In an era of overpriced protein powders and recovery pills, celebrity fitness trainer Siddhartha Singh is taking a stand for old-school wisdom. Siddhartha, the fitness coach responsible for actor Tamannaah Bhatia‘s physical transformation, took to Instagram to reveal what he considers the most underrated and affordable superfood available to everyone: turmeric (haldi). Also read | Fortis Delhi gastroenterologist shares amazing health benefits of haldi
Tamannaah Bhatia’s fitness trainer Siddhartha Singh called turmeric a powerful and cost-effective superfood that often outperforms expensive laboratory supplements. (Instagram/ officialsiddharthasingh) Better than a lab? The power of curcumin
In a video posted on December 17, 2025, Siddhartha argued that this humble kitchen staple often outperforms expensive laboratory supplements. The secret lies in curcumin, the primary active compound in turmeric.
According to him, curcumin serves as a potent anti-inflammatory agent that addresses a wide range of modern health issues. He wrote in his caption, “Underrated, affordable, and already in your kitchen : haldi beats most supplements if used right. Not everything that works comes in a fancy box.”
He said in the video he posted: “This is the most underrated superfood in your kitchen. It costs less than ₹20 and it beats almost all supplements out there. See, haldi contains curcumin and curcumin is a very powerful anti-inflammatory compound and inflammation is linked with a lot of things like gut issues as well as brain fog.”
The ‘natural steroid’ for athletes
For those who lead an active lifestyle, Siddhartha highlighted turmeric’s role in physical recovery. Because of its ability to soothe joints and reduce systemic inflammation, he went as far as calling it a ‘natural steroid’.
Siddhartha said, “Haldi is also great for digestion. You see, it lines your gut and once your gut is lined, you get better digestion which turns into better moods, better energy. So, if your mom is not putting healthy in dal or subzi, tell her please do so. But this is not why I like haldi. I like haldi because it is great for joint health and being an athlete, it really helps me recover my joints. So haldi is something that you’ve probably heard your parents talk about. It actually works. So much so that haldi has actually been said to be a natural steroid. Can’t get better than that.”
The secret hack
While Siddhartha encouraged everyone to ensure their ‘dal or subzi’ is well-spiced, he shared a critical tip for those looking to maximise the benefits. To unlock the full potential of curcumin, it must be paired with black pepper.
He said, “But here’s the deal. Make sure you’re adding black pepper to haldi because that is going to massively increase the amount of haldi your body can digest almost 2,000 percent. So sometimes the best supplements are not available in supplement stores but actually in your house. So save this and send this to somebody who feels that only double supplement work and not old school ayurvedic wisdom.”
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.