Written by: Dr. Frannie Koe, MD
Golden milk may sound strange if you have never encountered it before, and its bright yellow color can be startling. But this turmeric-based drink has a long history of being used for its multiple health benefits. Turmeric, scientific name curcuma longa, is the root of a plant native to southeast Asia and is in the Ginger family. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/turmeric
Golden milk has a long history of use across many diverse cultures (originating in the Ayurvedic traditions of India), but has grown in popularity here in the West in recent years, due largely to its strong anti-inflammatory actions. See this article for more information: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/golden-milk-turmeric#TOC_TITLE_HDR_12
There are almost as many variations of golden milk as there are people who drink it, and you can easily adapt the basic recipe to your dietary needs and taste preferences. If you grew up with heavily spiced food, it will be easier to drink this warming, delicious drink.
You can blend your own mix according to your personal taste using bulk spices at home, or you can buy an already prepared mix and simply add it to the milk and sweetener of your choice. Below is an Amazon link to purchase the pre-prepared version of golden milk spice powder mix.
https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Powder-Servings-Turmeric-Superfood/dp/B079YT54PL/ref=sxin_0_osp20-c34ccdc4_cov?ascsubtag=c34ccdc4-1901-4f57-a329-f63fdcc30fd6&creativeASIN=B079YT54PL&cv_ct_id=amzn1.osp.c34ccdc4-1901-4f57-a329-f63fdcc30fd6&cv_ct_pg=search&cv_ct_wn=osp-search&keywords=golden+milk&linkCode=oas&pd_rd_i=B079YT54PL&pd_rd_r=77fce039-8999-402d-9130-9b57c725025f&pd_rd_w=EKevI&pd_rd_wg=WQKaE&pf_rd_p=53eff971-6e12-4016-9864-b6dfd929b2b3&pf_rd_r=2CESVZQP388KF2WGBKGB&qid=1576170554&s=home-garden&tag=bestcont06-20
If you’d prefer to make it completely from scratch, here is a basic recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk (or other milk of choice)
- 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup — plus additional to taste (for a keto drink, I use Whole Earth sweetener or you may use stevia)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- Optional additions: tiny pinch ground black pepper — ground cardamom, or ground cloves
Instructions
- Combine the milk, sweetener of choice, vanilla extract, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, and any additional spices in a small saucepan. Heat over medium until warmed, whisking constantly. Do not let boil.
- You can store the leftovers in an airtight container (like a mason jar) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I have actually made a large batch in a crock pot for a large group of people and then stored the leftovers in a half-gallon jug. The spices tend to disseminate through the milk even better when left overnight. I drank it for several evenings and it was very easy to warm up quickly.
Although it may sound strange to add black pepper to a drink, if you can appreciate the taste, it shouldn’t be skipped. The plant properties of turmeric and black pepper work synergistically, with black pepper being shown to increase the effectiveness of the curcumin in turmeric.
(Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/turmeric-and-black-pepper#active-ingredients)
If you have your own version of golden milk you love to drink, please contact us and let us know!
