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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
39 turmeric and curcumin products in capsules, tablets, powder and a chewable, from Lamberts, Viridian, Solgar, Balanced, Taka Turmeric, Coyne and Together Health.
Turmeric, curcumin - what is the difference?
Turmeric is the root. Curcuminoids are a group of compounds within it, of which curcumin is the main one, and they make up only around 2-5% of the raw root by weight. Products described as curcumin extracts are standardised to a much higher curcuminoid percentage than plain turmeric powder, which is why the milligram figures differ so widely between products.
Why black pepper, and what are the branded extracts?
Curcumin is poorly absorbed on its own. Black pepper extract, usually listed as piperine or BioPerine, is the traditional answer. Others use different approaches - phytosome complexes, liposomal delivery or micellar formulations, which appear here under names like Meriva, Longvida and Microcell. These are different technologies solving the same problem, and they carry different price points.
How to compare
Look for the standardised curcuminoid content, not the total turmeric weight. A 1000mg turmeric capsule and a 500mg curcumin extract capsule are not comparable figures. Where an absorption technology is used, the effective dose is typically lower, so do not assume the biggest milligram number is the strongest product.
Worth knowing
Turmeric supplements carry no authorised health claim in Great Britain, so we will not tell you what they do. They can interact with blood-thinning medication, and are not recommended for people with gallstones or bile duct obstruction. Check with your pharmacist or GP before starting if either applies.
Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
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.
