Warming Golden Milk for Winter

Golden Milk! As delicious it sounds. Golden milk has been around for a very long time but has been getting pretty trendy lately. And rightly so. Thanks to the turmeric, golden milk is a lovely warming and calming drink for the digestive system and perfect for these freezing winter days.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is one of herbal medicine's most potent anti-inflammatories. It also possesses many other actions including:
- Antioxidant
- Immune modulating
- Increases apoptosis (programmed cell death of damaged cells)
- Protects liver cells
- Anti-microbial
- May possess anti-carcinogenic qualities

For my digestive health friends, a 2006 randomised double blind study found ulcerative colitis patients who received 1g of turmeric with breakfast and dinner, in addition to their normal medication (sulfasalazine) had a significantly less relapse rate (4%) compared to the placebo group (20.5%). Turmeric's broad anti-inflammatory action is great for those with digestive disturbances. When combined with other calming gut herbs, golden milk is a great little digestive and detoxification aid.

Golden Milk (makes one serving)

• 1 cup of coconut/almond milk
• 1 tsp of ground organic turmeric
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp of ground ginger (or more if you're obsessed with it like me)
• 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp black pepper (to aid turmeric absorption and bioavailability)
• 1 Tbsp of honey (optional)

Slowly heat milk on stovetop, adding each ingredient whilst stirring. Do not boil, keeping to a simmer. Add sweetener such as honey or rice malt syrup if desired. 

References:
Gupta, S, Patchva, S & Aggarwal, B 2012, 'Therapeutic Roles of Curcumin: Lessons learned from clinical trials', The AAPS Journal, vol.  15, no. 1, pp. 195-218