Tasty curry comes with health benefits

(Joe Gough)

Revered as a health tonic for centuries, the bright yellow spice turmeric used in curry is gaining support from Western science for its healing properties. A new study discovered that a compound found in turmeric called curcumin may play a vital role in liver health.

Announced in an October 29 release, researchers at Saint Louis University in the US observed that curcumin seems to help fight and prevent a common yet very serious kind of fatty liver disease called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The disease can be a result of obesity and weight gain and affects 3 to 4 percent of US adults.

More work still needs to be done before researchers can devise a turmeric-based therapy, but the study holds promising results. The report was recently published in Endocrinology.

For centuries, turmeric has been used not only as a spice but as a healing aid in traditional Asian medicine. It has historically been consumed to help gastrointestinal problems, arthritic pain, and lack of energy. And in recent years, scientists have documented that curcumin may protect the body thanks to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties.

The healing powers of turmeric and its compound curcumin have been a hot topic for researchers hoping to discover medical implications for this ancient cure-all. Another recent study, published in the journal Gut, found similar results regarding curcumin's effect in preventing liver damage and cirrhosis. In other studies, curcumin was also discovered to play roles in preventing and treating breast cancer and Alzheimer's disease, and even reversing aging.

Read more about the benefits of curry: http://www.naturalnews.com/curcumin.html