I am a fan of nutrient-dense healthy smoothies and health-boosting juice shots. So it’s no surprise that this sweet, soothing, healing golden milk (aka turmeric milk) is another favorite of mine. Whether you want an early morning or mid-afternoon pick-me-up, or a soothing before-bed beverage, this turmeric tea has you covered. It’s creamy, sweet, flavorful, and packed to the brim with health benefits! I love golden milk recipes so much that I’ve made the process of enjoying “golden” goodies even easier. So check my DIYs for golden spice mix and golden paste.
What Is golden milk?
While golden milk is the current “popular” name for this soothing beverage, it’s known under several names. This includes turmeric milk, turmeric latte, golden milk latte, golden latte, turmeric milk tea/turmeric tea, etc. However, traditionally it’s called Haldi Doodh. This is because it has roots in India and Ayurvedic practices (an alternative medicine system), dating back 3000 years. Turmeric milk traditionally combines warm milk (originally cow’s milk) with turmeric and black pepper. However, more recently, additions/tweaks have been made to make a more palatable drink with more good-for-you ingredients. That includes using more warming spices like ginger & cinnamon (similar to chai), creamy coconut butter, flavorful dairy-free milks, sweeteners, etc. The result is an incredibly warming, “winter spiced,” slightly pungent yet sweet beverage with a mustard-yellow color. In fact, because of all the touted turmeric and ginger benefits, this drink has essentially entered “superfood” status.
What is golden milk good for?
Ayurvedic medicine has been around for 3000 years, and the consumption of Haldi Doodh for almost as long. It is used to treat multiple ailments/conditions. This includes inflammation-based issues like joint pain and other aches and pains, digestive issues, fatigue, colds and coughs, depression, and more! Having spoken to an Indian friend, I was told that turmeric milk was THE “cure-all” of their mother for practically everything. But why? This is primarily because turmeric contains a compound called curcumin and provides most of the golden milk benefits.
What is Turmeric and What are the Turmeric Benefits
Turmeric is a type of flowering plant that comes from the ginger family. It is natively found in India and Southeast Asia. It’s used for flavor and, as mentioned above, within Ayurvedic medicine and can be used either in fresh or powdered form. Some of the beneficial effects of turmeric (and thus benefits of golden milk) are:
Brilliant for increasing the body’s antioxidant capacity: Protecting your body from free radicals and possibly beneficial towards signs of aging. Curcumin may aid the reversal of the heart disease process. It improves the function of the lining of blood vessels and improves “endothelial function,” which helps regulate blood pressure and clotting. Minimize joint pain and reduce inflammation thanks to plentiful anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin could help prevent and/or treat Cancer: By affecting the development and growth of cancerous cells. It has also been seen to reduce symptoms of depression!
Turmeric can also boost the immune system and reduce blood sugar levels. It has been shown to positively impact brain function, and can even reduce the risk of heart disease. On top of that, ginger provides a long list of health benefits, and cinnamon is beneficial in several ways, too. Thus, the golden milk benefits are plentiful.
Golden milk ingredients
You’ll likely already have everything you need for this goldenmilk recipe in your kitchen or spice cupboard. Gold milk relies on just 6 ingredients and two optional ones.
Milk: You can use dairy (i.e., skim, 2%, whole milk, etc.) or non-dairy milk (such as coconut milk, oat milk, almond milk, or cashew milk). Spices: Turmeric powder, ginger powder, cardamom, cinnamon, and (freshly cracked) black pepper. Vanilla extract: (Optional) Add some natural vanilla extract to boost the flavor further. Sweetener: (Optional), i.e., honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, or even a sugar-free syrup/granulated option.
For additional flavor in this turmeric milk recipe, you could also experiment with nutmeg or ground cloves.
Why Add Black Pepper To Turmeric?
To get the most benefits from consuming turmeric, pair it with black pepper. Our bodies cannot efficiently absorb curcumin when consumed alone. However, black pepper can increase absorption by up to 2000% and doesn’t affect the flavor. Double up on curcumin absorption with the optional addition of a fat, which binds to the curcumin for absorption. This can be high-fat milk, coconut oil, coconut butter, ghee, etc. ½ a tablespoon per serving is more than enough.
How to make golden milk
You can enjoy the best golden milk in just minutes and with minimal effort. Add all ingredients (minus the sweetener) to a small saucepan, whisk well, and warm it up over medium heat. If you’re using raw milk, you could bring the mixture to a boil to pasteurize it first. And only then add the spices. Once warm enough, remove the golden milk turmeric tea from the heat. Taste it, and adjust the sweetness to your preferred flavor. Enjoy! For a lighter frothy golden milk latte, use a milk frother in the saucepan before serving it.
More warming drinks
Hibiscus Tea British Tea Cinnamon Tea Turmeric Tea Mulled Apple Cider
If you try this easy golden milk recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
