Turmeric Milk Recipe & 4 Steps to Release Its Healing Properties

With our focus transitioning towards strengthening immune systems for disease prevention, turmeric has come to the forefront and for good reason. It contains natural and very beneficial steroidal (fat-soluble) compounds that are so potent and critical to calm down our bodies’ inflammatory responses to pathogens – bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms that cause disease.

However, the ‘how’ is just as important as the ‘what’ if you truly want to maximize its healing properties.

So, how do you take your turmeric? If you’re simply taking it with water, then you’re probably not enabling your body to absorb its micronutrients, or allowing its most potent compounds to become more bioavailable to your body.

Want to know the secrets? Here are 4 simple ways to get the most from this healing spice:

Add black pepper

Curcumin, the most active and advantageous ingredient in turmeric, is not automatically bioavailable or well absorbed by our intestines – UNLESS, we combine it with piperine in black pepper that triggers our pancreas to release digestive enzymes to help release curmunin‘s healing properties. In complementing each other, they both help improve health due to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and disease-fighting qualities.

Consume with good fat

Turmeric is fat-soluble – meaning, it dissolves and is broken down more effectively when consumed with fat. If consumed WITHOUT it, and especially on an empty stomach, or taken in tea or capsule form with only water, its healing properties will be eliminated by your body prematurely, and your body will miss out on absorbing its healing properties.

Boil or cook your turmeric

Exposing turmeric to heat makes its curcuminoids (micronutrients) more bioavailable to us. And, this isn’t only true for turmeric. Most herbs and spices are best eaten when cooked, as has been done in so many traditional recipes. Have you ever wondered why, that although they’re naturally aromatic, they become more fragrant and flavorful when heated?

Enjoy it, play around with it or move on

Turmeric, as we know, is a pungent and slightly bitter spice that isn’t every person’s cup of tea – like any kind of food or thing for that matter. There are studies that prove that the healthiest are foods that we actually WANT to eat – not what we think we MUST eat. And, we’re only talking about natural whole foods here!

Nutrient absorption is reliant on enjoyment.

Since we all have different tastes and preferences, it’s important to learn how to eat more intuitively, and become less reliant on trends to dictate our personal food choices.

Don’t like turmeric? Forcing yourself to eat it will send a message from your brain to your body to reject its benefits. However, don’t give up so easily on this spice. Tap into your creativity and experiment with different recipes to find out ways to make turmeric more delicious to you. Otherwise, there’s nothing wrong in moving on as well, and focusing on other whole foods that could bring more healing to you and your body.

For inspiration, here’s a recipe to definitely make eating turmeric more nutritious, and hopefully more enjoyable for you.

It combines all the steps mentioned above, adding black pepper, healthy fats and heat in a simply delicious cup. Enjoy!

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Golden Turmeric Milk Latte

A delicious cup that brings out the best of the healing properties of turmeric – it helps fight inflammation and increase blood circulation. Through the addition of healthy fats from almond milk, coconut milk and extra virgin coconut oil or MCT oil, it also gives you a boost of energy, especially as taken best in the morning. Don't leave out the pepper!

Course Drinks

Servings 2

Author Roanna Medina

Ingredients

• 1 tsp Golden Milk mix by The Urban Spices turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper and coriander seeds
• 1 cup almond milk unsweetened
• ¼ cup full-fat coconut milk unsweetened
• ½ inch vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsps raw honey
• 2 tsps extra-virgin coconut oil or MCT oil
• pinch sea salt

Instructions

1. Add everything into a saucepan, except the oil and honey, and gently heat and stir to combine. Turn off the heat once it reaches a light boil.

2. Transfer to a blender, adding the oil and honey. Gently pulse and blend to combine until it gets frothy.

3. Serve hot, and drink immediately.

Recipe Notes

Make your own almond milk following this recipe. 

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