Turmeric seems to be everywhere these days — grated into curries, added to smoothies, even showing up in marinades and salads. It's loved for its color, flavor, and remarkable health benefits, which are all powered by curcumin, a polyphenolic compound that is the active ingredient in the spice.

Unfortunately, curcumin is not well absorbed in the body. To get its most profound health benefits, you need curcumin extract taken with a dose of piperine (black pepper extract) for optimal absorption.

That has been demonstrated in several ongoing, early-stage trials that indicate curcumin extract may help fight the development and spread of cancer, and that it has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

In addition, a preprint of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study indicates that curcumin extract can reduce the risk of heart disease in people who have Type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Heart disease is the number one cause of death for those with Type 2, accounting for 66% of deaths. So that’s great news.

The preprint study found that after 12 months of taking the extract, participants saw improvements in their bad LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B levels, their triglyceride to HDL cholesterol ratio, waist circumference, and total body fat and visceral belly fat. Inflammation markers also fell markedly.

Before adding any supplement to your routine, talk to your doctor to make sure it doesn't conflict with any meds you take and is right for you.