Golden Milk
One of my favorite beverages this time of year is golden milk.
Made from tasty, healing Ayurvedic herbs blende
d with coconut milk, this drink is delicious served hot or cold. It’s also one of the healthiest drinks on the planet.
The “gold” in golden milk comes from the deep orange color of turmeric (curcumin), an herb known for its potent anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric has been used medicinally for over 4,000 years in the treatment of arthritis, skin conditions, digestive ailments, and even cancer.
In addition to turmeric, golden milk recipes traditionally also include antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory ginger and black pepper. These are “warming” herbs, making them especially tasty and healing during the cold and damp winter months.
Black pepper furthermore enhances the absorption of the anti-inflammatory effects of turmeric. For this reason, many turmeric supplements nowadays contain black pepper.
A hot cup of golden milk is so comforting on a winter’s day! It also makes a great healthy alternative to eggnog when served cold!
Below is my favorite recipe for making golden milk from scratch, but if you’re not much of a DIYer, then check out this pre-made golden milk powder from Gaia herbs. Just add your milk of choice and enjoy, or sprinkle it on sweet potatoes for a healthy seasoning.
Wishing you a healthy, tasty holiday,
Dr. Z
GOLDEN MILK RECIPE
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of hemp, coconut, almond, oat, soy, or other milk (I prefer coconut)
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger (or powder)
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated turmeric (or powder) – caution! Turmeric will turn everything yellow, including your hands!
- 5 whole black peppercorns (or fine pepper)
- Optional: Honey, cinnamon, or other spices to taste
Directions:
- Place milk in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add turmeric, ginger, and pepper & other optional spices. Stir well if you are using the dried spices. Let the milk begin to simmer — small bubbles will form on the side of the saucepan.
- Continue to heat and stir for 10 minutes.
- Taste to assess bitterness. If it is too bitter, simmer it for longer – boiling the turmeric will make it less bitter.
- Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes for better infusion.
- Strain the ingredients through a strainer if you used fresh ingredients.
- Serve hot or cold.
