Spicy answer to irritable bowel

Turmeric may be able to provide relief to those who suffer from irritable bowel disease, a new study has found. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Turmeric could be the magic ingredient to bring relief to people with irritable bowel disease.

Researchers at Nutrigenomics NZ have found that curcumin, the yellow main ingredient of the turmeric spice, reduces inflammation in people with irritable bowel.

They said the discovery could help in the development of diet-based treatments for people with the ailment.

The results of the study were published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

"Crohn's disease, a form of inflammatory bowel, can be aggravated or relieved by the sufferer's diet," Plant and Food Research researcher Christine Butts said.

But because of the number of genes involved, different people could be affected by different foods.

The finding could mean some people with Crohn's disease might benefit from turmeric, but it depended on their genetic makeup, Ms Butts said.

"Others may not get any benefit, or may even have a severe reaction. However, we are one step closer to understanding this disease."

- NZPA