Vitamins In Turmeric

Turmeric roots on a cutting board beside a small dish of turmeric powder.

Image Credit: Xiebiyun/iStock/Getty Images The health benefits of turmeric come mainly from its primary active agent, which is curcumin. The World’s Healthiest Foods encyclopedia explains that along with health benefits, curcumin is also what gives turmeric its yellow color. Turmeric does contain a few vitamins, however, and eating a little turmeric throughout the day will not only help you consume necessary vitamins, it will increase your intake of beneficial curcumin.

  Advertisement
 
B Vitamins

The B vitamins are the most prevalent vitamins in turmeric, with vitamin B6 having the highest content. One tablespoon of turmeric contains 0.122 mg of B6, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is needed for proper metabolism, the production of red blood cells, the production of hemoglobin which carries oxygen to tissues, and for the immune and nervous system to function properly, according to the National Institutes of Health. Other B vitamins also partake in these functions with B6, and are found in turmeric in trace amounts.

  Advertisement
 
  Video of the Day
  
Vitamin C

Vitamin C, also referred to as ascorbic acid, is an essential vitamin, as the body is not able to produce it, so the only way to get it is from the foods you eat or supplements. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, vitamin C aids in the production of collagen, which is a building block of skin and tissues. It also helps produce neurotransmitters, which are important for brain function and help regulate mood. A powerful antioxidant, vitamin C is well known for its immune system boosting properties. One tablespoon of turmeric contains 1.8 mg of vitamin C.

  Advertisement
 
Trace Vitamins

One tablespoon of turmeric spice also includes trace amounts of vitamin E and vitamin K, with 0.21 mg of vitamin E and 0.9 mcg of vitamin K. Vitamin E is an antioxidant vitamin that helps fight the damage caused to the body by free radical molecules. Vitamin E also plays a role in keeping the immune system strong and in the metabolic processes of the body, according the the National Institutes of Health. Vitamin K is a vitamin that often goes unmentioned, until it is needed. The NIH reports that vitamin K plays a major role in the clotting of the blood, and it is also being studied for its role in maintaining bone health.

  Advertisement
 
  Advertisement
 
  Advertisement
  
  references & resources
  
      World's Healthiest Foods: Turmeric
    
      National Institutes of Health: Medline Plus: B Vitamins
    
      Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin C
    
      National Institutes of Health: Medline Plus: Vitamin E
    
      National Institutes of Health: Medline Plus: Vitamin K
    
      Epicurian.com: Turmeric Recipes
    
      USDA: Spices: Turmeric: Ground
       




  references & resources
  
      World's Healthiest Foods: Turmeric
    
      National Institutes of Health: Medline Plus: B Vitamins
    
      Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin C
    
      National Institutes of Health: Medline Plus: Vitamin E
    
      National Institutes of Health: Medline Plus: Vitamin K
    
      Epicurian.com: Turmeric Recipes
    
      USDA: Spices: Turmeric: Ground
    




Turmeric roots on a cutting board beside a small dish of turmeric powder.

Image Credit: Xiebiyun/iStock/Getty Images

Image Credit: Xiebiyun/iStock/Getty Images

      World's Healthiest Foods: Turmeric
    
      National Institutes of Health: Medline Plus: B Vitamins
    
      Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin C
    
      National Institutes of Health: Medline Plus: Vitamin E
    
      National Institutes of Health: Medline Plus: Vitamin K
    
      Epicurian.com: Turmeric Recipes
    
      USDA: Spices: Turmeric: Ground