If you are looking for a flavourful warming soup that is also helpful in detoxifying and soothing your stomach, look no further. My sister shared this recipe with me, and since it has had rave reviews by me and many of my patients. It is a simple meal to prepare and packed with superfoods ginger and tumeric.
It seems as though turmeric is the new “fad” food, with turmeric soups, turmeric teas and turmeric milks etc, therefore I wanted to shed little light on this spice so you know WHY you are eating it. It is great to be consumed liberally in your diet, however when specific medicinal effects are desired, higher doses should be used.
Turmeric is a perennial herb of the ginger family and is the major ingredient in curry powder for its flavour and colour. It has a plethora of uses from anticancer, liver and heart protective, soothing for the digestive track, and most notably as an anti-inflammatory for pain and autoimmune conditions. The active component is called curcumin. In terms of its anti-inflammatory effects, studies have shown curcumin to be more effective than cortisone in acute inflammatory, slightly less in chronic inflammatory, and with no toxicity or side effects.
Unfortunately turmeric is poorly absorbed. Studies have shown that 40%-85% of an oral dose of turmeric passes through the GI track, leading to even smaller dose of curcumin. For this reason, it is important to use a higher quality product with a greater bioavailability. As well for its therapeutic effect, a higher dose is necessary of this higher quality product, around 1200-1500mg turmeric for around 200-300mg curcumin absorption. Much higher than what you would get in one teaspoon of powder. Patients of mine that start taking a higher quality supplements at a higher dose, notice their pain decrease much more quickly.
Again, eating it liberally is good, however if you suffer from any specific issue you may need to supplement at a higher dose with a good quality supplement.
Consult a health care practitioner to figure out the correct dose for you, and potential drug interactions with these higher doses.
Ginger Turmeric Soup
Ingredients:
6-8 big carrot sticks
1 large sweet potato, or 2 small
2 large cloves garlic
1 medium onion
1-2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp turmeric, ground
2 tsp (madras) curry powder (or curry paste)
2 tsp fresh minced ginger
4-5 cups veggie stock
½ cup coconut milk
A pinch of cayenne pepper
1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel and roughly chop the carrots and sweet potatoes and place on a baking sheet. Toss everything with a drizzle of olive oil, and a good amount of salt and pepper. Roast for about 25 minutes, or until everything is golden brown.
3. Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat a bit of oil over low heat, and add the chopped onion and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and cook until translucent. Add the turmeric, curry powder, and grated ginger and heat just until fragrant (30 seconds). Add the coconut milk and stock, and bring to a gentle boil, cover, and reduce to a low simmer. Add water to thin out if necessary.
4. Add all of the roasted veggies to the pot. Leave the pot uncovered and turn the heat off. Allow it to cool for a bit and then puree in a high speed blender.
5. Taste and adjust the spices to your liking.
Enjoy!
In health & happiness,
Dr. Karen