Golden Milk with Sweet Potato and Turmeric

Golden Milk is 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!

Sweet Potato Golden Milk with Turmeric

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 cup black or green tea (these are high in quercetin, which helps boost curcumin absorption)
  • 1/3 cup cooked sweet potato, in chunks (about 85 grams)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, depending on how strong you like it.
  • 1/4 teaspoon or more ground black pepper
  • Dash of optional spices: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger
  • Optional sweetener to taste such as 1 tablespoon Just Like Sugar Brown natural chicory root sweetener, or 1/2 teaspoon PureLo Lo Han Sweetener by Swanson, or 2 teaspoons raw honey, or your favorite sweetener.

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan over medium heat add all the ingredients.
  2. Heat until steamy but not boiling.
  3. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, no worries. Place all the ingredients into any blender before heating. Blend until smooth. Then pour into a saucepan and heat until steamy but not boiling.)
  4. Pour into a 16-oz cup. Enjoy!

8 Replies to "Golden Milk with Sweet Potato and Turmeric"

  • comment-avatar
    nancy keathley March 25, 2022 (6:08 pm)

    I have GERD,, not everyday but any hot peppers is curtains. some curries do this yo
    me,, However years ago, l made some curry dishes ,, but I was much younger.. l drink chai.. is there a way to make this without black pepper( l do use pepper when cooking and as long asl don’t add too much it’s ok

    • comment-avatar
      Jane Barthelemy April 11, 2022 (5:10 am)

      Hello Nancy, thank you for your comment. Yes, hot peppers are curtains for many of us. You can just skip black pepper and the recipe will be fine, although black pepper is technically not a nightshade. You can make up for the flavor by adding extra ginger. Or if you can get your hands on some galangal root, also called Thai Ginger, it has a lovely sharp flavor and is not in the pepper family. Sometimes available dry from Thai Kitchen. OR fresh in some produce departments.
      BTW Have you tried my Nightshade-Free Curry Powder? It’s YUMMY!!! And gentle on the digestion! Here’s the link: https://janeshealthykitchen.com/curry-powder-nightshade-free/
      Best wishes for your delicious health!
      Jane

  • comment-avatar
    Dianne March 19, 2022 (2:12 am)

    I drink golden milk almost everyday and will love to try it with Sweet Potatoes. Thank you for the great idea! You are the best!

    • comment-avatar
      Jane Barthelemy April 11, 2022 (5:34 am)

      Hello Dianne, Thank you for your kind comment. Yes, I created LOTS of different variations on golden milk, so we can enjoy VARIETY!! Best wishes for your delicious health! Jane

  • comment-avatar
    Michalene Katzer March 11, 2022 (6:52 am)

    Can a diabetic drink this?

    • comment-avatar
      Jane Barthelemy April 11, 2022 (5:39 am)

      Hi Michalene, Thanks for your question. I’m not a diabetic so I can’t say for sure. A diabetic would want to skip any glycemic sweetener. Can you eat Sweet Potato? If yes, then you can probably have this Golden Milk if it’s unsweetened.

  • comment-avatar
    Dawn March 11, 2022 (6:33 am)

    This almost sounds like a warm, golden milk smoothie with the addition of the sweet potato. I can’t wait to try it. I’ve always found golden milks gritty, and a little hard to drink, but after reading this, I know the microwave is to blame. I usually blend boiled water from the kettle with milk heated in the microwave, but I’m going to try your method next time. thank you!

    • comment-avatar
      Jane Barthelemy April 11, 2022 (5:45 am)

      Hi Dawn, thank you for your comment. One day long ago I discovered that micro-waves destroy the life force in foods. Even in water! YIKES! I don’t mind being flexible in my habits, so I gave away my microwave.
      This is interesting, and I’m happy you have your answer. Microwaving does a lot more than just heat the food’s temperature. That’s why you won’t find any microwave recipes on my website or in my books. I always heat things up on the stove. This Golden Milk is smooth and delicious! Best wishes for your constant improving health!
      Jane

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