Turmeric Golden Milk: It's the new latte
The trend in my household has been, if it's on the Health channel, written about in the Health magazines and even remotely discussed by health nuts in the blogosphere I delusionally consider my BFFs, I MUST TRY IT.
On my husband.
You see, the man is on a mission to be the world's healthiest guy.
He swims, he runs, he lifts weights, he hops, skips, does hand stands and he just never really stops doing things to stay active. He also reads labels, eats strange vegetables and insists on maintaining a healthy diet eating superfoods.
I am not at liberty to divulge his age, but I can tell you he keeps up with 20somethings and runs circles around the 30somethings.
I am in neither of those groups. Cough.
But I digress.
The point is, all this activity, although great in theory, has been hard on his joints and he's been feeling it lately, despite eating anti-inflammatory foods.
So when I heard about Turmeric and this miraculous Golden Milk (recipe below), I rushed right over to my local spice store and picked up a bag.
Ummm. Did I mention I'm not so adventurous when it comes to trying new flavors?
I had seen many recipes and the lovely Indian lady working at the spice store gave me a very basic list of ingredients to be added to my turmeric concoction.
From that list, the only item I was open to trying at that moment was the raw honey.
The raw honey.
You guys. I was a bit of a picky eater growing up. Don't EVER tell my kids.
Turmeric is a common ingredient used in curry, but it's the curcumin contained within it that yields the health benefits well documented in eastern and western reports [Read more here].
I was particularly interested in its wide ranging anti-inflammatory properties to heal my husband's aching joints.
The ingredients turmeric is mixed with are crucial to create the Golden Milk. Coconut oil or another healthy fat must be present as a soluble fat your body can readily absorb. This makes the difference between simple consumption and full absorption. Also, combined with piperine found in black pepper, absorption of the curcumin in turmeric is increased exponentially.
Now back to the flavors.
I heated up the unsweetened coconut milk and added the super ingredients.
Between the slightly spicy turmeric and the 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, my eyes were watering and I sneezed twice.
Totally true.
Once stirred, the fragrant cinnamon and nutmeg hints were pleasant as I poured the warm liquid into a fancy mug. My husband immediately drank and looked at me like a herculean power had just infused him through the liquid gold.
I took a few sips and have to say it tastes much like a spicy chai. Pretty good.
Now while one of us has become a total convert and consumes regular amounts of Golden Milk, seeing tremendous results in joint pain decrease and even disappearance, the other has remained a supporter of that consumption.
I do wholeheartedly believe this has done wonders for my husband's joint and muscle pains and recommend it as a regular part of his diet.
But honestly, I am still getting used to drinking it.
With a paleo cookie.
Or five.
Which makes it delicious, is what I told my health nut blogosphere BFFs.
Give it a try.
Turmeric Golden Milk
Ingredients:
1 cup milk (I prefer unsweetened coconut, my hubby likes almond)
1 teaspoon organic coconut oil
½ teaspoon organic turmeric powder
½ teaspoon organic ginger powder
¼ teaspoon organic black pepper
pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg (may also add pinch or cardamom if you have it)
Honey, to taste (unpasteurized and local, if you can get it)
Combine all ingredients except honey in a small saucepan. Warm on medium heat, stirring constantly, do not let it boil. When completely blended and warm, remove from heat and stir in honey to taste.
Do you use turmeric in other ways for health benefits? Let us know your favorite anti-inflammatory ingredient and how you use it!
Did you see our Elderberry Syrup & Lego Gummies Recipe?
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