I think almost everyone is familiar with the latest trend called “Turmeric Latte”. If you don’t, type it any search engine, and you’ll find a lot about it. “Turmeric lattes are now being sold at cafes from Sydney to San Francisco, and the drink is gaining fans in the UK, ” The Guardian reports.
Turmeric lattes might be very famous all over the world now but this concept has been taken from the age old traditional Indian Haldi (turmeric) Doodh (milk). Turmeric is mixed in milk with the addition of few other spices if required, that depends on body problems like coughs, colds, injury, diabetes, joint pain, infections or low energy. It’s one of the most common home remedy that Indians have been using for centuries.
I myself have a cup of hot milk with a pinch of turmeric, half teaspoon of sugar and 3-4 cashews in it just before bedtime for a good night’s sleep.
I have tried the turmeric latte before and I didn’t like it! It has a large quantity of turmeric which is not needed. You can now also get curcumin/turmeric pills, liposomal turmeric complex, aloe veera with turmeric tonic and what not! Please STAY AWAY FROM THESE! These won’t be beneficial and they will do more bad than good. Stop popping those turmeric pills and shots.
Even though turmeric has antioxidant and antibacterial properties, if used in large quantity, the curcumin in it will restrict the absorption of iron in your body. Large quantity of turmeric can also cause many other side effects like gallbladder problems, low blood sugar levels in diabetes patients, diarrhea and upset stomach.
The magic of turmeric milk lies in how much turmeric you add, when do you drink it and what other spices to add for recovery of your body.
To reap the full benefits of turmeric milk, heat a cup of milk in a stainless steel pot on the stove (please don’t microwave), when it’s about to boil, add just a pinch of turmeric (not too much, not too little), if you measures by spoon, use 1/4th teaspoon. Turn the heat off, pour it in a cup and add sugar or jaggery to taste. You can have it without sugar if you prefer but please refrain from adding sugar free tablets or honey. Have it hot before bedtime. If you can’t drink it hot, have to warm. The warmer, the better.
Below are some tips for special conditions:
1. For a good night’s sleep, add 3-4 cashews in turmeric milk. It always works for me.
2. Adding a pinch of cinnamon in turmeric milk will help ward off infections as cinnamon has anti-fungal and antiseptic properties. Not recommended for diabetes as both cinnamon and turmeric lower blood sugar levels, which can be dangerous for diabetic patients.
3. For Diabetic patients add a pinch of nutmeg to turmeric milk. This is also good for joint pains and heart disease.
4. For sore throat or colds add a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. It’s great for any kind of infections too.
This is a wonder milk which when had even without the addition of other spices, gives you a lot of health benefits because curcumin is the active ingredient in it.
1. Curcumin is a natural antioxidant which means it will fight cell damage and may help lower risk of infections and disease.
2. It is an anti-inflammatory. When you have an injury, a hot cup of turmeric helps bring that inflammation down. It’s very good for everyday recovery after exercise and a busy day at work.
3. It also helps calm you down, it helps you with a restful sleep.
Like ghee, I can go on and on about the benefits of having Turmeric Milk. Try it for yourself to know it BUT it is very important to prepare it the right way.
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