The greatness of turmeric for acne, and indeed brain health and muscle health, is well known nowadays. This orange root vegetable from Asia has been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years.
Turmeric has a long list of compounds with strong medicinal properties, including curcumin, monodemethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumind. For acne, turmeric has a strong ability to reduce bodily inflammation levels, beating almost every other spice or herb. Less inflammation equals less aggressive attacks on the bacteria in your skin pores, and less fiery and aggressive acne.
Turmeric is also extremely rich in antioxidants, which keep your skin cells strong against the dulling, greying, destabilising forces of free radicals. There’s even evidence that turmeric can suppress the stress hormone cortisol.
Studies have concluded that turmeric enhances short term memory and attention span. Turmeric may even prevent Alzheimer’s by dissolving amyloid plaques on the brain. The main compound behind this greatness is curcumin, but other curcuminoids are also important.
That’s why today, we will discuss the 10 best turmeric and curcumin brands money can buy.
There’s several styles of supplements; you can add the traditional ground powder to your diet, you can take a turmeric pill, or you can take a super-pill, formulated for optimal effectiveness. For a shortcut, Bioschwarz is the ultimate brands, with Organic Wise succeeding as a bulk, organic turmeric powder.
Let’s get started:
One – BioSchwarz
Undoubtedly one of the best turmerics available today, with no obvious flaws. Bioschwarz is a well trusted brand, with over 94,000 ratings on Amazon as of April 2024.
The turmeric in BioSchwarz is in a split formula, consisting of 50mg of standardised turmeric extract and 450mg of ground turmeric powder per capsule. The standardised portion consists of 95% curcuminoids, the main bioactive compounds in turmeric. There’s also 3.33mg of piperine extracted from black pepper to aid absorption.
At a total dosage of 500mg of turmeric per capsule, BioSchwarz matches the exact dosage which has been proven to send bodily glutathione supplies soaring. The company recommends 3 capsules daily, but 1 is enough, which will last for 3 months. The choice is yours.
The ingredients list of BioSchwarz is particularly pure. Which additives are included? The vegetable capsule, and that’s it. BioSchwarz contains no magnesium stearate, no corn flour, and no allergens like soy or wheat.
In my opinion, these split turmerics are the ultimate forms available. You’re guaranteed to get a decent injection of curcuminoids, but thanks to the raw turmeric, you don’t miss out on any smaller, less understood compounds in turmeric that can also work the magic. Many of the excellent studies on turmeric used the whole form, and BioSchwarz succeeds in this respect.
For efficiently taking turmeric without the hassle of recipes, BioSchwarz succeeds in every way.
Amazon link: BioSchwartz Turmeric Curcumin.
Two – Organic India
A particularly unbeatable turmeric brand, for Organic India lives up to its name by being certified organic by the USDA. It also has a unique nutritional profile.
Firstly, its total dosage of nutritional goodness is 500mg per capsule. Organic India contains 370mg of raw, ground turmeric, and 85mg of standardised turmeric extract consisting of 95% curcuminoids. However, the remaining 45mg consists of 3 spices, including long pepper and black pepper for enhanced absorption. The third is ginger, another acne-clearing spice with strong anti-inflammatory properties, and unique compounds (gingerols, shogaols) of its own.
Ginger is also promising for brain health, being able to protect neurons, and may increase testosterone levels. In fact, ginger’s powers closely match turmeric’s, with some subtle differences. Organic India has a unique feature, and the addition of ginger could even have unforeseen synergistic effects on the turmeric.
Elsewhere, Organic India’s only other ingredient is the organic pullulan capsule. Take one capsule daily, and Organic India will last for 3 months. With the inclusion of black pepper, there’s no need to choke down black peppercorns at the same time.
Organic India is a unique turmeric brand, one of the best available today.
Amazon link: Organic India Turmeric Herbal Supplement.
Three – Divine Bounty
Another turmeric brand with some unique features. Firstly, Divine Bounty contains the highest per-capsule dosage of any product listed here, with 750mg of turmeric extract. The bottle contains 120 capsules, so you have a monstrously powerful 4 month supply.
Secondly, Divine Bounty is a fully standardised product, at 95% curcuminoids, but is broken down into numerous curcuminoids. There’s 70-80% curcumin, the main medicinal compound, but also 2.5% to 6.5% bisdemethoxycurcumin and 15-25% demethoxycurcumin. Both of these less famous compounds are known to have antioxidant properties.
Divine Bounty contains 5mg of piperine per capsule as well, while the additional ingredients are the safe vegetable cellulose and rice concentrate.
Divine Bounty is the greatest fully standardised turmeric the market has to offer.
Amazon link: Divine Bounty Turmeric Curcumin.
Four – Organic Wise
With Organic Wise we arrive at a giant bag of organic, ground turmeric powder. This brand is ideal if you’re determined to follow the natural path, by only adding turmeric to recipes like curry.
The curcumin content of turmeric powder varies from 3-5%, with one study detecting 3.8%; that’s tiny compared to standardised brands, but easily enough to improve your health. Plus, turmeric contains numerous other antioxidants, vitamins, and phytonutrients, many of which remain mysterious.
As for Organic Wise, the bag weighs one pound, giving you months of supply. It’s also certified organic by the USDA. The turmeric is imported from India, and tested thoroughly at Organic Wise’s US laboratory. Turmeric is the only ingredient here.
Organic Wise is perfect for a bulk bag of real turmeric.
Amazon link: Organic Wise Turmeric Curcumin Powder.
Five – Doctor Danielle
A turmeric supplement sourced only from the highest quality roots. Like others on this list, Dr Danielle’s contains both whole turmeric powder and a standardised portion containing 95% curcumin. Each capsule contains 500mg, divided into 450mg and 50mg respectively. The ingredients list is minimal, with the only bonus ingredients being 5mg of piperine per capsule and the methylcellulose capsule.
Doctor Danielle’s is perfect if you dislike the taste of turmeric, or its signature recipes, but wish to acquire the extreme health benefits trapped in this orange powder. The 5mg of piperine is a vital ingredient of any turmeric pill. Piperine is an alkaloid extracted from black pepper, which has a unique ability to increase the absorption of minerals and phytonutrients in the human digestive system.
Importantly, it’s particularly effective for curcumin; one study observed that piperine increased the absorption of curcumin by a massive 2000%. Curcumin has a poor absorption rate normally, particularly compared to other phytonutrients like quercetin in onions, but piperine is the solution. With raw turmeric or curries, you should always add a sprinkling of black pepper.
Elsewhere, Doctor Danielle provides a 4 month supply, a long testing period. This product is among the ultimate turmeric pills available today.
Amazon link: Doctor Danielle’s Turmeric Curcumin.
Six – Vital Nutrients
Vital Nutrients is a supplement focussed purely on turmeric/curcumin, and one of the best in that class.
The extra ingredients are harmless, being the vegetable capsule, cellulose, ascorbyl palmitate, and silica. Vital Nutrients is free from magnesium stearate, like most products here.
This time, the entire turmeric extract is standardised to 85% curcuminoids. Vital Nutrients contains less of the key compounds than Divine Bounty, but leaves more room for smaller, more mysterious substances which are potentially rewarding. The choice is yours.
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This turmeric has a standard dosage, at 700mg per capsule, with 60 capsules in the bottle. The all-important piperine is in place, with 7.5mg per capsule.
The only flaw with Vital Nutrients, and any pill, is that you cannot apply the turmeric to your face. The oral anti-inflammatory properties are almost mainstream nowadays, but turmeric’s topical powers are less known. Turmeric is a secret weapon against oily skin; it contains a plant steroid called beta-sitosterol which downregulates the sebaceous glands’ activity. The spice was even shown in one study to lower the skin’s oiliness by 24.6% after 6 weeks of daily application.
If you wish to enjoy turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties and put an end to oily skin, choose a whole powder like Organic Wise, but Vital Nutrients is yet another excellent oral pill.
Amazon link: Vital Nutrients Curcumin Extract.
Seven – HCL
Our next turmeric is another standardised brand, with a massive 95% curcuminoid count.
The dosage is approximately 500mg per capsule, with 5mg of piperine for optimal absorption. HCL (formerly Health Code Labs) has several bonus goodies as well: a 100mg blend consisting of ginger, cinnamon, rosemary and feverfew. The only ingredient that isn’t laser focussed on improving your health is the vegetable cellulose capsule.
If you’re a fan of turmeric’s powers then you’re in luck, because pure products are easier to track down compared to magnesium or lysine (a minefield). HCL is subjected to third party inspection to guarantee purity. You have to be careful when purchasing turmeric, because the root originates in Asia and most powders are still grown there. Since India’s factories are booming and in the midst of a massive industrial revolution, their turmeric fields are often riddled with lead.
Several prominent turmeric brands have been exposed as containing high levels, leading to occasional recalls and noble efforts to improve. Lead is the heavy metal which was once found in children’s toys, but banned after causing brain cancer repeatedly.
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Your solution is to buy a laboratory inspected turmeric; it can be grown in Asia, but should be inspected in the USA or Europe. HCL meets this requirement easily. Yet another advantage is its lack of allergens like soy or wheat and its smooth, easy-to-swallow capsules.
HCL has no gimmick, but is another strong turmeric to keep on your skin-clearing radar.
Amazon link: HCL Turmeric Curcumin Supplement.
Eight – aSquared Nutrition
A turmeric brand which ticks almost every acne-clearing box. Firstly, aSquared Nutrition contains an above average turmeric dosage of 650mg per capsule. The bottle recommends taking 2 capsules daily for 1300mg, but 1 will easily suffice. There’s also 5mg of piperine, to aid absorption.
Secondly, 50mg of aSquared Nutrition’s 650mg is in the standardised form, designed for optimal levels of the all-important anti-inflammatory compound curcumin. This section of aSquared Nutrition contains a guaranteed 95% level of curcuminoids, compared to raw, ground turmeric with average levels of 5%, which is still effective itself. Guaranteeing the curcumin also guarantees the anti-inflammatory properties.
Meanwhile, the other 600mg of aSquared Nutrition consists of raw, whole turmeric, for the full spectrum of compounds.
An important question with any supplement, vitamin or ancient herbal remedy, is its purity and freedom from inflammatory additives. Some can actively decrease nutrient absorption while fillers like corn flour have inflammatory properties. ASquared Nutrition’s only extra ingredients are the cellulose capsule and magnesium stearate. The latter is controversial, causing reactions in some, meaning that this is aSquared Nutrition’s only flaw.
But this brand has hundreds of positive reviews, along with a 30 day money back guarantee. This brand will last for 6 whole months if you halve the dosage and take 1 capsule daily.
Overall, aSquared Nutrition is a very difficult turmeric brand to beat.
Amazon link: aSquared Nutrition Pure Turmeric Curcumin.
Nine – Vimerson Health
With Vimerson Health we arrive at an extremely powerful split turmeric brand.
Each capsule consists of 650mg of turmeric, but 600mg is raw, ground turmeric while the other 50mg is turmeric extract standardised to contain 95% curcuminoids. Dosage-wise, Vimerson Health is slightly weaker than Divine Bounty, but still enough to send the free radicals in your bloodstream scattering away.
There’s 5mg of piperine to enhance absorption as well, and the only extra ingredients are the hypromellose capsule, rice extract blend and rice hull, making Vimerson Health vegan if that’s important for you. Vimerson Health has over 100 positive reviews and the bottle will last for 2 months, with a 60 capsule supply. All the bases are covered with Vimerson Health, with no frills or gimmicks. It’s ideal for a pure turmeric brand for conducting your own personal experiments.
Vimerson Health contains raw turmeric, standardised turmeric, and has a high dosage.
Amazon link: Vimerson Health Turmeric Curcumin.
Ten – Organic Spice Resource
With Organic Spice Resource we have an alternative bulk bag of powder in case Organic Wise temporarily disappears. This band consists solely of ground turmeric root, coming in a 1 pound bag and being a rich, dark orange colour.
The colour of turmeric is a very important attribute, as the medicinal phytonutrients like curcumin are what creates it. If your turmeric is pale yellow, reject it instantly. Organic Spice Resource can be added to recipes, or you can simply mix it with water and drink. This brand is sourced from India, turmeric’s homeland.
Organic Spice Resource is even tested for dangerous heavy metals like mercury and lead. There are no microscopic metal particles in this bag. Through testing, they ensure that every turmeric batch has a minimum of 3% curcumin.
USDA organic turmeric is the sole ingredient here, with no piperine, as you’d expect. Always combine whole turmeric powder with either black pepper, whole black peppercorns, or a dedicated piperine supplement for optimal absorption, unless you simply want a bag for cooking.
Organic Spice Resource is similarly great to Organic Wise, making it an excellent reserve turmeric.
Amazon link: Organic Spice Resource Turmeric Powder.
Conclusion
The best thing about turmeric’s surging popularity is the numerous styles of product available: powders for natural diehards, fully standardised capsules to guarantee the curcumin, or a split capsule for the best of both worlds. What’s more, pure, minimally processed brands are also easy to obtain.
The benefits of turmeric may show up quickly; it relies primarily on anti-inflammatory properties, which can soothe acne within days. However, you should still be patient and give turmeric a couple of weeks to prove itself.
NEXT: learn the root causes of acne, clear your skin permanently
Thanks for reading!