The world is beginning to appreciate the oodles of benefits of drinking the ‘Golden Milk’.
Golden Milk? A fancier name that is given to Turmeric Milk which is also known as Haldi Doodh in India.
If you are an Indian, you do not need an introduction. I am sure your mother would have handed you a glass of ‘haldi doodh’ on a cold, winter night.
If you are not an Indian or maybe you’re just unaware, this is for you –
India produces nearly all of the world’s turmeric crop and consumes 80% of it. With its inherent qualities and high content of curcumin, Indian turmeric is considered to be the best in the world.
The use of turmeric dates back nearly 4000 years to the Vedic culture in India, where it was used as a culinary spice and had some religious significance. The term ‘haldi’ is coined from the Sanskrit word ‘Haridra’ which means ‘dear to Hari (Vishnu, Krishna)’ (1)
Curcumin is the most important, bio-active compound which makes turmeric the golden, healing herb that it is.
Did you know? America tried to patent turmeric which was eventually revoked.
I am not surprised. But, why did America try to patent turmeric?
Because turmeric is rich in antioxidants, can potentially prevent cancer, heal your gut, lower your cholesterol, enhance healthy flora, fights free radicals, cure many major and minor diseases and… the list goes on.
To know more about the benefits of turmeric and curcumin, you may read this article.
This golden goddess is a super food and is here to stay.
The benefits of turmeric are traditionally achieved through dietary consumption, even at low levels, over long periods of time.
In this article, I will share with you two of my favorite recipes for Turmeric Milk. I have been making these often and my body loves it.
Feel free to tweak the recipes according to your taste and availability of ingredients. But make sure not to miss pepper while making the turmeric milk. I will talk more about that later in this article. For now, the recipes:
Recipe 1: Turmeric Milk for cold, cough and fever –
1. Add 1 tsp of turmeric to a glass of milk. Heat it.
2. Add freshly ground black pepper and salt.
3. Enjoy the goodness.
It’s simple, right? Yes, it is.
I drink this every time I have a cold and cough, and it works wonders for me. The key is to start drinking turmeric milk at the very beginning i.e. as soon as you begin to get the symptoms.
Turmeric is a powerful antibiotic and will help with a sore throat, cough, and cold. Adding salt is important because it helps to break down the phlegm that is accumulated. Add a pinch more than required.
Drink this twice a day (once in the morning and in the night) for at least 5 days. This can be consumed with regular medicines to speed up healing.
Recipe 2: Turmeric Milk for overall well-being and health –
1. Add 1 tsp turmeric to a glass of milk. Heat it.
2. Add a pinch of saffron.
3. Finish by adding some freshly ground black pepper and nutmeg.
Nutmeg gives a wonderful flavor to this drink and also ensures you get a good night’s sleep. You may replace nutmeg with cinnamon.
I do not prefer adding sugar, honey or any kind of sweeteners to this drink as I feel sugar hinders with the natural, rustic flavors.
Filled with the goodness of saffron, nutmeg, and turmeric this drink is sure to make your body heal inside – out.
If you noticed, in both the recipes I mentioned black pepper as one of the ingredients. Do you know why?
Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. However, curcumin cannot be utilized well because of its rapid metabolism in the liver and intestine. In simple terms, curcumin by itself is not well absorbed by the blood stream.
And, the solution to this problem is ‘Black Pepper’.
Black Pepper which contains ‘piperine’ enhances the extent of absorption and bio-availability of curcumin by 2000%.
This is backed by research.
You can drink turmeric milk every day or at least three-four times a week to benefit from it in the long run. The more you drink, the better and the choice is yours. Make sure to source pure, organic turmeric for maximum benefits. Some good options are 24 Mantra Organic Turmeric Powder and Pure & Sure Organic Turmeric Powder.
What are you waiting for? Make a glass of Turmeric Milk tonight and enjoy the benefits of this Rustic, Golden drink.
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