By Maggie McCracken
Have you heard of golden milk? Brit + Co calls it the new green juice, but this delicious concoction is no trend—it's been around for ages. Made from a base of turmeric and fresh milk, golden milk is an anti-inflammatory dream that's commonly consumed in Okinawa, Japan. Its moniker may be a bit misleading, as the stuff is usually made of non-dairy milks such as coconut or almond milk. This is a warming, delicious drink that's fabulous for sipping right before bedtime.
Health Benefits of Turmeric
You may already know some of the health benefits of the delicious spice turmeric, but if not, here's a quick rundown. The primary benefit of turmeric is that it's anti-inflammatory, meaning that it can calm inflammation in the body. It's also believed to have carcinogenic-blocking effects, which means that it may help prevent certain types of cancers.
What's the Deal with Inflammation?
We hear about about inflammation a lot, but what does it mean exactly? Inflammation is the body's natural response to potentially harmful stimuli. When you get a mosquito bite, for instance, the body responds by blocking off the area (in an attempt to prevent any poisons or toxins from spreading) and attacking the intruding substance.
"The inflammation process protects the body by isolating the damaged area, attracting immune cells and molecules to the site and, in later stages, promoting the healing of affected tissues," explains Novimmune. "In fact, without inflammation, wounds or infections would never heal."
This healthy response can be very damaging to our bodies if it goes unchecked. Chronic low-level inflammation is a major problem and it's been linked to pretty much every chronic disease, including cancer, Alzheimer's, chronic fatigue, gum disease and heart disease.
Inflammation is caused by a number of factors and, like I said, is perfectly healthy at normal levels. Even something as simple as eating gluten creates a state of low-level inflammation in the body, for example, according to Dr. David Perlmutter's book "Grain Brain."
So, how do we combat inflammation? For one thing, we can avoid toxic substances and eat a healthy, moderate diet. We can also consume anti-inflammatory foods and spices such as turmeric.
How to Make Golden Milk
This delicious golden milk recipe has me excited to drink up before I go to sleep! All you have to do is combine 1 cup of almond or coconut milk, ½ t ground turmeric, ½ t ground ginger, ¼ t cardamom and 1 tsp honey. You can also add a pinch of black pepper if you wish. Whisk the ingredients together, strain over a mug and enjoy! You can also warm your non-dairy milk before hand if you'd like a warm cuppa.
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