The beneficial component of turmeric is curcurmin, however taking turmeric as a whole food (as opposed to a supplemental pill) can be a chore for some. Many people don’t like the taste of golden paste, so in this post I show you how to prepare whole food turmeric golden paste into pill format that makes it much easier to take.
Learn about the benefits of turmeric in this post. Learn why turmeric is not safe as a (non-whole food) supplemental pill. Find more information below.
Curcurmin is best, and safest, when consumed from “whole food” instead of from a supplement. That means you should either use turmeric root, or turmeric powder. Consuming enough turmeric root is often a challenge (and quite expensive), so the most common way of getting curcurmin is through turmeric powder.
The combination of ingredients in this turmeric paste make it more bioavailable. It can also help with the bioavailability of other medications. If you are on medications or have medical issues, you should absolutely consult with your doctor before adding turmeric paste to your diet.
Is any turmeric powder OK? Not really. The powders often have varying concentrations of curcurmin, and of course you also want to purchase organic turmeric. I will list a couple reputable sources below, and keep reading for the recipe.
Turmeric Golden Paste: Whole Food Supplement Pills
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup turmeric root powder see notes below
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup coconut oil unrefined
- 3 tsp black pepper fresh ground
Instructions
- Heat the turmeric and water over a medium heat, constantly stirring for 7-10 minutes. Add additional water (in small amounts) if and when needed.
- Remove pan from heat, and stir in the coconut oil and fresh ground black pepper. Incorporate well.
- Press golden paste into a food safe silicon mold. Two options among many are below. My preferred size/shape are the coffee bean molds.
- Place the silicon mold in the freezer overnight.
- Remove the turmeric "pills" from the mold, and place in an airtight (ziploc) freezer-safe bag or jar for storage in the freezer. Keep frozen.
Notes
How to use these pills
- Take the pill with water. You will taste very little turmeric.
- Make golden milk. Simply dissolve the frozen pill(s) in your favorite warmed nut milk.
- Dissolve in coffee. A unique taste, but quite enjoyable (may be an acquired taste!)
- Add to your favorite dishes.
- Provide to your dog as a treat (you may wish consult your veterinarian before providing any new canine supplements, particularly if using for any kind of illness/remedy).
Why frozen golden paste pills? Why not just use the fresh paste?
As mentioned earlier, golden paste is the healthier way to take turmeric as supplement pills are unsafe for the liver. But often golden paste can be awkward to take, and some people do not enjoy the taste of turmeric. These frozen pills mean you can largely avoid the taste and still take a safe, whole-food turmeric supplement.
Other benefits include:
- keeps longer/fresher
- can use these in recipes
- pre-measured.
Note that the brown molds are quite large to swallow pills. Personally, I can with a large gulp of water, but I rarely have difficulty with pill size. If you do, I recommend using a smaller mold like the red silicone mat linked below.
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Margaret
Do you swallow these frozen ? May seem silly question
Jen @ PlantBasedRecipe.com
Not silly at all! Yes you can swallow them frozen similar to other pills or tablets. I’d only make sure that the size of the mold works for you so there isn’t a risk of choking.
Luann
I am using the red silicone mold recommended for small “pills”any recommendation on how many pills to take daily?
Jen (PlantBasedRecipe.com)
Hi Luann,
The correct dosing will depend on your intended usage, the concentration of turmeric/curcumin that you are using for the recipe. I’m afraid I cant make an informed recommendation as I am not a health professional or know the specifics. Your health provider or a registered dietician should be able to advise, or you could compare against dosing of comparable curcumin products you may have safely used in the past 🙂
kevin r considine
how many mg of Tumeric paste does these coffee bean size pills have? Summary Research indicates that turmeric doses of 500–2,000 mg per day may be effective. However, high doses are not recommended long-term. also, I used flax water because the flax water form a gell this I could act as a binder, or maybe your recipe is using the coconut oil as the binder, in my next batch I will not use the coconut oil just the gelled flax seed water ok thanks
Jen @ PlantBasedRecipe
That is an excellent idea about swapping with the flax water. I haven’t made these since ommitting oil from my diet, and had it on my list to sort out what a good alternative would be. I will absolutely be trying the flax water and updating this accordingly. Thank you!
J
Have you tried this with fresh turmeric root?
I have an abundance in the garden to dig up.
Maybe I’ll try swapping fresh pureed root, and omitting the water.
Jen @ Plant Based Recipe
I haven’t tried it with fresh, but I reckon it would work well, without liquid or reduce.
Tuan Colanero
mill of tanning for dye
Stephani Nebgen
Yes, swain this section good article