Turmeric vs curcumin: what is the difference?
Short answer: Turmeric is the whole ground root of Curcuma longa; curcumin is the yellow compound it contains. Ground turmeric naturally contains around 3% curcumin on average, while an extract is heavily concentrated on it. At GOYU, that is the difference between our turmeric capsules (590 mg of ground root) and our curcumin capsules (153 mg of extract with 95% curcuminoids).
Last updated: November 5, 2026 · Written by Florian Fermin
Turmeric and curcumin are often used interchangeably, including on packaging. Yet they are not the same thing. Below you'll find the difference in one table, what curcuminoids are, how much curcumin turmeric contains and what the European rules say. We sell both, so we also show how it works with our own products.
What is the difference between turmeric and curcumin?
Turmeric is a spice: the dried, ground rhizome of the plant. Curcumin is one compound from that root, the one responsible for the yellow colour. A curcumin extract is therefore a concentrated part of turmeric, not a different plant.
| Turmeric (ground root) | Curcumin extract | |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | The dried, ground rhizome of Curcuma longa | An extract from the root, concentrated on curcuminoids |
| Curcumin | Naturally around 3% on average | Standardised, for example to 95% curcuminoids |
| Use | Spice in food, or in capsules | Only as a food supplement |
| At GOYU | Organic Turmeric with Piperine Capsules 600 mg: 590 mg of organic turmeric powder and 10 mg of black pepper per capsule | Curcumin Extract with Piperine Capsules 155 mg: 153 mg of turmeric extract with 95% curcuminoids and 2 mg of black pepper extract per capsule |
| Daily dose according to the label | 1 capsule | 1 capsule |
| Contents | 80 capsules | 60 capsules |
What are curcuminoids?
Curcuminoids are the group of yellow compounds in turmeric. The main one is curcumin. There are also smaller amounts of demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin, in the proportion found naturally in the root (European Commission, Novel Food Catalogue).
That may sound like a detail, but it is on the label. "95% curcuminoids" means that 95% of the extract consists of those three compounds together. The label of our curcumin capsules says: turmeric extract (Curcuma longa, root) 95% curcuminoids.
As a colouring in food, curcumin is called E100. You can read more about these numbers in what E numbers are.
How much curcumin is in turmeric?
In an analysis of 28 spice products, pure turmeric powder contained 3.14% curcumin on average (Tayyem et al., 2006). That means 1 gram of turmeric contains roughly 31 mg of curcumin.
If you apply that average to our turmeric capsule with 590 mg of turmeric, you get roughly 18 mg of curcumin. That is an estimate: the content varies from batch to batch and is not on our label. Our curcumin capsule contains 153 mg of extract with 95% curcuminoids, which is about 145 mg of curcuminoids per capsule. So with the extract capsule you get many times more.
Is curcumin extract a novel food?
A turmeric extract with up to 95% curcuminoids is not a novel food in food supplements: for such an extract it has been shown that it was already used in supplements in the EU before 1997 (European Commission, Novel Food Catalogue, entry Curcuminoids). According to the French ingredient database Compl'Alim, extracts with 95% curcumin or more do count as novel food.
Novel food is food that was hardly eaten in the EU before May 15, 1997. It may only be sold once it has been authorised. With an extract, it therefore matters exactly what is on the label. Our label says 95% curcuminoids.
How much curcumin per day?
Stick to the label. For our curcumin capsules that is 1 capsule a day with water, preferably with a meal. For our turmeric capsules it is also 1 capsule a day.
| Source | Value | What it refers to |
|---|---|---|
| EFSA (2010) | 3 mg of curcumin per kilo of body weight per day, so 180 mg at 60 kg | Acceptable daily intake (ADI) from all sources combined |
| ANSES (2022) | A maximum of 153 mg of curcumin per day from supplements, at 60 kg | Applies to curcumin in its classic form |
| GOYU curcumin label | 1 capsule per day | About 145 mg of curcuminoids |
EFSA wrote that curcumin from a normal diet accounts for less than 7% of the ADI (EFSA, 2010). ANSES subtracts the curcumin from food from the ADI and arrives at 153 mg for supplements. According to ANSES, this value applies to curcumin in its classic form. For formulas that combine curcumin with other substances, such as piperine, ANSES asks manufacturers for additional data (ANSES, 2022).
Our advice: do not combine our curcumin capsules with other turmeric or curcumin products, not even with our own turmeric capsules.
Why is black pepper added to curcumin?
Turmeric and black pepper are traditionally used together in Indian cooking. We follow that combination in both of our products.
Our curcumin capsules contain 2 mg of black pepper extract (Piper nigrum, fruit) with 95% piperine, our turmeric capsules 10 mg of black pepper with 3 to 5% piperine. The label of our curcumin also says: "Piperine may affect medicines; consult your doctor if you take medication or have a medical condition."
Turmeric or curcumin: which suits you?
If you want turmeric as you know it from the kitchen, as the whole root and organic, turmeric is the better fit. If you want a fixed, known amount of curcuminoids per capsule, an extract is the better fit.
- Choose Organic Turmeric with Piperine Capsules 600 mg if you want the whole ground root, organic, with 80 capsules per pack.
- Choose Curcumin Extract with Piperine Capsules 155 mg if you want to know how many curcuminoids you get per capsule.
- Do not take both at the same time. Choose one product and stick to 1 capsule a day.
What research does and does not show about turmeric and curcumin, you can read in turmeric capsules with black pepper.
Who are turmeric and curcumin not suitable for?
The same points apply to turmeric and curcumin as supplements. The label of our curcumin capsules says: "Not for children or pregnant or breastfeeding women. Not recommended with anticoagulants, anticancer drugs or immunosuppressants, or with bile duct disorders."
- If you take medication or have a medical condition, talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.
- If you get symptoms such as persistent tiredness, pain in the upper right abdomen, dark urine or yellowing of the skin or the whites of your eyes, stop and contact your doctor.
- In France, ANSES received more than 100 reports of possible side effects from turmeric and curcumin supplements, including 15 cases of hepatitis (ANSES, 2022). These are reports, not research into how often it happens, but they are a reason to stick to the label.
All forms of our turmeric are at buy turmeric.
Summary in 3 points
- Turmeric is the whole ground root with around 3% curcumin naturally on average; a curcumin extract is concentrated on curcuminoids.
- Extracts with up to 95% curcuminoids are not a novel food in supplements; extracts with 95% curcumin or more are, according to Compl'Alim.
- Stick to 1 capsule a day, do not combine turmeric and curcumin products and talk to your doctor first if you take medication, have a bile duct disorder or are pregnant.
Frequently asked questions
Is curcumin the same as turmeric?
No. Turmeric is the whole root, curcumin is the main yellow compound from it. Ground turmeric contains around 3% curcumin on average.
Which is better, turmeric or curcumin?
That depends on what you are looking for. Turmeric is the whole root as used in the kitchen, an extract gives a fixed amount of curcuminoids per capsule. We make no statements about effects on your health.
What does 95% curcuminoids mean?
That 95% of the extract consists of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin combined. That is not the same as 95% pure curcumin.
Can you take turmeric and curcumin together?
We advise against it. Choose one product and stick to the daily dose on the label, so you don't unknowingly take in more curcumin than intended.
Is curcumin E100?
Yes, as a colouring in food, curcumin is called E100. EFSA has set an ADI of 3 mg per kilo of body weight per day for it.
Sources
- Tayyem RF, Heath DD, Al-Delaimy WK, Rock CL. Analysis of the curcumin content of 28 turmeric and curry powders (HPLC). Nutr Cancer. 2006;55(2):126-131. doi:10.1207/s15327914nc5502_2. PubMed 17044766
- EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS). Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of curcumin (E 100) as a food additive. EFSA Journal. 2010;8(9):1679. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1679
- ANSES. Des effets indésirables liés à la consommation de compléments alimentaires contenant du curcuma. June 27, 2022 (with opinion 2019-SA-0111). anses.fr
- European Commission. Novel Food Catalogue, entries Curcuminoids (not novel in food supplements) and Curcumin. Accessed November 5, 2026. ec.europa.eu
- Compl'Alim (French government, DGAL). Curcuma longa L. and curcumin: status, novel food remarks and warnings. Accessed November 5, 2026. compl-alim.beta.gouv.fr
- GOYU, labels and product pages of Organic Turmeric with Piperine Capsules 600 mg and Curcumin Extract with Piperine Capsules 155 mg (composition, directions for use and warnings), accessed November 5, 2026.
This article is for informational purposes and is not medical advice. Dietary supplements are not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If in doubt, during pregnancy, or when taking medication, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
GOYU Turmeric
Available as organic turmeric with black pepper (ground root) and as curcumin extract with black pepper, both in capsules without fillers.
