Scientists have discovered a way to encapsulate an ingredient in the yellow curry spice that is believed to help fight a host of different diseases.

The ingredient, curcumin, is a potent antioxidant found in the turmeric spice that is currently being tested for its safety and effectiveness for fighting colon cancer, psoriasis and Alzheimer’s disease.

Until now, digestive juice in the gastrointestinal tract quickly destroyed curcumin so that little actually was absorbed into the blood. However, in animal tests, scientists were able to boost the absorption of the compound by encapsulating it.

Scientists say animals fed the nano-sized capsules more than quadrupled their absorption of curcumin. In addition, they had increased antioxidant levels in the blood. They say the results of the study suggest that the encapsulating process could be an answer to the problem of increasing curcumin’s absorption in the digestive environment of the gastrointestinal tract.

According to Curcumin.net, it is what gives curry its characteristic bright yellow color and strong taste. It has been used medicinally for centuries and is available in supplement form for those who are trying to increase their intake.