This video is by Raphael Gamon, a chef who has studied TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). His experience and expertise is based upon being the Former Executive Chef / Developer at Eu Yan Sang Singapore 余仁生新加坡 , where he was hired in Brand Development at Red White & Pure.
He is an excellent source of knowledge about how foods and herbs, including spices, have medicinal value and can aid in prevention and recovery.
Chef Raphael points out, that as much as we instinctively believe, that “over-the-counter” spices can be medicinal however there is a lot of misinformation. Unfortunately, the herbs we use to cook with are not necessarily (limited) medicinal or nor do they carry the potency proclaimed by the seller. Often, by highlighting a fraction of the truth, we are validated with claims of “healthy” beyond the respected wisdom of science-based information.
Using the Spice Tumeric as an example.
A good example is the spice Turmeric (Turmeric). Ground tumeric or commercially sold as raw tumeric roots can add unique flavor when used in cooking. They rarely live up to a “miracle health claim,” as promoted.
When you shop for health purposes, do not assume that your body can absorb these herbs or essences. Often the therapeutic effects as published for the spice (herb, roots or supplements) do not provide the therapeutic advantages. Personal research is needed to understand your choices.
Tumeric harvested for pharmaceutical purposes undergoes a unique process before the end product is legally presented as medicinal. A majority of TCM herbs are consumed in combination with other ingredients that allow your body to actually absorb them. This gives you the purpose of your consumption a “direction” and prevents an unexpected side effect. Singular herbs are rarely administered in TCM due to absorption.
It is important for customers to know that there are two patented ways to make tumeric bioavailable to their bodies. Bioavailable means that their bodies can safely absorb the beneficial essence and gain therapeutic benefits from it.
Tumeric vs. Curcumin Are They the Same Thing?
Curcumin is the active main component in turmeric, which gives it its bright yellow color and pungent flavor. It is one of the foremost therapeutic essences in this root, which has amazing health benefits. Turmeric refers to the whole plant and its roots. Curcumin is extracted from ground tumeric rhizomes via purification and crystallization.
Research has examined the health effects of the medicinal curcumin extracted from turmeric. Curcumin is used to lower inflammation. These anti-inflammatory properties are shown to help with chronic pain and osteoarthritis. Curcumin may increase the levels of antioxidants in your body and lower the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and arthritis, as well as ward off Alzheimer’s.
To benefit therapeutically from tumeric or curcumin it must be made bioavailable.
The First Form of Tumeric with improved Bioavailability.
In TCM, the use of tumeric (white Javanese Zedoaria and yellow Indian tumeric, Longa) is recognized for reducing depression and age-related diseases caused by inflammation. Even as far back as 3000 years ago, it was medicinally consumed only in a “correct combination” with other herbs to guarantee targeted absorption. Modern clinical studies through fingerprinting and isolating DNA show that curcumin does not leave the digestive tract efficiently. This eliminates therapeutic benefits. The compound’s saving grace is that when you combine it with piperine (black pepper extract), the bioavailability goes way up. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Sabinsa is the company that discovered and manufactures C3 Curcumin™. This is the oldest and most established brand of specialized curcumin on the market. This is the first product to be developed and it has the most market penetration and clinical research surrounding its effectiveness.
Sabinsa’s Patent C3 Curcumin™ Patent US5861415A
Curcumin & Black Pepper Extract – Is It Really the Best?
Most of the clinical trials done at the beginning of the century used C3 Curcumin as the test compound. This is an excellent example of modern science validating a long-standing ancient claim with supportive research for a fantastic product. The combination of C3 Curcumin™ with piperine (black pepper extract) demonstrated a dramatic increase in bioavailability of the curcumin. Hence, the resulting product C3 Curcumin used with Bioperine™ upholds the medicinal claim used for millenniums…
Careful disclaimer: the use of piperine to boost bioavailability is limited for many consumers. Some patients are advised by their doctors to avoid grapefruit when taking specific prescription medications. This is due to drug-food interactions that can either increase or inhibit the absorption of Western medicines. Peperine inhibits drug-metabolizing enzymes and can increase plasma concentrations of several drugs. Simply, certain foods can reduce the efficacy of your prescription medicine. This type of interaction can create another health issue. Always tell your practitioner about the combination of drugs and/or supplements you consume.
That circles me back to TCM chef Raphael, with his tremendous knowledge about food interactions and how to correctly consume nutritive choices in combination with Western medicine when on a journey to achieve health or well-being.
The Alternative to C3 Curcumin™ that is Piperine “Free”
The company Arjuna Naturals manufactures BCM- 95™ (also known as Biocurcumax™), which is a product similar in scope to C3 Curcumin, with the big difference being Sabinsa curcumin typically uses bioperine as an adjuvant whereas Arjuna Naturals uses a production method that uses essential oils within the turmeric plant as an adjuvant. Adjuvants are the added components which enhance the efficacy of the product that they are added to. This refers to an ingredient (as in a prescription or a solution) that modifies the action of the principal ingredient. It also refers to something (such as a drug or method) that enhances the effectiveness of medical treatment.
Arjuna Naturals BCM- 95™ (also known as Biocurcumax™) Patent US7883728B2
The following bioavailability graph is from Europharma the makers of CuraMed and Curamin. It clearly shows you the significant increase in bioavailability using BCM- 95™.
Being an informed consumer is a choice. What appears to be great choices to improve your health can be misleading. When making a purchase to improve our health, often we end up buying a useless product.
You may wish to read this too: http://www.cancermind.com/theracurmin-vs-bcm-95-free-curcumin/
The Best Consumer is an Informed Consumer.
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