Why Beans are Unhealthy and What to Eat Instead

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Why Beans Can Make You Sick (& What to Eat Instead)

There are some things you just aren’t supposed to talk about at a dinner party. Some subjects are so controversial and divisive that conversations about them quickly turn ugly. You’re probably thinking of politics and religion. But if you’re eating with a bunch of Paleos, you might want to add beans to the list!

Some Paleos love them, while others avoid them completely. Plenty have given up trying to make sense of this hot-button food because there’s just so much conflicting information.

But maybe you (secretly) want to know if beans are okay to eat on a Paleo diet.

Let’s remove the mystery and get to the truth.

The Bean Controversy

When you think of junk food, beans probably aren’t the first option that comes to mind.

Flour and sugar, sure, but beans? Aren’t they supposed to be healthy? Among mainstream nutritionists, they’re widely accepted as a great source of protein, fiber, and other nutrients. Beans are often touted as a health food—supposedly even better for you than animal products.

But the opinion on beans within the Paleo community is murky and deeply divided. A consensus might be tough to find, but there are medical facts to consider.

Some thought leaders, like Dr. Loren Cordain, argue that beans (and other legumes) are unhealthy and shouldn’t have a place in your diet. Yet others, like Chris Kresser, don’t see a problem with having them every now and then—as long as they’re prepared properly. Then there are plenty of people, like Mark Sisson, who say that beans fall into the same “gray area” as wine, dark chocolate, and dairy products .

Entering the Bean Debate

As some Paleo thought leaders point out, beans certainly aren’t the worst thing you could put on your plate.

The nutrition profile varies, depending on the specific type of bean.

One cup of boiled black beans contains:

• 227 calories
• 15 grams of protein
• 41 grams of carbohydrates
• 15 grams of dietary fiber
• A decent amount of nutrients (e.g., folate, magnesium, and manganese)

These numbers are nothing to scoff at. Beans are substantially more nutritious than eating something like flour or sugar. Beans are inexpensive and can be nutritious, but meat and produce are a lot better for you. 

Beans are also very cheap, especially if you buy them uncooked. They can keep for a long time, are pretty filling, and can help ease the strain of other Paleo foods on your budget.

With all that said, beans aren’t the best thing you could eat either.

The biggest difference? Beans are less nutrient-dense than foods like meat, eggs, vegetables, and seafood. You can get a lot more nutritional bang for your buck if you focus on high-quality animal products and produce instead.

By sticking to the most nutrient-dense foods, you can eat the same amount of calories as beans—but with much fewer carbohydrates and more nutrients. And nutrient density isn’t the only thing to think about…

Beans and Anti-Nutrients

One of the most common arguments against beans is that they contain various “anti-nutrients,” which can actually cause your body harm.

These anti-nutrients help protect the beans from being eaten by predators, such as insects, rodents, and birds. They also keep the beans’ reproductive systems intact.

The trouble is when these anti-nutrients get into the human body. They usually don’t cause issues when you eat them in small amounts. But if you’re eating beans regularly, you might end up with consequences, such as inflammation, a leaky gut, and autoimmune disorders.

Here are some of the most common anti-nutrients found in beans:

Phytates in Beans

Phytates (or phytic acids) are anti-nutrients that bind to minerals in your food—preventing your body from absorbing them. So when you eat them in high doses, you might end up with mineral deficiencies . Phytates are anti-nutrients that mess with digestion and prevent the absorption of minerals. 

Phytates also interfere with the enzymes your body uses to digest food, including pepsin (which helps break down proteins in the stomach), amylase (which breaks down starches), and trypsin (which digests protein in the small intestine).

Again, the danger is in the dose. A small amount of phytic acid every now and then isn’t going to hurt you. And you’ll actually find more of it (per unit of mass) in nuts—which is a Paleo-approved food! But you’ll run into problems if you make foods rich in phytates a dietary staple.

Lectins in Beans

Lectins, a protein found in beans and various other foods, can bind to cell membranes and cause serious problems.

One of the biggest threats is that they can damage your intestinal wall and make their way into your bloodstream. The tiny holes they leave behind create even more issues later on, as toxins and bacterias in your gut lining (i.e., your body’s defense against harmful substances) break through and interact with your immune system.

And if that occurs regularly, the results could be aforementioned problems like chronic inflammation, digestive problems (leaky gut), and autoimmune conditions. Lectins damage intestinal walls, making it easy for toxins and bacteria to interact with your immune system. 

But worrying about lectins is kind of a red herring. Why? Because no one eats beans raw, and cooking them removes a good amount of their lectins. (The specific amount depends on the type of bean.) With that said, it doesn’t remove all the lectins. People tolerate them differently, so even small amounts still create problems.

Saponins in Beans

Saponins are another type of anti-nutrient found in almost every legume. They’re problematic because they can punch holes in membranes that line the exterior of cells.

Like lectins, saponins can damage the cells that line your intestines and get into your bloodstream. This damage makes your intestines more permeable—opening the door for other toxins and bacteria that will break through and get into your bloodstream .

Eat too many saponins, and you could again end up with digestive problems and chronic inflammation, which has been linked to autoimmune conditions.

Beans Can Cause Serious Digestive Problems

There’s a good reason why a popular children’s rhyme links beans to flatulence.

Some people can eat beans occasionally without experiencing any negative effects.

But they can cause digestive issues for a lot of people. If you’ve eaten beans and dealt with gas, bloating, and heartburn as a result, I’m sure you don’t need me to elaborate any further!

Why does this happen?

Beans are Fermentable Oligo-Di-Monosaccharides and Polyols (FODMAP), which means they contain a specific type of carbohydrate that’s hard for a lot of people to handle. This condition can create some seriously uncomfortable digestive problems, especially if you’re already dealing with a related condition like IBS.

If you fall into this group, you’re better off avoiding beans completely and focusing on vegetables and animal proteins instead.

How to Remove Anti-Nutrients from Beans

Preparing your beans in certain ways can remove anti-nutrients and make them less harmful to eat.

Here’s how:

Soaking Beans

Soaking beans in water for a few hours can help reduce (but not eliminate) their phytic-acid content. One study found that soaking for 18 hours at room temperature (i.e., 70°F) for three hours eliminated between 30 to 70% (depending on the type of legume) of the phytic-acid content.

Soaking can also help decrease lectin content. One Michigan State study found that soaking red kidney beans for 12 hours lowered lectins by around 49%.

Sprouting Beans

Sprouting beans has the biggest impact on phytates. The typical reduction ranges from 25 to 75%. The exact type of impact depends on the type of legume. One study found that sprouting black-eyed beans resulted in a 75% decrease of phytic acid.

Sprouting only has a tiny effect on reducing saponins (if any at all). A 1996 study found that sprouting both chickpeas and lentils for six days resulted in “no significant changes” in saponin content.

Fermenting Beans

Fermentation takes longer than other preparation methods, but it can help you significantly degrade phytate and lectin content. One study found that fermenting kidney beans reduced their phytates by 85%, with a 77% reduction for soybeans and 69% decrease for mung beans.

Fermenting beans not only reduces anti-nutrients, it also increases the amount of good nutrients.

Fermentation can also decrease saponins. A 2014 study found that the fermentation of mung beans for 72 hours will decrease their saponin content, but increase other nutrients.

Heating Beans

Even if you use the other preparation methods above, you still have to cook beans before eating them. No one eats them raw!

Heat is helpful because it removes lectins. One study found that cooking beans for as little as 15 minutes almost completely removed the lectin content.

However, it’s important to point out that heating beans doesn’t effectively reduce saponins. One study found that 85 to 100% of the original saponin levels remained—even after boiling legumes for two hours.

Bean Substitutions

Eating beans every once in awhile probably isn’t going to hurt you—as long as they’re prepared to remove most of the anti-nutrients.

The big exceptions are if you’re dealing with any other serious digestive conditions, or if eating beans causes you gas, bloating, or heartburn. Listen to your body. Ditch the beans, and focus on fixing your digestive health.

There’s no compelling reason why you must eat beans. You can find their nutrients elsewhere in a balanced Paleo diet—from animal products and vegetables in a balanced Paleo diet. Plus, you’ll find those nutrients in higher amounts for the same amount of calories—with fewer carbs. And animal products are more likely to taste better anyway!

Beans are cheap, but preparing them thoroughly can be annoying. It takes a good amount of time. You aren’t likely to find beans that have been thoroughly prepared at restaurants, so it’s not worth ordering them—due to the anti-nutrients.

Instead, try swapping beans with the paleo-friendly foods below:

Cauliflower: Cauliflower is a great bean replacement to add texture to dips like hummus, which usually use chickpeas or other beans. Instead, try doing this How to Make Cauliflower Hummus That Tastes Like the Real Thing! as a healthy alternative. Cauliflower is also a great way to replace beans (and rice) in dishes like enchiladas and fajita plates.

Sweet Potatoes: Need a bean replacement for chili? Chopped sweet potatoes are an easy way to add bulk to any chili or soup.

Butternut Squash: When making casseroles, swap in butternut squash for the usual legumes. You can also experiment with a variety of other paleo-approved squash like spaghetti squash in this grain-free taco casserole.

If you truly love the taste of beans and don’t experience any negative effects on your digestion, you can eat beans every once in awhile. Just make sure you prepare them and remove all the anti-nutrients you can. Eat them in moderation, so you don’t crowd out more nutrient-dense choices.

For the rest of us, focusing on animal proteins, vegetables, and nuts is a much simpler, tastier solution.

Watch this video – Are Beans Healthy? | 4 Reasons to AVOID Beans and Legumes!

Bottom Line

Beans will probably stay a hot-button topic in the Paleo community for a while.

They aren’t junk food as long as they’re prepared properly and eaten in moderation.

But better choices are available (especially if you have digestive problems). Stick to a solid foundation of animal protein and produce—with a few fruits and nuts thrown in for good measure. Then you’ll give your body the nutrients it needs to thrive.

Written by Corey Pemberton

Author Bio:

Corey Pemberton is a freelance writer, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner, and Paleo health enthusiast. Ever since he discovered the ancestral health movement five years ago, he has explored different ways to incorporate ancestral wisdom into his nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle at large. One of his favorite topics is challenging long-held nutrition myths. Feel free to stop by his website or say hello on Twitter.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

Here are the 9 Incredible Metabolism-Boosting Foods

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Good news: revving up your metabolism doesn’t have to be as hard as you think. Here are nine common foods which can easily help naturally boost metabolism!

Keep in mind (of course) that following a healthy exercise plan and overall diet is also vital to boosting your metabolism – especially in the long term.

Interestingly, if you were to refer to most guides which recommend metabolism-boosting foods, they will recommend you consume foods which are high in anti-nutrients, and low in bioavailable protein.

Whether this is due to a vegan bias, or lack of scientific rigor, the real truth is that foods high in anti-nutrients will wreak havoc on your digestive system, and may even cause a host of other issues, if consumed on a regular basis.

With that in mind, it is best to stick to a Paleo template when consuming metabolism-boosting foods. That way you are more likely to absorb the nutrients found within them, as well as help to keep digestion running smoothly, and avoid the (many) other downsides of grains.

Your metabolism is much like a car – you need to keep it running well in order to maximize performance

A Paleo template will be like giving your metabolism premium gasoline. So, without further ado, here are nine foods which help to boost metabolism!

1. Grass-Fed Beef

Yes, this Paleo staple is loaded with tons of things which will help you lose weight, build muscle and rev up your metabolic engine! And by only buying the grass-fed version of beef, you will be avoiding a whole host of bad stuff which is found in grain-fed beef and fast food hamburgers.

To start with, grass fed beef will provide you with a large amount of complete protein. In fact, you will get around 50 percent of the daily value of protein from just 175 calories worth of grass-fed beef!

Protein is important because it will keep you satiated, help to build muscle (since it is loaded with the building blocks of muscle — amino acids) and will also help you to make enzymes, hormones and other body chemicals. In addition to protein, grass-fed beef contains vitamin B12, which is a very important topic I’ve covered previously.

On top of that, grass-fed beef contains large amounts of vitamin B3, vitamin B6, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, selenium and phosphorus. All of these are vital to the metabolic process.

The real star here is the protein content, though, since the more muscle you have, the more your metabolism will be stoked.

 And what causes muscle growth? It all starts with protein sources, the best of which have a complete array of essential amino acids, like grass-fed beef. Try to eat grass-fed beef a few times per week in order to see the maximum benefits it has to offer.

Try this Paleo Crockpot Beef Stew or make this simple Grass-Fed Ground Beef For Grazing.

2. Turmeric

If you like things spicy, turmeric is the right choice for you. Since turmeric is actually a small part of mustard and curry, you have likely already tasted it – even if you didn’t realize it. With a nice yellow and orange tint, turmeric provides a whole host of benefits, including a small boost in your metabolism.

Bisdemethoxycurcumin is the main active constituent found in this spice, and it also helps to boost the activity of your immune system – among many other health bonuses.

Need some cooking inspiration? Try implementing some of these How to Use Turmeric – 3 Easy Recipes  

3. MCT Oil

Coconut oil is far from a new recommendation for those who are familiar with a Paleo approach. However, when it comes to ramping up your weight loss and burning a fast metabolic fire, you may actually want to look to MCT oil, specifically. The reason? MCT oil is what almost all of the scientific studies involving weight loss and metabolism have been conducted with. This study even concluded that MCT oil led to better weight loss than olive oil did. Impressive, indeed.

4. Eggs

Another Paleo staple, eggs provide a variety of nutrient-boosting elements. Like grass-fed beef, eggs contain complete protein, meaning they help you build muscle and chip away at those fat stores.

Eggs also contain a healthy amount of choline, selenium, biotin, vitamin B12, vitamin B2, iodine, and much, much more.

Remember – if you’re going to eat eggs, go for organic and pasture-raised! Food quality should always be at the top of your list when it comes to building a proper diet.

Luckily, there are countless ways to enjoy eggs, start with our 36 CRAZY WAYS TO COOK EGGS for inspiration.

5. Asparagus

Asparagus is nutrient-packed and very low in calories. With a large amount of vitamin K, folate, copper, vitamin B1, selenium, vitamin B2, vitamin C and many other beneficial elements, asparagus should be included in your weekly rotation of metabolism-boosting foods. You can simply steam it for dinner or dress it up in a quick Asparagus Avocado Salad.

6. Fish

Another Paleo staple, wild-caught seafood helps to build muscle, as well as keep you away from the junk food, by offering a nice dose of satiety. Salmon and tuna are two of your best choices which you will want to include in your diet on a regular basis. Again, food quality is paramount here, as poorly-raised fish are a bad, bad choice.

Some grass-fed butter or coconut oil on some well-cooked salmon is delicious – and will also have you burning off those love handles by the second! Once the body is taking in essential fats (which provide satiety) it is much easier to avoid craving those low-quality foods we tend to go overboard with (i.e. pizza).

 Many studies have looked at including fish in a weight loss program — with near-universal success! Dig into this Easy Honey Garlic Salmon or try this delicious Salmon Burgers Recipe with Jicama Coleslaw and Dill Dressing.

7. Mustard

Mustard – not something you think could boost metabolism. But, interestingly, some scientific studies have shown that it helps rev up your fat-burning engine. Scientists at Oxford Polytechnic Institute showed that 1 teaspoon of mustard may boost metabolism by 20 percent. And this metabolic boost continues for several hours after eating!

What causes this? The benefits likely come from capsaicin and allyl isothiocyanates. These are phytochemicals which make mustard taste so unique. This is also a key example that a little bit of something can go a long way! Put this Chicken Spinach Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing on your to-make list.

8. Cinnamon

If you’ve never tried a sweet potato with cinnamon, you need to get on that. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Okay, are you done now? Cinnamon tastes delicious on a wide variety of foods.

One of the best additional benefits (besides a nice boost to your metabolism) of cinnamon is its help with blood sugar control. For example, putting some cinnamon on a very high carbohydrate food will help to reduce its impact on your blood sugar after you consume it. This is a big win-win, and will help you stay the course of a low-carb lifestyle.

Try this EASY Fruit Salad with Cinnamon Honey Dressing or add cinnamon to your coffee.

9. Almonds

Almonds are a wonderful source of so many nutrients. In barely over 100 calories, we get a healthy dose of biotin, vitamin E, manganese, copper, vitamin B2, phosphorus, and much, much more. Almonds also offer some heart-protective benefits as well as cholesterol-lowering benefits. They’re also a great tool to keep you away from sugar.

They are portable, easy to find almost anywhere, and are packed with antioxidants like vitamin E. Almonds are hands down one of the best ways to boost metabolism.

Watch this video – FOODS THAT BOOST METABOLISM – 10 Best Foods to Improve your Metabolism

The Bottom Line

Okay, let me end this with the disclaimer that it does not take one food to help boost metabolism. And no, it may not be possible to ever get your 18-year-old metabolism back. But you can certainly improve on your current situation, and start to turn things around, if you are in a bad place with your weight.

The best way to boost metabolism is to consume an overall healthy Paleo diet, and then add in little measures, like those listed in this article.

On top of that, you will want to incorporate smart exercise, as exercise benefits your brain as well as your body. Then, start getting 8 to 9 hours of sleep per night, and you will start to notice a serious difference in your metabolism!

Also of note: do not go too low-carb – this can actually screw up your metabolism – exactly the opposite of what we want!

Written by Casey Thaler

Author Bio:

Casey Thaler, B.A., NASM-CPT, FNS is an NASM® certified personal trainer and NASM® certified fitness nutrition specialist. He writes for Paleo Magazine®, The Paleo Diet® and Greatist®. He is also an advisor for Kettle and Fire and runs his own nutrition and fitness consulting company, Eat Clean, Train Clean®.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

Here are the 7 Amazing Health Benefits of Turmeric

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

7 Amazing Health Benefits of Turmeric, The Wonder Spice

Sure, you know how delicious turmeric tastes, but there’s a lot more to the story for this humble spice. It’s a history that dates back thousands of years, and the amazing benefits of turmeric can have powerful implications for your health.

Turmeric comes from the root of the Curcuma longa plant, which is in the ginger family. This perennial plant, native to Southern Asia, has a deep orange color and a tough, brown skin.

Turmeric is one of the most popular spices in the world. If you’re a fan of Asian or Middle Eastern cuisine, you’re already quite familiar with its warm, peppery flavor. Turmeric is also the main spice in curry powder, as well as the ingredient that gives some mustards their bright yellow color. You can even use it to make drinks!

But turmeric can do much more than just kick up the flavor of foods and beverages.

It’s been a mainstay in Ayurveda (a medicine system with roots in ancient India) for thousands of years. We can find written references of this all the way back to 250 BC, when Sursuta’s Ayurvedic Compendium recommended making a turmeric-based ointment to relieve the effects of poisoned food.

Modern scientific research has put this ancient wisdom to the test, confirming turmeric’s place as a culinary and nutrition powerhouse.

Turmeric Health Benefits

Turmeric contains a host of chemical components, but the most important are a group of compounds called curcuminoids. Curcumin, in particular, is one of the most extensively researched plant compounds around.

A search on the PubMed database turns up more than 9,300 results and counting. That’s even more than other famous herbs and spices like cinnamon, garlic, and ginseng.

All of this research has uncovered some impressive health benefits of turmeric…

Decreases Inflammation

Inflamed muscles and joints cause most of the pain we carry around every day. Left unchecked, chronic inflammation could lead to a laundry list of serious health issues like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even Alzheimer’s.

Curcumin has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, which eases swelling, aches, and pain. Researchers found that curcumin is capable of interacting with a variety of molecules involved in inflammation. By down-regulating activity of various enzymes, cytokines, and proteins, curcumin mitigates the inflammatory response.

Some studies have even found that curcumin was just as effective as anti-inflammatory pain pills, like aspirin and ibuprofen, at suppressing the inflammatory response. Give this turmeric-based morning elixir a try if you’re curious!

Antioxidant Effects

Oxidative stress occurs when reactive types of oxygen (free radicals) overwhelm your body’s natural antioxidant defenses. This imbalance – and the resulting damage – has been linked from everything to premature aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and even cancer.

Thanks to its molecular structure, curcumin (a natural phenolic compound) can scavenge some of these free radicals and create an antioxidant effect.

Curcumin certainly neutralizes free radicals. But it doesn’t stop there. It also strengthens the body’s natural antioxidant capabilities by increasing glutathione levels.

Strengthens the Immune System

An interesting study published in the Journal of Clinical Immunology describes how curcumin acts as a “potent immunomodulatory agent” and can enhance antibody response. The researchers concluded further research was warranted to consider curcumin as a potential treatment for immune disorders.

Turmeric also has antimicrobial properties. Various studies found that:

• It inhibited growth of histamine-producing bacteria, like Bacillus cereus and Proteus mirabilis.

• It inhibited growth of V. parahaemolyticus, a foodborne pathogen.

• It possessed good antifungal activity against Trichophyton longifusus.

Improves Heart Health

With an estimated 610,000 deaths per year in just the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women.

Curcumin can help keep your heart healthy and strong. Multiple animal studies found that this phenolic compound helps maintain endothelium (the interior lining of your blood vessels) function. This is important because endothelial dysfunction is a major contributor to heart disease.

Curcumin’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties also help because chronic inflammation and oxidative stress have been linked to heart disease.

Reduces Symptoms of Depression

Curcumin could also help boost your mood. Multiple mice studies found that it increased serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain. It also inhibited monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes, a common mechanism of prescription antidepressants.

Although there have only been a few human studies, one was very promising. A 2014 study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research divided 60 volunteers with major depressive disorder into two groups. One group was given Prozac, and the other was given curcumin. The curcumin group was just as successful in managing their symptoms as the prescription pill group.

Scientists aren’t completely sure how this mechanism works, though many suspect it involves curcumin’s positive effect on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (called “BDNF”) levels. BDNF is a protein that supports existing neurons and encourages new neurons and synapses to form. It’s important for learning, memory, and higher thinking.

Potentially Protects Against Cancer

Decades of research have explored the potential of curcumin to prevent – or even help treat – different types of cancer.

A massive review of numerous studies found that curcumin can:

• Suppress the proliferation of tumor cells

• Down-regulate certain transcription factors (proteins that bind to specific DNA sequences)

• Down-regulate growth factor receptors

• Inhibit the activity of key kinases (enzymes that regulate cell function).

In other words, curcumin can attack cancer cells on multiple fronts. In some cases, it may help prevent cancer cells from even forming. In others, it can slow the rate at which blood vessels form in tumors and how quickly cancer cells spread, as well as effectively kill some cancer cells.

We desperately need more research to completely understand curcumin’s anti-cancer potential for humans. But the results of limited human data and animal studies have been very promising so far.

Packs Nutrients

In addition to all the nifty health benefits of turmeric mentioned above, turmeric is also a good source of nutrients.

Just one tablespoon of turmeric powder contains:

• 26 percent of the recommended daily value of manganese
• 16 percent of the recommended daily value of iron
• 6 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin B6
• 5 percent of the recommended daily value of potassium

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Turmeric Supplements

The first thing that comes to people’s minds with turmeric is cooking. And with good reason: it’s awesome in curries, seasoned meats, and other Asian and Middle Eastern dishes.

Seasoning your foods with turmeric certainly won’t hurt you. It’s low in calories, Paleo-friendly, and a good source of nutrients. But if you want to really reap the health benefits of turmeric, you’ll probably need to do a bit more. Why?

Because the turmeric root only contains between 2 and 5 percent curcumin, the compound you need to experience health benefits. You’d have to use turmeric powder at every meal of the day to move the needle in terms of an effective curcumin dose.

Many of the studies exploring health benefits of turmeric use dosages over 1 gram of curcumin daily. It’s pretty tough to reach that amount through just seasoning your food alone.

Throwing another wrench into things is curcumin’s limited bioavailability.  Even if you consume a good deal of curcumin, that doesn’t mean you’re absorbing it all.

Fortunately, a high quality supplement can help you get the concentrated dose of curcumin you need.

How to Find Quality Turmeric Supplements

Hit up your local vitamin shop (brick-and-mortar or online), or even some grocery stores, and it won’t take you long to find turmeric supplements.

Manufacturers like to call them different things. Sometimes you’ll see them labeled as “Turmeric extract” or “Turmeric curcumin”. Other times you’ll just see “Curcumin”.

No matter which name the manufacturer chose, these supplements tend to be pretty affordable and easy to find.

There are tons of turmeric and curcumin supplements on the market, but not just any will do. The first thing to consider is the dose. Because your body won’t absorb all of the curcumin, you want to make sure any supplement you buy contains a significant amount.

Buying mediocre turmeric supplements raises concerns like:

• A lack of active compounds and ingredients
• A lack of testing for quality or purity
• Lead and other heavy metals

Besides watching out for the things above, look for a supplement that contains black pepper extract. Adding this extract (sometimes called “piperine”) increases the bioavailability of curcumin dramatically – by up to 2,000 percent when taken at the same time, according to a study published in the journal Planta Medica.

Remember: it’s not about how much curcumin your supplements contain. It’s about how much curcumin you’re able to actually absorb!

Recommended Brands

Here are some quality turmeric supplements to get you started:

Indus Organic High Purity Turmeric Powder. This one isn’t actually a supplement, but I’m including it because it’s one of the highest quality turmeric spice options around. Grown in India, it’s 100 percent certified organic by the USDA and California Certified Organic Farmers.

Natural Factors CurcuminRich Theracurmin. These capsules are non-GMO, as well as gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free. They use a special processing technique to reduce curcumin’s particle size and increase bioavailability. If you get the double strength version, you only have to take one capsule a day.

Doctor Recommended Turmeric Curcumin. These USA-made capsules are made from an FDA-registered facility. They’re vegan-friendly, and they contain piperine (black pepper extract) to increase bioavailability.

VitaBreeze Turmeric Curcumin Complex with Black Pepper Extract. Each of these capsules contains a potent 750 milligrams of curcumin. The pepper extract increases bioavailability. They’re also dairy-, soy-, and gluten-free.

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Potential Side Effects

Unlike many modern medications, these supplements are extremely safe even at high doses.  You get to reap the health benefits of turmeric without stressing about dangerous side effects.

Turmeric is on the FDA’s “Generally Regarded as Safe” list, and up to eight grams of curcumin daily have been administered for months in clinical trials without any serious adverse events.

There are a few cases when you should be a bit more careful. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s best to get the okay from your doctor before you start taking turmeric supplements. Just incorporating turmeric into your cooking for now might be the best call for you.

Watch out if you have gallstones. Curcumin actually contracts the gallbladder slightly for a few hours after consumption. That isn’t an issue for the vast majority of us, but it can cause pain if you have gallstones.

Watch this video – TURMERIC IS AMAZING & WHY YOU SHOULD EAT IT (BUT USE CAUTION WITH THE POWDER)

Written by Corey Pemberton

Author Bio:

Corey Pemberton is a freelance writer, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner, and Paleo health enthusiast. Ever since he discovered the ancestral health movement five years ago, he has explored different ways to incorporate ancestral wisdom into his nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle at large. One of his favorite topics is challenging long-held nutrition myths. Feel free to stop by his website or say hello on Twitter.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook