Turmeric is delicious, energizing, and loaded with health benefits. And of course, its rich orange color adds a visible dash of vibrance to any dish it graces.

You may have heard of people taking spices like turmeric and ginger for weight loss, but does it actually work? Here’s what to know about the claims surrounding turmeric and weight loss.

Turmeric is a tasty spice known for its unmistakable yellow-orange hue. It’s an integral ingredient in Ayurveda, a traditional Indian health practice that’s been utilized for thousands of years (1).

Turmeric is the centerpiece of Indian curry, and it’s also enjoyed in meat dishes, veggie recipes, soups, health shots, and drinks like golden milk lattes. Some people also take turmeric as a supplement to make the most of its health benefits.

The Health Benefits of Turmeric Can Include…

• Anti-Inflammatory Properties (2, 3)
• Antioxidant Properties (4, 5)
• Heart Health (6, 7)
• Cancer Prevention (8, 9, 10)
• Easing of Arthritis Pain (11, 12)
• Brain Function and Health (13, 14)
• Graceful Aging (15)

Turmeric’s health components are mostly thanks to curcumin, one of its key active ingredients. Curcumin is named after Curcuma longa, the plant turmeric (and ginger) come from. This bioactive chemical is what causes turmeric’s iconic color and health benefits (16).

Before you get too excited about these health benefits, though, there’s one very important thing to know: The human body struggles to absorb curcumin.

That said, it’s critical that you combine turmeric with black pepper or black seed oil.

Black pepper contains an ingredient called piperine, which can help your body absorb curcumin more easily (17, 18). Black seed oil, on the other hand, contains a powerful compound called thymoquinone. Thymoquinone is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, and when combined with turmeric, it’s shown to increase the efficacy of its ingredients to better combat conditions like metabolic syndrome (19). That’s why NativePath Turmeric includes black seed oil, making it 185x more absorbable than traditional turmeric supplements on the market.

In short: Most likely! Research has linked turmeric to potential weight loss benefits (20).

Recent studies indicate that curcumin, turmeric’s anti-inflammatory ingredient, may suppress some inflammatory markers that are associated with carrying extra weight or obesity (21). Animal studies have found that curcumin may help curb the growth of fat tissue, reduce weight, and slow weight gain. It may also boost your sensitivity to insulin, which has been associated with weight loss (22, 23, 24).

A review of multiple studies even found that taking curcumin had a connection to reduced BMI, lower waist circumference, and higher levels of a hormone known to regulate metabolism (25). One study even found that people who were previously unable to lose weight finally saw results when they began supplementing twice a day with curcumin and piperine, an ingredient in black pepper that makes it easier for the body to absorb curcumin (26, 27).

So while we certainly need more research to uncover the finer details, we’re currently seeing promising evidence when it comes to taking turmeric for weight loss.

There are some people who should avoid taking medicinal levels of turmeric. Don’t take turmeric if you are also taking a blood thinner like aspirin, warfarin, or clopidogrel. This is because turmeric itself is a natural blood thinner and taking them together can cause unsafe levels of bleeding (28).

You should also avoid turmeric if you take antacids, as turmeric can stop them from being effective (29).

If you take insulin, diabetes medications, or anti-hypertensive medications, talk to your doctor before trying turmeric, as turmeric could increase the power of the medications. While this may be beneficial in some cases, it could also make your medication too effective and put your health at risk, so it’s important to proceed carefully.

If you’re pregnant, don’t take turmeric supplements or medicinal-level doses of the spice. Small amounts in food are usually safe for pregnant women.

Many studies have linked turmeric to weight loss, even for people who have previously had trouble losing weight. If you’d like to try it for yourself and are in search of the best turmeric supplement for weight loss, consider trying NativePath Turmeric Curcumin with Black Seed Oil. Our antioxidant and anti-inflammatory formula is 185x more absorbable to the body than other turmeric supplements on the market. Let it boost your health in all kinds of ways—far beyond weight loss.