Turmeric, a common Asian cooking spice found in many curries, could help prevent obesity and improve blood sugar control, new findings suggest.

Turmeric has a long history, and has been used in the past to reduce inflammation, heal wounds and relieve pain. Now, scientists from the Columbia University Medical Center in the US say it could also have a role to play in reducing diabetes risk.

Obesity and inflammation play a big role in many diseases, including the onset of both obesity and Type 2 diabetes. But the researchers say that stocking up on Turmeric makes you less susceptible to developing Type 2 diabetes – probably because of curcumin, an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant ingredient in turmeric.

They discovered that turmeric-fed mice were less susceptible to developing Type 2 diabetes, based on their blood glucose levels, and glucose and insulin tolerance tests. They also discovered that turmeric-fed obese mice showed significantly reduced inflammation in fat tissue and liver.

And the researchers also found that eating Turmeric on a regular basis led to significant weightloss, even when eating the same or even more calories.