Golden Turmeric Milk is an age-old home remedy for an impressive list of ailments like cold and flu symptoms, joint pain, ulcerative colitis, and indigestion. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) possesses circulation-boosting properties and is both a natural anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory.
Also see: 5 Surfaces To Clean To Reduce Colds and Flu
A friend said a nightly cup had greatly helped with her carpal tunnel syndrome. Turns out, it’s also helped people with arthritis like mine. Although I’m grateful for modern medicine and a supportive rheumatologist, my pain meds make me nauseous, so I avoid taking them for all but the worst flares.
I figured I’d give this Golden Turmeric Milk thing a try even though it didn’t sound very appealing to me. I think turmeric has an almost chalky yet peppery taste. While that makes it fantastic in curries and Chicken Tikka Masala, it didn’t sound like something that would go well with milk.
Also see: Tangy Curry Chicken Kebabs Recipe
The first turmeric milk I tried confirmed my fears — it tasted vile — but I forced myself to drink it for five straight nights. Sure enough, I noticed less joint pain and swelling. I slept better, too.
That convinced me that I needed to make turmeric part of my daily regimen, either as a pill or by coming up with turmeric milk recipe that I’d enjoy. Or both!
This recipe is the result, and the combination of turmeric’s properties and warm milk make it a fantastic pre-bedtime drink. Having added some other spices, plus honey and vanilla, it tastes more like chai than the first unpleasant turmeric milk I’d tried.
Also see: Coconut Honey Natural Hand Scrub Recipe
I enjoy it so much that I sometimes have two cups and tell myself that the extra calcium and Vitamin D in the milk justify the calories.
Golden Turmeric Milk
Rating
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- Milk
- Honey
- Vanilla extract (optional)
- Add spices to a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Heat 8 oz. milk in a sauce pan over medium heat until it begins to steam.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture and continue heating milk, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.
- Pour turmeric milk through strainer into cup.
- Add honey and vanilla extract (if using) to taste.
- Store remaining spice mixture in airtight container away from heat and light.
This recipe makes enough spice mixture for at least three cups. Store it in an airtight container to keep the spices fresh.
Please be careful while making it — turmeric is also traditionally used as a fabric dye, so you’ll want to keep it off of your counters and clothing.
Drink up!
More from my blog:
• Homemade Whole Wheat Pita Bread Recipe
• The Meatloaf They Beg For
• Bacon Garlic Cheddar Crackers
WOW,Katie!!!!!!
Going to give this a shot.
I’m encouraged by your success with it. Hope I get good results too….
It’s really made a difference. Feel free to adjust the spices to your taste, too!
Hi, I cannot take the pepper because of my skin inflammations. Can I leave it out completely?
If you’re allergic to pepper then please leave it out. You might not get as much of the anti-inflammatory benefits, though, since one of the compounds in pepper helps to “unlock” the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric.
Any dairy alternative that can be used??
I’ve made it with unflavored soy milk and it’s great!
So I can use this with Rice milk. (I do not do dairy) I need to try this. Thanks for the posting
I need to try it before I rate it but it sounds good.
I’ve never had rice milk before, but if it’s good warm then it should work beautifully in this recipe.
I just made this for the first time. It was delicious!! Thank you so much for posting a recipe that didn’t require a trip to another store! I don’t keep coconut oil around and every other recipe I found called for it. I have Lupus and really dislike having to take so many pain and anti inflammatory meds. Can I ask how long until you started to feel like it was helping? I just drank my cup and I do feel sleepy, but warm milk does that to me. 🙂 Thanks again!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Jill! Turmeric is an excellent anti-inflammatory. As someone who has joint problems of my own, I use this tea at night and take a turmeric capsule in the morning. It took about a week before I really started noticing a difference. Although I’m still taking anti-inflammatory/pain relievers, I’m now able to take a much lower dose than before. I hope it brings you relief, too!
I am so glad you have come up with a pleasant tasting version of the milk and turmeric basic version used in India for ages as a basic tonic. For colds and cough, ginger and honey plus another spice called ajwain in India, is used. Your recipe might help me to convince my grandchildren to try it! Thank you!
It’s such a delicious, healing drink. No wonder it’s been a staple of Ayurvedic medicine for so long!
Thanks for the post. I followed you recipe…Gosh it tastes vile but it works. Will do this for a few days and see
I bet you need a bit more honey in it, Gert. With enough, it’s a very soothing, yummy drink. Takes about a week to start noticing the benefits, though.
I will be trying this
Very good ?
For a dairy free option, my household follows this technique; grate a thumb size price of fresh turmeric into a tea strainer (or small sieve) and pour boiling water over until just covering. Leave it for 2-3 mins and then discard the gratings and pour liquid into your favourite mug to enjoy (honey to taste if you need)
Sounds good, Kat, but don’t forget to add a little black pepper in there. Our bodies don’t process the compound in turmeric that makes it a great anti-inflammatory without a little help. Black pepper contains the substance that unlocks the benefit. 🙂
Can you use tumeric from the spice section at grocery store.
Absolutely, Barb! That’s where I get mine.
How do u strain yours? I just tried a coffee filter over the cup, didn’t work very well. So then just used a regular strainer. Kinda spicy but I like it!
I have a strainer for tea which rests on top of the cup. This is the one I use — that’s an Amazon affiliate link in case you want to support this site through a small commission without the item’s price going up.
Thanks for the post. I use almond milk and it is very yummy. Can I use cayenne pepper instead of black pepper?
Cayenne pepper doesn’t contain piperine – the compound in black pepper that unlocks turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties.
I add about a teaspoon of Turmeric to my muesli with fresh fruit and low fat milk, I tried taking Turmeric Pills but had a terrible gut reaction. I do suffer with Arthritis
Many people have that gut reaction to turmeric pills. I did, too, and it took me a while to figure out what the cause was. I’ll have to give your muesli stir-in a try. Thanks!
I’ve just started adding Turmeric to my daily consumption.. I’ll start adding your Bedtime recipe tomorrow. Noticed your recipe does not add Coconut Oil. Why?
My recipe is fashioned after the original Ayurvedic recipe for Golden Milk (Haldi Ka Doodh), which does not use coconut oil. You can certainly add it, though. The traditional recipe would use ghee if additional oil was desired (say, for soothing a sore throat).
Thank you for the recipe is delicious and good for me, will drink it every night even my finicky daughter liked it.
I’m very glad that both you and your daughter are enjoying it. 🙂