are feeling sick. Drink turmeric tea on a daily basis for at least four months to maximize all the health benefits, From immunity to gut health, here is why you should add turmeric tea to your morning routine.

After hearing all these health benefits, you might want to rush to the store and buy fresh turmeric. On the days you can't find fresh turmeric, you can still find a wide variety of brands that have turmeric teas such as Numi Organic Tea. This tea brand has an assortment of turmeric tea from Golden Chai Lattes to sampler packs that have six turmeric teas. Another great turmeric tea is Organic India Tulsi's Turmeric Ginger Tea, which you can find on Amazon. Whether you make homemade turmeric tea or buy a te brand, all you need is one cup of turmeric tea to strengthen immunity, lower inflammation and improve your gut health. 

Bottom Line: Drink turmeric tea daily to lower inflammation and boost immunity.

Turmeric team is one of the healthiest teas you can drink daily, to strengthen the immune system, fight chronic inflammation and support gut health. It is also easy to make at home.

Which tea is the healthiest? Read on for the health benefits of the most popular teas.

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