golden milk

Like the recipe for Yogi Tea, I learned this recipe from Yogi Bhajan. Golden Milk is every bit as delicious and nourishing as Yogi Tea. Golden Milk is the beverage to drink that will address those aches and pains in your body. Yogi Bhajan taught that this recipe is good for the spine as well as all the joints in the body.

Be careful working with the turmeric as it can stain materials. Below is the recipe for a cup of Golden Milk as well as the way to make a half a gallon at a time.

For one cup:                1/8 tsp. turmeric (heaping)

                                    ¼ cup of water

                                    8 oz. milk (can be cow or soy or rice or almond)

                                    2 tblspn. Raw almond oil (optional)

                                    Honey to taste

Boil the turmeric in the water for about 8 minutes. You are looking for a thick paste. You can add more water if you need to- the operative word being “paste”. In another pan, gently heat the milk and almond oil. If you are omitting the almond oil then warm just the milk. When the milk comes just under boiling, remove from heat and mix into the turmeric paste. Add the honey to taste. For me, the honey is a key part of the Golden Milk appeal. I am not a fan of the taste of turmeric alone. If it is summer time and you feel resistant to a hot beverage, you can add the honey to the hot turmeric paste and then add the milk at room temperature, stirring well.

To make half a gallon, increase turmeric to a heaping teaspoon, water to 2 cups, milk to 8 cups and almond oil to 16 tablespoons. You can also mix up the paste and then refrigerate it until you would like to use it. The paste will keep in the refrigerator for up to 40 days.

This drink is really quite delicious and I always feel that I am nourishing my bones and body when I drink it. There are many, many studies that verify the health claims made about turmeric. The primary active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. Recent research has shown that turmeric:

            *addresses the pain and stiffness of arthritis

            *decreases the inflammation caused by arthritis

            *could be an effective tool in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease

            *inhibits the growth of cancer

            *delays liver damage that can lead to cirrhosis

All I know is that I feel a difference in my body and my yoga when I add Golden Milk to my weekly diet. Many of the studies about the health benefits of turmeric are readily accessible online as well as other recipes for enjoying turmeric. Next time you are in the supplement aisle of your local co-op or health food store, scan the labels of supplements- many of them contain turmeric. It is almost always better to boost your health and nutrition through whole foods and whole beverages than supplements.

An overview published in Advanced Experimental Medical Biology in 2007 attributes Turmeric with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer properties. It would seem that a little Golden Milk can go a long way.

Enjoy.