Have you jumped on the turmeric bandwagon yet?
It seems to be all the rage right now, and I’ll admit: I’m late to the party!
Why?
Well, I think it’s my natural desire to push back, to rebel. I read a ton of cancer stuff online–which I need to stop doing–but I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve seen someone post about a personal struggle and some stranger replies, “You should really add turmeric to your diet.” In my head, I’m screaming, “YOU SHOULD REALLY MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS! YOU’RE NOT THE ONE WITH CANCER!” It’s not helpful. It’s not productive. It’s not supportive, though I suspect the person making the recommendation thinks they’re being supportive when really they’re inserting their unproductive opinion. Unless your friend specifically asks for your suggestion, keep it to yourself! They have enough on their plate.
End unrelated rant. Sorry ’bout that.
Ahem.
Anyways, turmeric!
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Over the last six months or so, it’s really hit home that Coop is cresting that middle-age point. He’ll be nine this summer, and while he’s still high-energy and pretty fit, we’ve seen a few signs of aging: his increasingly-white fur, a slight stiffness after a strenuous hike, longer recovery times after his runs, and–for that matter–a little less stamina for the longer runs. He’s by no means done with any of that but rather slowing down on occasion or taking longer to recover. He’s still a lunatic who acts foolish without enough mental or physical exercise each day, and he’s at a healthy weight.
That said, I’ve been researching ways to aid him as he ages, specifically with his muscles and joints, and my research kept turning up the same thing: golden paste. So, I decided to give it a whirl. Before I share my super-simple recipe, let’s address what it is and why it matters:
First, what is golden paste?
“Golden paste” is just the name of the concoction. It’s a mix of turmeric, pepper (more on that below), water, and a healthy fat like coconut oil. Also called “turmeric paste,” it’s indicated for use in people, dogs, horses, you name it. But I’m forever a skeptic when it comes to health food claims, so I turned to the scholarly research. In a journal article posted by the National Institutes of Health:
Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a yellow pigment present in the spice turmeric (Curcuma longa) that has been associated with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, and antibacterial activities as indicated by over 6,000 citations. In addition, over one hundred clinical studies have been carried out with curcumin. …
Extensive research over the past 30 years has shown that it plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of various pro-inflammatory chronic diseases including neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, autoimmune and malignant diseases.
So, yeah. The research is there. This particular article, and why I chose to cite this one instead one of the other over one hundred studies, is that it highlights one of the key problems with turmeric: bioavailability. Basically, our bodies don’t do a good enough job absorbing the ingredient to really maximize its benefits. You could take turmeric daily and not benefit one bit. In that paper, they examine a number of studies that looked at different ways to administering turmeric–everything from intravenously to mixed with natural ingredients–and the most realistic pairing for our purposes was adding black pepper (you’ll see this in my recipe below). Piperine is a major component of black pepper and does the job of increasing the bioavailability, but do note that the studies that showed the biggest increase were in humans, not small mammals. Take that with a grain of turmeric, I suppose.
Second, how does turmeric help dogs?
Well, all the studies cited demonstrate a whole host of benefits BUT it’s super-duper important to note that these studies are largely conducted on rats and on humans. We’re extrapolating similar benefits for dogs.
Anyway, turmeric has been shown to do all sorts of things even, yes, potentially helping cancer patients. (Still, don’t suggest it unless you’re asked!) The key benefits of turmeric for dogs, people, horses, etc. include (links go to the studies that demonstrate the benefits):
Those are big benefits for anyone, of course, but serve aging pups (and people) particularly well. So, I’m on board! Let’s do this!
How to Make Golden Paste for Your Dog
You can share it, too!
If you search for this online, you’ll find a crazy number of recipes. They all contain the same foundation: turmeric (buy it in bulk, y’all!), water, black pepper (per the note above to help absorption), and a healthy fat like coconut oil. Tons of other versions contain all sorts of other things like freshly-ground ginger, Ceylon cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and so on. TBH, most of those spices are added just for flavor and aren’t at all necessary.
Golden Paste Ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup turmeric powder
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1.5 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
How to Make the Golden Paste:
- Combine the water and turmeric powder in a sauce pan. Stir constantly over medium-high heat until it thickens. It generally takes six or seven minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the coconut oil and pepper. (If you want to throw in any of the other, optional seasonings, now’s the time. Aim for about a teaspoon each.)
- Let it cool, then pour it into a glass jar for storage.
Serving Golden Paste for Dogs:
This amount makes enough to fill a regular-sized mason jar (I like these ones) a little more than halfway. If you share it with your pup, like mixing it into your coffee or oatmeal or whatever, have multiple dogs, or love really big dogs, it’ll probably last about a week. OR if you have a small dog, don’t share it with your dog, or use it sparingly, it can keep in your fridge sealed in a glass jar for about two weeks.
As far as quantity/dosing, start small. It’s a strong flavor. A minuscule spoon mixed into your pup’s food is a great way to start. I’ve seen recommendations that generally fall in the range of 1/8 to 1/4 tsp per 10 pounds per day, so Coop weighs 50, which means he’d get upwards of 1.25 tsp per day. It doesn’t seem like much, does it? The flavor, though is super strong, so I’d recommend working up to that amount then dividing that total between meals.
One final note: It stains. #learnedthatlesson
Ta-da! Now you have a nice batch of golden paste for your dogs (and for you!)
Have you tried this? Or, if you haven’t, are you considering it? Did I leave you with any questions? Any experiences you’d like to share? I’d love to hear in the comments below!
I’ve been giving my pups turmeric and coconut oil (separately) in their food in small quantities for a few months. Have I noticed a major difference? Nah- but I do believe it’s good for them. (Plus I forget a lot and I don’t give them that much.) I take turmeric and I figure since it is recommended for dogs too, why not? Thanks for the post!
You know, I’m not sure about a major difference either, but part of me feels like… well, how would he be aging otherwise? Is it contradicting effects of aging that I would’ve noticed without it? Who’s to say, but as you said, why not! 🙂
Let us know how it goes, over time. I figure months to years. But a big “Thank you!”for helping demystifying this one. Simpler the recipes, the better for use as a base to vary with.
Oh, my goodness! I’m right there with you: Simpler is ALWAYS better in my book, especially when it comes to cooking!! I’ll definitely let you know what I think long-term.
Sounds like a good, healthy recipe for all of us; but I’m not sure my crew – especially Shadow who needs the benefits the most – would touch it if it has that strong a taste (or odor).
That’s such a good point. I have the benefit of Coop not being picky when it comes to what’s in his bowl. I read your post about switching foods… I wonder if stirring in a small amount when you hydrate the food could help mask it?
BTW: We’ve been alternating between TFD and THK, as you know, but I’m thinking of checking out your recommendation in lieu of THK to cut down on costs, too.
Thanks for this. I hadn’t thought about sharing my golden paste with my puppers. I’ll make up a batch this weekend. Cheers!
I may have missed this in your post but why the black pepper?
Hi, Mandy! Great question! The black pepper increases the effectiveness of the turmeric. They work hand-in-hand. Here’s a great post from UMass Med School that explains the relationship: https://www.umassmed.edu/nutrition/blog/blog-posts/2019/6/using-black-pepper-to-enhance-the-anti-inflammatory-effects-of-turmeric/
I have been giving this to my dogs for a while. I add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the recipe when I stir in the pepper, and coconut oil. Cinnamon has super health benefits, and adds a tasty flavor. I always start with a very small dose twice a day for a week, and gradually increase weekly to the maximum for their weight. My dogs haven’t had any objection to the flavor in their food. I have also made dog treats with turmeric-there are recipes online. Also; the recipe I found uses 2 cups of water, so perhaps the flavor isn’t as strong.
Do you think it’s ok to add honey? This tasted so nasty haha and I don’t think my dog will eat it. I added 2T local honey which I’ve read is good for allergies. Thanks!
I’m sure it’s ok to add honey, though don’t forget that dogs have way different taste receptors than we do. Think of all the garbage, rabbit poop, and other icky ground stuff they eat. I wouldn’t worry about sweetening it unless you want to! I’ve heard local honey is good for allergies, too, so let us know how it goes!