Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
I like an afternoon cup of turmeric ginger tea. Not because of any potential health benefits since I’m quite convinced there are none. I just like the taste. To the credit of the producer of the particular tea I drink, there are no health claims on the packaging. There is the claim of “non GMO,” which is meaningless since no teas are genetically modified. Another claim on the packaging is “plastic neutral,” which apparently means that the company recovers and recycles an amount of plastic equivalent to that in the packaging. The tea is also said to be “carbon neutral” with the carbon footprint being offset via investments in renewable energy. If so, that’s commendable.
While I only go for the taste, I suspect most customers purchase various turmeric teas for their supposed health benefits. That isn’t surprising because glowing reports about the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, pain-relieving and cognition-enhancing properties of ground turmeric root and particularly its content of a class of polyphenols called “curcuminoids” are everywhere. And that includes not only the Instagram and TikTok prattle of “wellness influencers” but also the scientific literature. However, a thorough scrutiny of the scientific literature finds no backing for the seductive claims made by the self-anointed social media experts or supplement manufacturers.
There is no lack of scientific studies about various forms of turmeric and its extracts, but they almost all describe laboratory experiments using cell cultures and rodents. In most cases that report positive results, the dosages used are far greater than what is available from using turmeric as a spice or even that found in supplements. Curcuminoids are not water soluble and are notoriously difficult to absorb, so a label that for example lists 500 mg turmeric root powder per capsule tells us nothing about the amount of curcuminoids that may end up in the bloodstream. The addition of black pepper to the product does enhance absorption but in an unpredictable fashion. One study in Holland found that curcumin in the blood is hardly detectable even in subjects taking high doses “enhanced” with black pepper.
Clinical trials are all over the place in terms of turmeric products, amounts used, and results seen. In more than120 clinical trials of curcuminoids against several diseases, no double-blind, placebo-controlled trial has been successful. Furthermore, many of the studies quoted to back up exuberant claims were published by Dr. Bharat Aggarwal then at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. A number of these have been retracted based of alleged fraudulent results. Basically, taking all the clinical trials together, there is no basis for making any recommendation about taking turmeric supplements. Some high dose supplements have even been associated with causing liver toxicity. However, there is no problem with using turmeric as a spice in cooking. It will add an attractive flavour and colour to curries as well as to American mustard.
Now back to my tea. Each teabag, made of paper not plastic, contains 800 mg of turmeric powder of which roughly 80 mg are curcuminoids. This is way, way less than the 500 mg per day that some studies have shown to have an effect on knee arthritis, the only condition for which one can find some support from clinical trials, albeit the effect is modest at best. I still enjoy my turmeric tea, but I do not enjoy all the unsubstantiated hype that I see being disgorged from the mouths of “wellness influencers.”
I like an afternoon cup of turmeric ginger tea. Not because of any potential health benefits since I’m quite convinced there are none. I just like the taste. To the credit of the producer of the particular tea I drink, there are no health claims on the packaging. There is the claim of “non GMO,” which is meaningless since no teas are genetically modified. Another claim on the packaging is “plastic neutral,” which apparently means that the company recovers and recycles an amount of plastic equivalent to that in the packaging. The tea is also said to be “carbon neutral” with the carbon footprint being offset via investments in renewable energy. If so, that’s commendable.
While I only go for the taste, I suspect most customers purchase various turmeric teas for their supposed health benefits. That isn’t surprising because glowing reports about the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, pain-relieving and cognition-enhancing properties of ground turmeric root and particularly its content of a class of polyphenols called “curcuminoids” are everywhere. And that includes not only the Instagram and TikTok prattle of “wellness influencers” but also the scientific literature. However, a thorough scrutiny of the scientific literature finds no backing for the seductive claims made by the self-anointed social media experts or supplement manufacturers.
There is no lack of scientific studies about various forms of turmeric and its extracts, but they almost all describe laboratory experiments using cell cultures and rodents. In most cases that report positive results, the dosages used are far greater than what is available from using turmeric as a spice or even that found in supplements. Curcuminoids are not water soluble and are notoriously difficult to absorb, so a label that for example lists 500 mg turmeric root powder per capsule tells us nothing about the amount of curcuminoids that may end up in the bloodstream. The addition of black pepper to the product does enhance absorption but in an unpredictable fashion. One study in Holland found that curcumin in the blood is hardly detectable even in subjects taking high doses “enhanced” with black pepper.
Clinical trials are all over the place in terms of turmeric products, amounts used, and results seen. In more than120 clinical trials of curcuminoids against several diseases, no double-blind, placebo-controlled trial has been successful. Furthermore, many of the studies quoted to back up exuberant claims were published by Dr. Bharat Aggarwal then at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. A number of these have been retracted based of alleged fraudulent results. Basically, taking all the clinical trials together, there is no basis for making any recommendation about taking turmeric supplements. Some high dose supplements have even been associated with causing liver toxicity. However, there is no problem with using turmeric as a spice in cooking. It will add an attractive flavour and colour to curries as well as to American mustard.
Now back to my tea. Each teabag, made of paper not plastic, contains 800 mg of turmeric powder of which roughly 80 mg are curcuminoids. This is way, way less than the 500 mg per day that some studies have shown to have an effect on knee arthritis, the only condition for which one can find some support from clinical trials, albeit the effect is modest at best. I still enjoy my turmeric tea, but I do not enjoy all the unsubstantiated hype that I see being disgorged from the mouths of “wellness influencers.”
