Is there such a thing as TOO much turmeric?

Let’s start this post by saying… we LOVE turmeric.

This vibrant super-spice is packed full of curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Studies have shown curcumin could help combat heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, depression and cancer, to name a few.

But can you have too much of a good thing? We got in touch with dietitian and nutritionist Natalie Bourke to find out if you can actually overdose on the stuff!

Is it possible to overdose on turmeric?

“Logically speaking, yes,” says Nat. “I think anything taken in supraphysiological doses is not a good thing to do long term,” she says.

So can too many turmeric teas and turmeric chais add up?

“You are not going to be able to eat enough turmeric to reach a toxic level,” she says. “Unless you are adding tablespoon after tablespoon to each and every meal,” says Nat. Phew!

What about turmeric vs. curcumin?

Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric and is also found in limited amounts in ginger. It has been found to be an anti-inflammatory with anti-cancer properties.

“In clinical trials, turmeric has been used up to 2.2g daily, and curcumin has been used safely at doses of 4g per day,” says Nat.

“This is a lot higher than what would be needed to get a therapeutic benefit from curcumin, so there really isn’t any need to take that much.”

Are there any possible side effects of ingesting too much turmeric?

“Curcumin supplementation should be approached on an individual basis as there are some contradictions and interactions with medications. Such as warfarin (a popular blood thinner) and a theoretical caution in people with active gallstones,” Natalie warns.

Our take.

As usual, we reckon too much of anything may not be the best way to go. But we’re happy to hear from Nat that it would take serious effort to overdose on turmeric. 

Time for us to go make some Turmeric Protein Bombs. 

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