Golden Milk: benefits, how to take it, original Ayurvedic recipe and 5 variations

Do you know Golden Milk? It is an Ayurvedic drink based on turmeric and milk, not only good but also healthy. Let’s find out how to best prepare it, some variations and the correct way to take it.

The Golden Milk , milk or gold, is a drink that in recent years has become very fashionable and many people have placed in their daily diet, not only as a tasty and comforting (for example in a cold winter morning) but also for the benefits it offers to those who consume it daily.

The recipe for this turmeric spiced milk , with its characteristic golden color, comes from India and is ancient. Very well known and appreciated also by those who practice Yoga Kundalini , it is in fact recommended by Yogi Bhajan, master of this discipline, to improve the elasticity of the joints and in general favor the practice. It consists of a few ingredients and is prepared quickly and easily. First of all, however, let’s discover all the potential benefits offered by Golden Milk, an Ayurvedic recipe that boasts many properties.

Benefits of Golden Milk

The benefits of Golden Milk are due in particular to the presence of turmeric among its ingredients. This spice has been shown to be particularly rich in benefits and several scientific researches have confirmed its benefits for the body. Studies, in most cases, have focused on high levels of a specific active ingredient present in it, curcumin (in the form of supplements or dry extracts), and not on a generic food consumption of the spice.

It must be said, however, that, when inserted into one’s daily diet with some precautions, turmeric can have a beneficial effect even at low doses. Very important thing to know is that curcumin has a bioavailability problem , which means our body has difficulty metabolizing it as it is. To overcome this problem, it is advisable to use turmeric in the kitchen always together with a pinch of black pepper or a fatty substance such as oil. In this way our body will be able to use it to the fullest. Returning to the properties of Golden Milk , these can be summarized as follows.

✓ Improve joint health

Those with joint or joint problems, such as knees or elbows, can benefit from regular consumption of Turmeric Golden Milk . In fact, this spice boasts important anti-inflammatory qualities.

✓ Natural pain reliever

Sipping golden milk can also be a good solution for those suffering from headaches or menstrual pain. Both the warmth of the drink and the presence of turmeric make Golden Milk a natural antispasmodic and pain reliever.

✓ Disintossica

The Golden Milk , when taken without added sweeteners of any kind, ensures a good detoxifying the body . The effect of a spice such as turmeric is in fact particularly beneficial to the liver, the main organ responsible for eliminating toxins from our body.

✓ Promotes digestion and helps the intestine

Turmeric acts positively on the work of the liver but also on that of the stomach and intestines. This drink therefore promotes digestion and prevents problems such as ulcers and colitis.

✓ Helps with coughs, sore throats and colds

Thanks to its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral power, this Ayurvedic recipe is useful in case of cough, cold, sore throat and flu in general, especially if mild. In fact, it can act as a real “natural aspirin”.

✓ Stimulates the immune system

Thanks to the antibacterial and antiviral power of turmeric, this drink can help support the work of the immune defenses with the advantage of noticing a lower frequency in the appearance of problems such as cough and cold.

✓ Golden Milk for weight loss

There are those who believe that Golden Milk is a concrete help to lose weight , this is because among the various benefits of this spice we also find its beneficial action against the body ‘s metabolism that allows you to activate it at its best.

✓ Turmeric milk and diabetes

The milk with turmeric may be useful in preventing diabetes as among the qualities of turmeric, is also its ability to hold off the blood sugar.

✓ Lowers bad cholesterol

Some research has shown that using turmeric in cooking is helpful in lowering bad cholesterol (LDL). So consuming it in the form of Golden Milk could also be a good solution to prevent possible problems with the cardiovascular system.

How to prepare Golden Milk: original recipe

The original Ayurvedic recipe of Golden Milk involves the use of a few simple ingredients and is made quickly. You can choose to prepare the turmeric paste first and then use a teaspoon each time you intend to enjoy a single cup of golden milk, or avoid this step by using a ready-made turmeric paste preparation to which you add only the milk.

STEP 1

Turmeric paste How to prepare Curcuma base paste

As a first step we must prepare the turmeric paste that we will use (in the measure of a quarter of a teaspoon) every time we want to prepare our Golden Milk. So let’s see how to prepare turmeric paste to be used as a base for Golden Milk or other recipes.

Preparation time: 10 min

Ingredients (doses for 30/40 cups) :

¼ cup of Turmeric (powdered)
Half a teaspoon of black pepper
(ground) Half a cup of filtered water

Procedure:

Boil the turmeric with the water over low heat, stirring slowly until the mixture takes on the creamy consistency of a paste;

Leave to cool and place in a closed glass jar. The pasta is ready and can be used for the preparation of golden milk.

How to store turmeric paste and for how long?

Turmeric paste should be stored in the refrigerator in a glass jar. The time not to be exceeded to use it is about a month, but if you want to guarantee greater freshness to the product we advise you to prepare it less at a time and a little more frequently (let’s say at least every 15 days).

Is it possible to buy ready-made turmeric paste?

If you don’t have the time or desire to prepare turmeric paste but still want to drink Golden Milk daily, you can buy a ready-made solution. There are several versions: some preserved in glass, others in paper boxes such as those in which spices are generally found. Below we propose a product that we believe is of excellent quality and really practical to use.

STEP 2

Golden Milk

How to make a cup of Golden Milk

Now that we have made the turmeric paste we can proceed with the actual preparation of the Golden Milk. The recipe is very simple, let’s see how to proceed.

Preparation time: 5 min

Ingredients (doses for 1 cup) :

¼ teaspoon of turmeric paste
1 cup of cow ‘s milk or vegetable milk
Vegetable oil (sweet almond oil, coconut oil or ghee are usually used)
A pinch of pepper
Honey (optional if you want to sweeten)

Procedure:

For each cup of Golden Milk you want to prepare, you need to mix ¼ teaspoon of turmeric paste in a cup of hot milk;

You can then add a teaspoon of sweet almond oil (or extra virgin coconut oil), a pinch of pepper and honey (if you want to sweeten) to the drink;

As an alternative to the traditional Ayurvedic recipe, you can choose different variants of golden milk, as we will see below.

How to use and advice: when to drink Golden Milk

You are now wondering how to take Golden Milk and when it is best to do it during the day. Well, it is generally recommended to drink Golden Milk in the morning to immediately take advantage of all its benefits but in reality nothing prevents you from taking Golden Milk even in the evening (or only in the evening). Turmeric and warm milk before bed can in fact promote a better rest with all the benefits that this aspect has on our health.

Ayurvedic tradition recommends taking Golden Milk for breakfast for a period of 40 days, especially if you try this natural treatment to soothe inflammatory states of the body or muscle and joint pain. However, since it is a tasty and pleasant drink to sip, except for contraindications or side effects (see below), you can continue to take it at will even after 40 days.

However, it is advisable not to drink it for long periods without ever taking breaks, this not so much because it can be harmful but because, in a naturopathic key, it is always considered to take a stop period to prevent the body from becoming accustomed to the active ingredients of a determined remedy thus proving, in the long run, ineffective. One or two cups a day of golden milk are the doses, in our opinion, not to exceed.

Warnings and contraindications of Golden Milk

The contraindications of Golden Milk are essentially attributable to the presence of turmeric which not only offers benefits but also some disadvantages in people who take drugs or with previous diseases. Particular attention must be paid to those suffering from gallbladder stones or biliary problems . As for drugs, dangerous interactions with turmeric have been verified especially when taking anticoagulant drugs . There are also risks if you take antacids, antihistamines, and diabetes medications . In all these cases, avoid taking Golden Milk.

To limit or evaluate the use of this drink even during pregnancy or breastfeeding , since there are no studies on its total safety. As for the side effects, in case of ingestion of golden milk (especially if in too high doses) we could notice the appearance of nausea, diarrhea or vomiting. In this case, stop taking it immediately.

Does Golden Milk stain your teeth?

Turmeric taken for long periods can actually stain teeth , consider that this spice is also used in India as a dye. To reduce this effect, you can take the drink using a straw.

Is Golden Milk suitable for children?

A moderate consumption of Golden Milk can also be recommended for children over 3 years old. However, we must be sure that the little ones are free from particular health problems and that they do not take drugs (in these cases or in other peculiar situations it is always good to consult the opinion of your trusted pediatrician).

5 variations to the original Golden Milk recipe

If you want to try variations on the original Golden Milk recipe, you have several options. For example, you can prepare a vegan Golden Milk or turmeric and ginger-based drink, make golden milk even tastier with the use of cinnamon or rich in nutrients by adding a little linseed oil.

Golden Milk vegan

An excellent variant to the original Golden Milk , and perhaps even more used today, is the vegan one , which replaces cow’s milk with a vegetable drink of your choice (rice, soy, oats, coconut, millet, etc.). In this case, however, one of the two “fat” components of the original recipe is missing (cow’s milk, the other is sweet almond oil) and it is very important to add a further pinch of pepper to increase the bioavailability of turmeric.

Golden Milk with ginger

If you want to increase the spicy and “hot” flavor of this drink, you can also grate some fresh ginger inside (to leave inside the drink a few minutes before filtering) or add a pinch of powdered ginger.

Golden Milk with honey

The best way to sweeten the classic Golden Milk is to add a teaspoon or two of organic honey (e.g. acacia). This solution is especially good if you take the drink to soothe a sore throat.

Golden Milk with linseed oil

Instead of sweet almond oil, a good solution for those who want to fill up on Omega 3 is to supplement with a teaspoon of linseed oil to be added only when the drink is warm (to avoid losing its properties and going rancid) . However, the flavor of Golden Milk may vary a little and not everyone likes it.

Golden Milk with cinnamon

The recipe for golden milk with turmeric moves well with the use of cinnamon . An excellent variation of the classic drink is the one that plans to sprinkle on it a little ground cinnamon after blending the Golden Milk to make it bubbly.

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