Comforting, rich, and deliciously spiced, this wonderful beverage has a lot of oomph from anti-inflammatory spices. I used to be wary of this beverage because I find that one of the main ingredients – turmeric – can easily overpower certain dishes. I figured that something as gentle as milk could especially be overwhelmed with it.
I was wrong.
This is delicious! This is a traditional Indian Ayurveda beverage that harnesses some of the most potent known spices. I recently started drinking golden or turmeric milk (traditionally named: Haldi Ka Goodh) for it’s anti-inflammatory and immune building properties, but I was pleased to find that I love its taste.
Being on the AIP diet right now limits certain foods and beverages, including coffee. But I’ve found a lot of enjoyment with what I’m left with, such as this recipe.
Some of the ingredients in this recipe are some of the most researched too. For example, check out this overview of some of the research conducted on ginger and this one (out of hundreds) on turmeric – including both of their potential anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties .
If you want to read some of the research done on these two spices so far, you can search the website NCBI. Very interesting information! Because of studies that I read on this site about manuka honey, I try to have it on hand (You can read these four studies on manuka honey to give you an idea of possible benefits: 1, 2, 3, 4). Because of the possible benefits, I have been using manuka honey in this recipe, and it’s very delicious! But any favorite honey will work.
(Affiliate links used below.)
This is the brand of manuka honey I happen to have on my shelf right now.
What I love about this recipe is that it combines traditional wisdom with well-researched ingredients. On that same note, pepper and turmeric are traditionally combined in Indian recipes, and it turns out that science has finally confirmed that not only is this a delicious flavor combination, but the pepper is what allows the good stuff from turmeric to be bioavailable to us! (Source)
Note to my AIP friends, if you are still on the strict form of the AIP diet, you can’t have pepper yet. However, it’s often one of the first things people add back in, so you may be able to add it in quickly. Until then, this still tastes delicious without it. Follow the link below to find out what coconut cream I use that is AIP-friendly.
Ingredients:
Other Dairy-Free beverages you may enjoy:
Golden Milk – Hot Turmeric Milk
You will see that I have a list of other possible additions to this recipe. All of them are good. But it tastes great just with the basics too (which is what I use most of the time). I recommend that you start with the lowest amount of ginger and turmeric for your first cup.
Ingredients:
- ½ cupCoconut Cream and ½ cup of filtered water, or 1 cup of coconut milk (or milk of choice.)
- ½-3/4 teaspoon Ginger
- ½-3/4 teaspoon Turmeric
- Dash of freshly ground pepper, optional for those on AIP
- 1 to 2 teaspoons honey (I used, Manuka honey, see above), or to taste
- Other possible additions: ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon cardamom
Directions:
1. In a small pot, heat the coconut cream and water (or coconut milk), ginger, turmeric, and ground pepper until just simmering. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to steep for ten to twenty minutes (not completely necessary, but will give the flavors time to meld).
2. Reheat to the desired temperature. I heat until it’s warm to the touch, but not hot so that it doesn’t cook my raw honey when I add it. Stir in honey to taste, and enjoy.
Serves 1
- ½ cup coconut cream and ½ cup of filtered water, or 1 cup of coconut milk (or milk of choice.)
- ½-3/4 teaspoon ginger
- ½-3/4 teaspoon turmeric
- Dash of freshly ground pepper, optional for those on AIP
- 1 to 2 teaspoons honey (I used manuka honey, see above), or to taste
- Other possible additions: ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon cardamom
- In a small pot, heat the coconut cream and water (or coconut milk), ginger, turmeric, and ground pepper until just simmering. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to steep for ten to twenty minutes (not completely necessary, but will give the flavors time to meld).
- Reheat to the desired temperature. I heat until it’s warm to the touch, but not hot so that it doesn’t cook my raw honey when I add it. Stir in honey to taste, and enjoy.