It’s time to upgrade your morning coffee.

Popping up on café menus in Melbourne and Sydney is the turmeric latte. But should you really swap your morning coffee for a dose of the yellow stuff, or is this just another in a long line of passing health food fads?

Turmeric Latte | Image: Healthy Grocery Girl

According to Tanya Lee, Clinical Nutritionist, Naturopath and creator of Healr’ Rooted Turmeric Spice, turmeric on it’s own is a vegetable and a herb. The active ingredient of turmeric, curcumin, needs to be blended with other ingredients such as black pepper and fatty oils to make it easily absorbed in our bodies.

We take a look at some of the benefits of turmeric.

1 // IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN.

Turmeric produces a compound known as curcumin, which has a number of medicinal properties. According to research by the Indian Academy of Neurology, curcumin can help  to protect against the effects of Alzheimer’s disease, increasing overall memory function. In addition, the journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy showed turmeric can also help to keep your brain healthy, promoting repair to stem cells in the brain.

2 // IT HELPS RELIEVE MUSCLE PAIN.

Curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties, which means it can help to relieve joint pain and arthritis. It also helps to reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness – great news for tired and sore muscles. Researchers from the Complementary Therapies in Medicine journal also found that consuming curcumin can help reduce severity of PMS symptoms.

3 // IT HELPS FIGHT INFECTION.

Thanks to its anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic qualities, turmeric can help to prevent stomach ulcers, and reduce infection in the gut. Research from the University of Maryland Medical Centre showed curcumin can also help to relieve stomach pain, making it great for people with irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease.

4 // IT’S GREAT FOR YOUR SKIN.

Not only does it have great health benefits, turmeric is also great for your skin. Its anti-inflammatory properties mean it can help to reduce redness and skin irritation, whilst its anti-bacterial qualities make it great for blemishes and acne.

5 // IT HELPS TO REDUCE CHOLESTEROL.

Turmeric has been found to reduce levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol in the body, whilst increasing the levels of ‘good’ cholesterol. According to the University of Maryland Medical Centre, having lower cholesterol means you are less at risk of developing serious health conditions, from heart attacks to strokes.

We enjoy our daily dose of turmeric by swapping our morning latte for a golden one. All online orders in July will receive a sachet of Heal’r Rooted Turmeric Spice to try at home. Happy sipping!

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