From ancient kitchens to modern science: How a recipe from thousands of years ago unlocked the power of Turmeric+

Imagine a scene from millennia ago: a family gathered around a cooking fire in the heart of India, stirring golden turmeric into warm milk or a rich curry. Ancient Indians had many different Sanskrit names for turmeric, including jayanti (one that wins over diseases), and jawarantika (which cures fevers).

Long before words like bioavailability or phytosomes, they understood how this beautiful spice could help them feel better. What was first discovered generations ago we now understand through cutting-edge science. And it's revolutionising how we think about turmeric supplements.

What modern science reveals about turmeric’s power

Today, science has validated that ancient wisdom: Curcumin – turmeric's golden active compound – is both a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

Research shows it can support healthy, flexible joints, aid muscle recovery after intense exercise, protect cells from oxidative damage, and even help improve memory and mood in people with mild, age-related memory loss. 

With inflammation at the root of so many chronic conditions, from arthritis to heart disease, curcumin’s potential for supporting our health and wellbeing feels almost limitless.

The challenge every turmeric lover faces

Here’s the snag: if you swallow raw turmeric or basic curcumin capsules, you'll get almost none of its benefits. It'll be like a key that doesn't fit the lock.

That's due to bioavailability – how much of a nutrient your body can actually absorb and use. It's not just about what's in the capsule; it's about what makes it into your bloodstream and reaches the parts of your body where it's needed.

Curcumin has notoriously poor bioavailability because it's fat-soluble and struggles to dissolve in water. The curcuminoids are also rapidly broken down by your liver and eliminated from your system.

Without proper preparation, up to 95 per cent of the curcumin will pass straight through you, unused and wasted. All those potential benefits for better joint health, reduced inflammation, and enhanced wellbeing never get the chance to work.

But ancient Indian cookery cracked the code centuries before we had laboratories.

Ancient wisdom meets modern science

In traditional Indian remedies and recipes, turmeric is paired with fats like ghee, coconut oil, and warm milk. This isn't just for flavour; it also unlocks turmeric's potential for health.

At FutureYou Cambridge, we've combined this traditional wisdom with patented science. Our Turmeric+ and Turmeric+ Gold supplements don't just contain curcumin – they deliver it using advanced phytosome technology that mimics the traditional way of eating turmeric.

We use Meriva®, a unique curcumin phospholipid complex that binds curcumin to lecithin – a natural, healthy fat found in foods like soy and sunflower. This creates a stable structure called a phytosome – think of it as wrapping each curcumin molecule in a protective, fat-based coating that speaks your body's language. 

The phytosome fundamentally changes how the curcumin behaves in your digestive system, letting it cross cell membranes more easily and resist being broken down. It's like giving curcumin a VIP pass straight into your bloodstream so it can start taking effect.

30 times better absorption than standard turmeric 

The result? 30 times better absorption than standard turmeric, both in raw and powder form. Each daily amount of Turmeric+ and Turmeric+ Gold delivers the equivalent of 150g of raw turmeric – but in a form your body can actually use.

Turmeric+ delivers 100mg of bioavailable curcumin in a 500mg tablet using soy lecithin, along with 1.25µg of vitamin D and 20mg vitamin C. 

Turmeric+ Gold delivers the same 100mg of bioavailable curcumin but in a more concentrated, easy-to-swallow 300mg capsule using sunflower lecithin, plus 5µg of vitamin D and 20mg of vitamin C. This allergen-free formulation is perfect for those who prefer to avoid soy, without compromising effectiveness.

Both are Informed Sport certified, ensuring the highest standards of purity and safety for athletes and active individuals.

Why we prefer lecithin to black pepper

Many turmeric supplements rely on piperine extract from black pepper to boost curcumin absorption, often citing a famous 1998 study showing that it improves by 20 times over raw turmeric.

Meriva® gets 30 times better absorption – but that’s not the only reason we believe it’s superior. That number is based on direct studies of what you’re taking, not a guesstimate.

Many supplement brands make bioavailability claims based on old studies of similar but different products. All of the statements we make are backed by scientific analysis of the Meriva® formulation itself.

This really matters in supplement science, where even small differences in formulations can dramatically affect outcomes. That's why we've chosen a curcumin phospholipid complex with extensive clinical testing, ensuring every claim we make is supported by evidence.

The world’s most researched curcumin formulation

Meriva® is now the most scientifically studied bioavailable curcumin formulation in the world. Over nearly two decades, it has been studied in 48 human clinical trials involving 2,435 people, in health areas that extend well beyond what researchers initially expected.

The early studies focused on osteoarthritis and joint comfort, but scientists soon began exploring new frontiers. Research has now covered exercise recovery and muscle soreness, eye conditions like diabetic retinopathy and macular edema, metabolic health including fatty liver disease and diabetes management, even neurological conditions and cancer supportive care.

These aren't just observational studies – many are rigorous double-blind, placebo-controlled trials that meet the gold standard of medical research. From examining inflammatory markers in athletes to tracking cognition in older people, each study builds on the last, creating a comprehensive picture of what properly absorbed curcumin can achieve in the human body.

Because when you're investing in your future health, you need a supplement that works not just in theory, but in real life – today and for all the tomorrows ahead.