Relax and de-stress with Golden Milk. It’s a delicious way to get your daily dose of turmeric. Quick to prepare, this spicy chai will uplift your mood, warm your heart, and stimulate total vitality. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, is a potent anti-inflammatory that destroys many types of cancer cells. But it is difficult for the body to absorb. This Golden Milk recipe is especially formulated to help you assimilate ALL the health benefits of turmeric.

Sweet potatoes are yummy, high in fiber, vitamin C, potassium, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), niacin (vitamin B3), vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium, and copper. They get their orange color from beta-carotene, an antioxidant. Homemade Golden Milk is way healthier than any store bought beverage, as it’s free of dairy, sugar, GMO’s and chemicals. I’ve found that heating Golden Milk on the stove works better than microwaving, which often creates a gritty texture to the Golden Milk. Also microwaving destroys somewhere between 40-90% of nutrients.

Check out the benefits of Turmeric!

General Health Benefits – Turmeric and its active ingredient curcumin, contain powerful anti-aging, anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, antiviral, anti inflammatory, analgesic and anti-microbial properties. One of turmeric’s primary roles is to prevent free radical formation in the cells.

Alzheimer’s – Studies at the University of California found that turmeric can reduce the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease. Curcumin in turmeric can block the development of Beta-amyloid plaque in brain tissue associated with Alzheimer’s. Maybe that’s why a study of elderly people in Indian villages found that they had the lowest instances of Alzheimer’s in the world. Indians consume large amounts of turmeric in curries and turmeric tea.

Lung Ailments –  Turmeric can ease bronchial ailments such as coughs and colds. Curcumin plays a protective role in exposures to toxins such as mineral dusts, airborne pollutants, cigarette smoke, and chemotherapy. Turmeric is used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute lung injury, respiratory distress syndrome, and asthma.

Anti-Cancer Benefits – Studies suggest that turmeric has broad anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. Okinawa is the island nation with the world’s longest average life span. Okinawans drink lots of turmeric tea.

Chemical sensitivity – Turmeric is a great natural herbal remedy for anyone who is allergic or chemically sensitive. It is known to aid circulation, lower cholesterol, and improve the health of arteries and veins.

Liver Function – Turmeric is known to detoxify body and liver, boost immunity, reduce bad cholesterol, and cleanse and purify the blood.

Yuo might be inclined to start sprinkling turmeric on everything. However curcumin (its major active compound) is poorly absorbed in the body and has minimal impact on blood levels when taken alone. Here are four important ways you can enhance its absorption:

1. Always eat tumermic with black pepper: Black pepper can greatly improve absorption of turmeric in the body.  In one study, when taken with 20 mg of piperine (active ingredient in pepper) per 2.2 pounds of body weight, it improved bioavailability of turmeric by 2000%.
2. Add some fat: Turmeric is fat-soluble and thus much better absorbed when taken with fat. Examples of fat are coconut milk, coconut oil, MCT oil, animal fats, butter.
3. Heat it: Heat is said to increase the solubility of curcumin (the primary active constituent in turmeric) by 12 times, which may also make it more easily absorbed in the body.
4. Eat turmeric with quercetin-rich foods: Quercetin, a flavonoid, is known to inhibit an enzyme that inactivates curcumin. Adding turmeric to quercetin-rich foods can increase the absorbtion of turmeric in the body. Foods rich in isoquercitrin include leafy vegetables, broccoli, red onions, peppers, apples, grapes, black tea, green tea, red wine, capers, Serrano peppers, and some fruit juices.

My favorite ways to consume turmeric are as Gold Milk and curry dishes. Turmeric is the primary ingredient in curry powder. But beware, as most curry powders contain nightshade peppers, which cause problems for many people. Fortunately it’s super-easy to make your own curry powder. Check out my delicious recipe for Curry Powder – Nightshade free!