Florentina Lewis
Golden milk is a small booster for the immune system – that can’t do any harm in the cold season. We explain why the golden-yellow trend drink made from plant milk, turmeric and spices is healthy. And how you can easily make golden milk yourself.
Golden milk – also called “turmeric latte” – is considered a drinkable superfood with a long tradition. Golden milk is not real (cow) milk, as it is mostly mixed on the basis of plant milk. Turmeric gives the trendy drink its beautiful colour, while spices such as cardamom, cinnamon and ginger provide the delicate aroma.
Golden milk: trendy drink with healing properties
In Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric-ginger milk has been considered a healing drink for centuries, which has to do with its ingredients:
The spice turmeric (named after the curcumin it contains) is a natural antioxidant. Curcumin is said to reduce inflammation, promote digestion and boost the immune system.
Cinnamon stimulates intestinal activity and is said to prevent digestive problems such as flatulence and a feeling of fullness.
The spiciness of the ginger provides pleasant warmth. In addition, the ginger root contains digestive and circulatory-stimulating ingredients as well as vitamin C, calcium and potassium.
Coconut oil in Golden Milk is said to ensure that vitamins and minerals are better absorbed by the body.
This makes Golden Milk the perfect drink for the cold season: it warms you, strengthens your immune system – and is a healthy alternative to coffee & co.
Golden milk recipe
Ingredients for a cup of turmeric latte:
- 250 ml plant milk (e.g. oat milk, soy milk, rice milk or almond milk), optionally also cow’s milk
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder or fresh turmeric root (approx. 2 to 3 cm)
- fresh ginger (approx. 1 to 2 cm) or, if necessary, ginger powder
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp coconut oil or flaxseed oil
- When mixing the golden milk, you can vary and experiment with additional spices as you wish: vanilla, nutmeg, honey, coconut blossom sugar, cardamom, saffron threads and black pepper also do well in the hot drink.
Tip: It is best to use high-quality, organic spices.
Preparation of the Golden Milk
You can make a paste of the spices (see below), but it’s quicker if you just add all the ingredients to the blender along with the plant-based milk and mix until the milk has a creamy consistency.
If there are still pieces in the milk, you can pour the turmeric milk through a fine sieve.
Sweeten the milk with honey, coconut blossom sugar or agave syrup as you like.
Finally, heat the milk, froth it with the milk frother and enjoy sip by sip.
Caution: Fresh ginger is pretty hot! Carefully approach the correct dosage.
Once you have found the optimal spice mixture for you, you can also produce the spice paste in larger quantities in advance. You will need about a teaspoon of spice paste for one cup. Simply add your favorite spices to the blender with a little water and puree until you get a fine paste. The paste will keep in the fridge for about a week and much longer in the freezer.
Golden Milk: You should pay attention to this
The effects of turmeric are overrated in many publications. Even if positive results have been demonstrated in cell or animal experiments, these cannot be transferred to humans.
In addition, the tests usually used extremely high doses that cannot be reached in humans either through food or dietary supplements, according to the consumer advice center in a comprehensive publication on turmeric. Their conclusion: “There is a lack of clear scientific evidence as to whether turmeric extracts have health effects in humans, for example against cancer, joint problems, dementia or depression.”
Sensitive people should be careful when consuming turmeric, because the plant can lead to flatulence, gastrointestinal problems and allergic reactions in higher doses.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as patients with gallstones should even avoid turmeric supplements altogether.
