I’ll admit that golden milk isn’t my drink of choice when it comes to flavour as I’m not the biggest fan of turmeric (outside of a curry). But this antioxidant powerhouse of a drink provides a range of fantastic health benefits for its anti-inflammatory properties. I suggest that if you’re using powdered turmeric, that you make sure you are using a fresh, organic brand which will have higher levels of the active phytonutrient curcumin.
It might seem a bit gross adding a bit of pepper like I have here, but the addition of the piperine (the active phytochemical in the black pepper) by freshly grinding some pepper into your drink, will boost the bioavailability of the curcumin by up to 2000%.
I’ve also added cinnamon and a fine dusting of nutmeg for added flavour (I think these make the golden milk more tasty) and provide added anti-inflammatory benefits, but if you don’t like cinnamon or nutmeg, you can leave these out.
Here’s how I make mine:
Ingredients:
- Juice or grate 1 inch piece of fresh turmeric OR use 1tsp raw, organic turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp organic Ceylon cinnamon (optional)
- 1 cup homemade cashew milk (or store bought plant milk of choice)
- 1 tsp raw biodynamic honey or coconut nectar (to make vegan)
- Pinch freshly ground black pepper
- Fine grating of nutmeg (optional)
Directions:
- Place your turmeric juice or powdered turmeric into a saucepan with the plant milk and gently simmer for around 10 minutes.
- Before serving, sprinkle on some freshly ground pepper and stir in the sweetener. Then strain it into a glass or mug and drink whilst warm. Grate nutmeg on top.
If you want to find out about the effectiveness of curcumin, I encourage you to read the resources referenced below. Enjoy!
Resources
- Prasad, S., Tyagi, A. and Aggarwal, B. (2014). Recent Developments in Delivery, Bioavailability, Absorption and Metabolism of Curcumin: the Golden Pigment from Golden Spice. Cancer Research and Treatment, 46(1), pp.2-18. Available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3918523/ [Accessed 21 May 2018].
- Whfoods.com. (2018). Turmeric. [online] Available at: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=78 [Accessed 21 May 2018].
Our Little Organic Life 
i have to admit I’ve not heard of golden milk before, it sounds a little like it might be an acquired taste, but I would definitely give it a try at least once.
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Ha, yeah, its not something I’ve ever liked. I think it originates in traditional ayurvedic Indian medicine. Its traditionally just made with turmeric, but I think the cinnamon and nutmeg addition make it much tastier and it is so healthy its worth the hassle. If you know of anyone who experiences any sort of chronic aches and pains, this is a great drink to try to reduce or ideally even eliminate NSAID painkillers. It works in the same way as ibuprofen in the body, but without the damage to the gut lining that NSAIDs can cause.
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I’ve never heard of golden milk before but this does sound really interesting! I’m not sure it’s something I would enjoy but it has it’s health benefits!
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I agree, its not the most appealing sounding drink in the world, but I hope you give it a try and will agree that the addition of the cinnamon and nutmeg makes it tastier, like a comforting pre-bedtime drink.
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This Golden Milk looks really yummy. I will definitely give this recipe a try.
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Traditionally I’m not a big fan of the taste of golden milk but that’s why personally I think the addition of the cinnamon and nutmeg make it better. I hope you agree! 🙂
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This is an interesting mix of ingredients, and I’ve not heard of golden milk before x
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Yes, interesting is the word. Traditionally (in Indian ayurvedic medicine) golden milk is just milk and turmeric, but that’s pretty hardcore which is why I’ve added the more delicious (but also anti-inflammatory) spices of cinnamon and nutmeg. A bit of raw honey or coconut nectar sweetens it up a bit too, making it a lovely pre-bedtime drink.
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Whenever I start to feel ill I make some of this and it perks me up.
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I can’t remember why but my Grandma recommended this to me last year for some reason and I quite liked it x
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Not heard of this before. Golden milk sounds so glamourous x
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Never had it before either but looks like a must have.
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I’ve been reading up on all the benefits of turmeric so this is really interesting. I love that it’s completely plant based.
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This is my first time hearing about golden milk. Turmeric is really huge these days and there’s no denying on how awesome it is when it comes to improving our health. I think one’s a must try!
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It definitely is. I think if you’re using it for therapeutic purposes (like here) rather than for flavouring alone (like curry) then quality is key. Organic turmeric will have more of the active phytonutrients in it, so its best to get a good organic one to do the recipe if you’re not using fresh. Give it a try!
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I dont think I’ve ever heard of golen milk before but I would give it a shot 🙂
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Its super healthy, and I hope that my addition of cinnamon and nutmeg make it tastier for people (like me) who aren’t crazy about turmeric!
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Oh wow, this sounds actually doable.. I love turmeric lattes and buy them all the time. I’ve been needing a recipe to recreate them at home.
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Golden milk is soo yummy! And oddly comforting haha
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Your recipe sounds tasty. I like golden milk although I’ve never made it with cashew milk!
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We’ve never heard of Golden Milk but it does sound very interesting. I’d give it a go for the anti-flammatory properties x
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This sounds like a great recipe. Tumeric is important in the prevention of a range of conditions due to the antioxidant content. I need to up my intake.
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I have heard a lot of good things about turmeric. Golden milk has this so I’m sure this is really a health boosting milk. I would love to try making this.
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I’ve never heard of this before, but it sounds super tasty. I think my niece would like this so I’ve sent her the link to your blog post 🙂
Louise x
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Thank you so much Louise. I hope she enjoys it!
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I have started taking tumeric for my arthritis and use the capsules but this looks like a tasty alternative
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Fantastic! I will say that most GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) supplements will be tested so you know exactly how much active curcumin dosage you’re getting with your turmeric supplement. (The Pukka brand capsules are excellent and you can get them through natural dispensary.com) If you’re using turmeric therapeutically like you are and its working for you, then you might be best off sticking to your supplement, or making the golden milk in addition to your supplement. But if you do give this a try instead of the supplements, make sure you get a really good quality organic turmeric powder. The ones in the supermarkets sit around in storage facilities and on the shelves and goodness only knows how old they are and how active/effective the product still is.
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