Before I get into it, many of you may be asking what in the world is golden milk? It’s a warm golden-colored beverage that’s not necessarily dairy milk. The golden part comes from the turmeric spices in it and the liquid is made from a plant-based milk (although some folks make it with cow’s whole milk).
It’s a Cure-All
Affectionately known as “the spice of life”, turmeric as well as curcumin (the active ingredient of turmeric) have been used for centuries to alleviate a variety of ailments, including liver disease, skin issues, respiratory and GI distress, cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, reproductive health/infertility, pain relief, rheumatoid arthritis as well as cancer, just to name a few. Literally any disease that can cause inflammation, turmeric is touted as the antidote. In addition to combating inflammation, turmeric/curcumin also helps build up your immune system primarily due to its antiviral effect. One of my issues with a lot of the health drinks out there are that they taste awful. I love the taste of Golden Milk and would drink it even if I didn’t know there were potential health benefits to it—that’s just an added bonus.
How do you make it?
Below is a recipe from Epicurious on a homemade golden milk. Truth be told, I’ve only made it from scratch once, because I’m usually crunched for time and I love the convenience this pre-packaged powder from Gaia Herbs (all you do is add the milk of your choice and some coconut oil). Also, this is my favorite vessel to drink it from when I’m on the go. But if you want to experiment with making your own, here you go. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk, preferably coconut milk beverage or almond milk
- 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
- 1 (1-inch) piece turmeric, unpeeled, thinly sliced, or 1/2 teaspoon dried turmeric
- 1 (1/2-inch) piece ginger, unpeeled, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
- 1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- Ground cinnamon (for serving)
PREPARATION
- Whisk coconut milk, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, honey, coconut oil, peppercorns, and 1 cup water in a small saucepan; bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors have melded, about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into mugs and top with a dash of cinnamon.
Do Ahead: Golden milk can be made 5 days ahead. Store in an airtight container and chill. Warm before serving.
