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⭐ Loved by 35,000+ Customers
🚚 Free UK Delivery Over £40
🏪 Family Business Since 1988
🌿 900+ Trusted Brands
⭐ Loved by 35,000+ Customers
🚚 Free UK Delivery Over £40
🏪 Family Business Since 1988
🌿 900+ Trusted Brands
⭐ Loved by 35,000+ Customers
🚚 Free UK Delivery Over £40
🏪 Family Business Since 1988
🌿 900+ Trusted Brands
⭐ Loved by 35,000+ Customers
🚚 Free UK Delivery Over £40
🏪 Family Business Since 1988
🌿 900+ Trusted Brands
⭐ Loved by 35,000+ Customers
🚚 Free UK Delivery Over £40
🏪 Family Business Since 1988
🌿 900+ Trusted Brands
Turmeric and curcumin from Lamberts, Viridian, Solgar, Biocare, Taka, Together Health and Vitabright – standardised extracts, whole root, and the absorption-enhanced formulations.
The most asked-about supplement in the shop, and the one where the format matters most. See also herbal supplements.
Here is the thing worth knowing before you spend anything: curcumin, the compound turmeric is bought for, is very poorly absorbed on its own. A capsule of plain ground turmeric root delivers considerably less than the milligram figure on the front suggests.
That is the entire reason the market is full of different formats. Black pepper extract, phospholipid complexes and Biocare's Microcell all exist to address the same problem, and it is a real one rather than a marketing invention.
Whole root powder is the cheapest and the weakest. A standardised extract concentrates the curcuminoids and states how much you are getting, which is the first real step up. Taka pair theirs with black pepper, the traditional and cheapest way of improving uptake.
Biocare's Microcell and the phospholipid formulations go further and cost more. Whether that is worth it depends on your budget, but comparing a plain root capsule with an enhanced extract on milligrams alone will mislead you badly.
Cooking with turmeric is a good thing and a completely different proposition from a supplement – the amounts are far smaller. Adding pepper and a little fat to a curry is the traditional practice and it is not an accident.
If you take anticoagulant medication, ask your GP or pharmacist before taking turmeric at supplement strength. The same applies if you have gallstones, are due surgery, or are pregnant or breastfeeding. It is a familiar spice, but concentrated extracts are not the same thing.
FAQ
Why is curcumin combined with black pepper?
Curcumin is poorly absorbed on its own. Black pepper extract improves uptake considerably and is the traditional and cheapest way of doing it.
Is a turmeric capsule the same as cooking with turmeric?
No – supplements are far more concentrated. Cooking with it is worth doing, but it is a different proposition.
How do I compare turmeric products?
Look for standardised curcuminoid content rather than the total milligrams of root, and note whether absorption has been addressed. Milligrams alone are misleading here.
Can I take turmeric with blood thinning medication?
Ask your GP or pharmacist first. It is also worth checking if you have gallstones or are due surgery.
