Turmeric Milk “Golden Milk” (dairy-free)
When it comes to healthy, healing drinks, Turmeric milk “golden milk” is tops on the list, given it’s potent anti-inflammatory health benefits. Watch me make it in this quick Turmeric Milk recipe video.
Watch this quick video of my Turmeric Milk recipe:
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Colder weather is starting to take hold, isn’t it? And while it may not be as cold in SoCal as it is on the East Coast (I feel for you guys), it’s still pretty darn cold for me. Nighttime temps in the 30’s, yep that’s cold. So today I thought I’d whip up a recipe for a super healthy, healing and warming beverage – turmeric milk.
Have you heard of turmeric milk (aka “golden milk”)? It’s been seriously taking the world by storm over the last year. So much so that Google made “turmeric” a top trending word of 2016 (and yes, I’m just getting around to making a recipe with it in December – I know, I know).
Of course, if you’re from India, turmeric milk is nothing new and you probably grew up with your mom making it for you. But for us western folks, it may just be the coolest (warmest?) thing since matcha lattes due to it’s myriad health benefits.
The Health Benefits of Turmeric Milk
So let’s jump into those health benefits. If you have an autoimmune condition (or 4, like me) then you’ll love turmeric milk for it’s anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric is one of Mother Nature’s top healing compounds and studies have shown that curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, can ameliorate certain autoimmune conditions by regulating inflammatory signals. Cool stuff, right? In fact, it’s for that reason that I’ve taken turmeric and we’ve given my dad (who has Parkinson’s, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Coccidioidomycosis, among other things) turmeric pills for years.
Turmeric is also a potent antioxidant, can fight free radicals (hello aging) and can even help stave off the common cold. All because it fights chronic inflammation that may otherwise be suppressing your immune system.
But here’s the thing. You don’t have to take turmeric pills to get those health benefits, just drink turmeric milk! Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine have been prescribing turmeric milk for centuries…and I say why mess with something that’s worked for centuries?
Even better, warming turmeric milk is soothing and relaxing before bed, like a chamomile tea, so you may even get an awesome night’s rest.
How to Make Turmeric Milk
Watch the video above to see just how easy it is to make turmeric milk. Today, I’m using coconut milk, but you can also use almond milk or cashew milk.
To that, just add some ground turmeric, a pinch of black pepper (which helps your body absorb the curcumin), a sprinkle of cinnamon (another natural anti-inflammatory) and your sweetener of choice. Then, bring to a simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavors all meld and enjoy. It really is that easy.
Once you make it a time or two, feel free to get creative. Sometimes I’ll add ginger (another fave herb) and if I’m using a nut milk, I’ll always add coconut oil. Coconut milk has quite a bit of fat, so I tend to skip the coconut oil when I’m using coconut milk, but fat is most definitely needed to help the absorption of all the healing compounds. Another benefit of coconut oil (and come to think of it, maybe why you should add it either way), is that coconut oil helps the turmeric milk froth it up (remember the lesson learned from my sexy superfood hot chocolate?).
The moral of the story is turmeric is good for you, it’s loaded with health benefits and it’s popular for a reason. So whip up a batch and do like I did on these photos, sprinkle some extra cinnamon and a fresh vanilla bean on top.
Enjoy!
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- 2 cups coconut milk, almond milk or cashew milk
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- pinch of black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1-2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- ½ tbsp coconut oil (optional)
- ginger
- cardamom
- peppercorns
- vanilla extract or vanilla bean
- Add all ingredients to a pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Pour into a cup and enjoy.
Other recipes you might like:
Golden Beet, Carrot and Turmeric Smoothie
Thanks so much! I started my AIP journey on Jan 1. I really miss hot cocoa on a cold night. This sounds so much better for me & yummy too. Just need turmeric & coconut milk and I’m good to go. Since I’m still in the elimination phase would it still be beneficial to drink without the pepper? Thanks again!
Yes, absolutely! While the pepper is helpful, it’s not necessary. What’s more important is consuming the turmeric with healthy fats (ie – coconut milk, coconut oil, etc) which helps absorption. I did AIP for 6 months, after I was first diagnosed with all of my AI conditions and it helped me immensely in understanding my body and “resetting” my AI craziness. I wish you all the best with your wellness journey! :) x
Awesome thanks so much for your information!!
You’re welcome! Hope you enjoy the recipe. :)
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Do you have any recommendations for making this with coconut oil? I add it while whisking until the mixture is boiling, and somehow I always end up with a greasy layer that floats to the top of my cup.
Hmm, I haven’t had that happen before. Coconut oil usually helps it froth up. What type of milk are you using?
I’m using a cup of unsweetened almond milk and 1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut milk. Maybe I’m not letting it simmer long enough after boiling.
Maybe. And you just never know with certain milk brands, depending on if there’s any thickeners or gums, that could be causing it to go a little weird as well. Hope it works out! :)
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Wondering why dairy milk isn’t mentioned, just nut milks. Does it not work well with dairy? Or is that just to make it vegan? Tia
Dairy milk is inflammatory. One of the key purposes of consuming turmeric is its an anti-inflammatory. The pepper is required to activate it. I’ve tried using a mixture of coconut and hemp milk as the hemp has a lot more nutrients. Excellent recipe! Thanks Lisa!
You can definitely use it in any milk, but most who are interested in turmeric milk are opting for the anti-inflammatory benefits. And as Mitch mentioned, dairy is inflammatory for many people. Coconut milk is the more traditional milk used (in India) but choose the one you like best! :) x
Oh yes, turmeric milk is definitely a wonderful, nourishing beverage – not to mention, quite pretty to look at! Thank you for this recipe and video. Oh and enjoy the warm weather for me, please – it’s in the 20s today over here.
Oh no, sorry to hear it’s been so cold! Fingers crossed it’ll improve (though I know it probably won’t for a few months, eh?). Keep drinking those warm beverages! :) x