Make Your Own Turmeric Milk
I'm always looking for ways to incorporate turmeric into my diet, due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Our bodies are burdened with so many inflammatory foods and situations, that everytime I consume turmeric, I think of it as a self-loving practice. "Here's some soothing herbs for you sweet body. I love you. Thank you for all you do."
Turmeric's high amounts of nutrients, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, and phytonutrients makes it a powerful medicinal herb that has been well studied and documented, particularly for the main component found in turmeric: curcumin. Curcumin has also been studied in depth, especially for cancer prevention: colon cancer , pancreatic cancer/tumor growth, prostate cancer, and reduced risk of childhood leukemia.
One trendy way to eat this powerful herb is in Turmeric Milk, aka Golden Milk. Below is a sugar-free version I adapted and enjoy.
Ingredients:
- a nub of turmeric (I use one about the size of my thumb. How much you use is up to you.)
- small pinch of black pepper (helps the body make use of the curcumin)
- 1 cup water*
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
- 1 tsp yacon syrup or 4 drops stevia extract (...or to taste. FYI - my favorite stevia brand is Stevita.)
- Combine all ingredients, except sweetener, in a blender and blend on high until all is liquified.
- *Put in a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10- 20 minutes. Why simmer? It mellows out the bitter and strong flavor of the turmeric. You can skip this step altogether if you like (just don't add the water in the first step.)
- Add sweetener of choice, to your level of preferred taste and mix well.
- Serve and enjoy. Think loving thoughts as an added bonus!
Resources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1578097 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10407566 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12216086 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16423986 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02977473 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0378874181900374