Spike your day with this 3-minute uplifting beverage! Turmeric health benefits are widely publicized, and Golden Milk is all the rage. Oh yes, we can drink it up in every flavor. However turmeric is difficult for the body to absorb. Very few people understand how to prepare Golden Milk to optimize absorption. So the turmeric you’re taking may not benefit you in any way. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, can clear inflammation, pain, and even cancer. It can be a powerful anti-inflammatory that destroys cancer cells and helps keep all the organs in balance – if it is absorbed.
Here are the secrets to maximizing the benefits of turmeric:
- ALWAYS use full fat milk. Some fat is essential.
- Heat your drink. The heat is important for curcumin assimilation.
- Add some black pepper, which also boosts curcumin absorption
- Eat turmeric with quercetin-rich foods, such as black tea, green tea, carob or cocoa powder.
Quercetin is a key to your absorption of curcumin: Quercetin, a flavonoid, is known to inhibit an enzyme that de-activates curcumin. When you add turmeric to quercetin-rich foods you will increase the absorbtion of turmeric in the body. Foods rich in iso-quercitrin include: leafy vegetables, broccoli, red onions, peppers, apples, grapes, black tea, green tea, elderberry juice concentrate, juniper berries, carob flour, bee pollen, cocoa powder, chia seeds, moringa, and some fruit juices.
So this simple Golden Milk recipe shows the easiest and most delicious way to absorb your turmeric. Oh, and also check out the yummy Golden Milk Variations below: Serves one. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cup hot black or green tea
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1-inch fresh ginger root sliced very thin, or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- Dash of your favorite spices: ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and/or clove (optional)
Instructions
- Heat all ingredients in saucepan until steamy but not boiling.
- Stir well with a spoon or whisk. Or remove ginger root and whiz with an immersion blender. Enjoy!
Golden Milk Variations:
- Milk: Feel free to use different milks. Use any alternative milk
Or use cow’s milk, goat’s milk, raw milk or even water. However if you milk is lower in fat, you’ll need to add fat to aid in curcumin absortion. - Fat: Options for fat include coconut oil, MCT oil, butter, or ghee.
- Quercetin: You need a high-quercetin ingredient. Try any of these: apples, grapes, black tea, green tea, elderberry juice concentrate, juniper berries, carob flour, bee pollen, cocoa powder, chia seeds, or moringa.
- Play around: Just for fun, try different flavors and spices! A few suggestions are coffee, cocoa, mocha, pumpkin, sweet potato, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, reishi, chaga, honey, ashwagandha, cayenne, cloves, matcha, green tea, black tea, jasmine, or Earl Grey tea.
Courtesy of janeshealthykitchen.com
