Golden Milk – An Indian beverage made with turmeric

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
This famous quote by Hippocrates, spoken more than 2,400 years ago, has now been supported by modern science.

Our eating habits are directly linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases and inflammatory processes in the body. Proper nutrition is one of the six pillars of lifestyle medicine, which include: eating real food—preferably plant-based—regular physical activity, quality sleep, relaxation and meditation practices, healthy relationships and strong social connections, and avoiding substances that are harmful to the body.

In this blog section, we will explore the benefits of certain foods and share simple, delicious recipes for you to try. I hope these recipes inspire you!

Turmeric, also known as curcuma or Indian saffron, is a spice with an intense yellow-orange color that adds color, flavor, and valuable nutrients to our diet. A close relative of ginger, turmeric comes from the root of a plant native to Asia and has been used in Asian cuisine for hundreds of years. It is also widely used in traditional medicine in both China and India.

Its main active compound is a polyphenol called curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Curcumin has several biological activities that are still being researched and not yet fully understood. Like other deeply colored natural foods, turmeric is rich in phytonutrients that help protect our bodies by neutralizing free radicals (from pollution, ultraviolet radiation, and other sources) and safeguarding our cells. Diets rich in plant-based foods are considered preventive against health conditions such as cancer and heart disease.

According to Mary-Eve Brown, an oncology nutritionist at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States, “anyone who is trying to manage inflammation in the body could benefit from consuming turmeric.” She mentions conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and other joint-related diseases, ulcerative colitis, allergies, and inflammatory disorders.

Turmeric is widely used around the world in many different ways, offering numerous benefits. In India, it is an essential ingredient in curry and is also mixed with yogurt and applied to the skin to help combat acne. In Japan, turmeric is consumed as tea; in Thailand, it is used in cosmetics; in China, as a dye; in South Korea, in beverages; in Malaysia, as an antiseptic; and in the United States, in mustard sauces, as a coloring for cheese, chips, and butter, as a preservative, or in capsule form. Highly versatile, turmeric also supports skin health, protects the liver, regulates the immune system, and is being studied as a powerful anticancer agent.

Donald Abrams, a renowned oncologist at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, recommends regular turmeric consumption as a way to reduce inflammatory processes in the body.

There are many ways to incorporate turmeric into our daily diet. One simple and easy option is preparing the well-known golden milk. Despite the name, it is not actually milk, but a blend of several ingredients that offer multiple health benefits.

The base of golden milk is a combination of turmeric (with its golden color) and coconut milk, cashew milk, or almond milk, enhanced with other spices. I recommend the following recipe, which yields two cups of golden milk:

Ingredients

2 cups cashew milk or coconut milk
(Blend 2 cups of water with 10 cashew nuts or the equivalent amount of coconut in a blender)

¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder

2 cm fresh ginger, peeled

4 cm fresh turmeric root or 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

Preparation

Blend all ingredients for 1 minute

Pour the mixture into a saucepan and bring to a boil for 1 minute

If desired, add 1 teaspoon of demerara sugar

Enjoy this healthy and delicious drink before bedtime or in the morning, before breakfast.

Whenever possible, I recommend using fresh ingredients.