Some of you might have seen this bright yellow “latte” popping up on your Pinterest home page, claiming numerous health benefits. If you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, I’ll fill you in on a few things about this bright warm drink…..
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE TURMERIC
Although this drink comes with other health improving ingredients, turmeric is the star of the show. Turmeric may seem like a new health product but It has been used for many years as a part of the Ayurveda system of medicine that is rooted in the Indian subcontinent. The active compound in this yellow spice is curcumin. Curcumin’s anti- inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties are what lift turmeric to star status.
PEPPER
What a strange thing to add to a “latte”! Pepper does have a lot of health benefits but the main reason it’s added into Golden Milk is its component piperine which is said to increase the bioavailability of curcumin. There are other natural health practitioners out there that say that it doesn’t really matter. Until I find more research that it doesn’t make a difference, I’d suggest adding it in this recipe because……..1. There is very little pepper in these drinks to even be able to taste it and 2. because of the other health benefits that you’d gain from pepper-it can stimulate your taste buds that in turn, increases stomach acid secretion which improves digestion ( this wouldn’t help those with hyperchlorhydia, high levels of stomach acid, which is a much rarer occurrence in comparison to hypochlorhydia, low levels of stomach acid). Black Pepper also has antibacterial and antioxidant properties.
GINGER
Traditionally, golden milk recipes don’t include ginger but seeing as we are in the midst of the Christmas season, it seemed fitting to add some holiday spice to this drink! Ginger, another spice that is native to India, is most known for its support in digestive upsets- eliminating gas by soothing and relaxing the intestinal tract, and helping with nausea in pregnancy and motion sickness. And just like turmeric, ginger also contains an anti-inflammatory compound, called gingerol.
CINNAMON
This very aromatic spice is mostly known for its ability to help regulate blood sugar levels due to its circulatory stimulating effect. Some other health benefits that come from cinnamon are that it’s used as a digestant, anticonvulsant, diuretic and as an antibiotic ( other than it being a warming spice, this might be one of the main reasons we tend to see more cinnamon in recipes during the fall and winter months!).
GOLDEN MILK with HOLIDAY SPICE
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 Tbsp unrefined coconut oil
1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated or 1/4 tsp dried, ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
pinch of ground pepper
2 1/2 Tbsp of pure maple syrup
1 cup full fat coconut milk
1 cup soy milk ( organic, non GMO) or your favourite milk alternative
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a small sauce pan, melt coconut oil over low to medium heat. Next, remove from heat and add the maple syrup and all of your spices and blend well. Combine the two milks and slowly add a small amount ( couple tablespoons at a time) to your melted oil and spice mix then stir until combined. Do this a couple more times and then add in the rest of your milk. Return to heat and let it come to a slow boil over medium heat, occasionally stirring. Turn down the heat to low and let it simmer for 5 minutes. After, you can use a handheld blender our high speed blender to blend this drink even more and to remove any clumped up spices. Plus, blending it this way also adds a nice froth to make it more like a latte!
Hope you enjoy, thanks for stopping by!
