The many health benefits associated with turmeric actually come from the active compound within it that gives turmeric its yellow color. That compound is called curcumin, and it makes up about 5-10% of turmeric.

Giving yourself a daily dose of curcumin could offer a whole host of health benefits, from diabetes prevention to pain reduction to a lower risk of heart attack. But figuring out an appropriate curcumin daily dose isn’t as simple as it may sound.

Curcumin is notoriously hard for the body to absorb and make use of. As the neurology department at UCLA points out, your body can absorb pure curcumin, but your liver and GI tract may tag it in a way that makes it not “bioavailable” to the brain.

In India, it is estimated that people take in an average of 125mg of curcumin per day as part of their diet. This is because curries and other staple Indian dishes use lots of turmeric, and the fats found in those foods help improve the bioavailability of the curcumin within.

So one strategy for giving yourself a safe and effective curcumin dosage is to eat curry every day. If that doesn’t sound very practical to you, don’t worry. There are other options.

In order to increase absorption and bioavailability, one effective strategy is to combine curcumin with piperine. Piperine is a compound found in black pepper that gives it its potency. Combining curcumin and piperine helps drastically improve the body’s uptake of curcumin (for scientific reasons that the UCLA neurology department explains better than we could).

That’s the strategy that we use with ZYN. Our delicious beverage is a safe way to get a dose of curcumin boosted by piperine into your diet every day, making it easy to enjoy the benefits of this wonder compound.

Now, you might be thinking that you could just eat a big spoonful of turmeric once a day and get the same effects. This might work, but it doesn’t sound very fun. Also, there are some risks associated with eating too much turmeric. It’s generally considered safe to eat in moderation, but it could cause a blood-thinning effect, which might be dangerous for people with heart problems. Too much turmeric can also cause unintended interactions with medications you may be taking.

Again, small doses are considered safe, but if you have any concerns, you should consult with your doctor. In the meantime, consider a less hardcore approach to your curcumin consumption. Drinking a lovely beverage like ZYN sounds like a great alternative to us!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.