Better together: Using black pepper to enhance benefits of turmeric

When combined together, turmeric and black pepper can offer you multiple health benefits. Check out what this combination can offer you.

Also known as the golden spice, turmeric not only enhances the flavor of your dishes, but it also contains several medicinal properties that are good for your body. It is widely known for its natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. However, it’s hard to ingest enough of the spice to reap any of the health benefits that have been seen in research studies.

In order to squeeze the maximum health benefit out of turmeric, you have to add another spice to the mix: black pepper.

Black pepper is a potent spice in its own right. In addition to flavoring food, it’s commonly used as a medicinal agent, a preservative. Black pepper contains a compound called piperine, which when combined with turmeric, increases the absorption of curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric that's known for its health benefits.

Like turmeric, black pepper contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, making it potentially helpful for managing inflammatory conditions and reducing free-radical damage. 

Here are some ideas to add more spice to your life:

• Add some pepper and turmeric to your scrambled eggs
• Sprinkle these spices on sautéed or roasted vegetables
• Use these spices for extra delicious flavor in soups like tinola
• Add turmeric and pepper to a salad or salad dressing