IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT GOLDEN MILK

In as much as we do like doing trendy things, we love showing you things that you will benefit you for the rest of your life. If you’re on social media, you have probably seen images of cups containing a golden yellow beverage. It is golden milk. 

Golden milk is a traditional Ayurvedic drink prized for its numerous health benefits. It gets its rich golden color from the herbaceous, earthy, and spicy turmeric, but it often contains other spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, black pepper, ashwagandha, and sometimes even cayenne pepper.

When combined with coconut milk, it makes a rich, creamy beverage that can be served hot or cold. You can balance out the bitter taste and enhance the potency of the turmeric by adding a touch of honey. Bitter tastes help to detoxify the body, while sweet ones’ increase bioavailability to carry the medicinal qualities of bitters deeper into your tissues.1  

Apart from helping to detoxify the body, golden milk has many  other benefits, mostly linked to curcumin, the active constituent in turmeric. These include:

• Natural anti-inflammatory — curcumin blocks a molecule called NF-kB, which activates the genes that initiate inflammation
• Antioxidant — has a structure that neutralizes free radicals and prevents oxidative damage
• Boosts brain function — increases brain levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a growth hormone present in the brain
• Lowers risk of heart disease — improves function of the linings of blood vessels
• Helps prevent cancer— decreases growth of new bloods vessels in tumors and the spread of cancerous cells
• Boosts the immune system — antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties
• Improves mood — potential to boost mood-regulating neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine

You’ll often see turmeric paired with black pepper. This is because black pepper contains a compound called piperine, which prevents the liver from metabolizing curcumin before it can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Even a tiny pinch can increase its bioavailability by up to 2,000%! 4

The other spices added to golden milk also benefit the body. Cinnamon is a powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, improves insulin sensitivity, lowers blood sugar, and helps fight bacterial and fungal infections.5 Ginger, another anti-inflammatory, helps reduce nausea and treat indigestion, reduce muscle pain and soreness, has anti-diabetic properties that help to reduce blood sugar, and may help improve brain function.6 Using full-fat coconut milk also provides a dose of healthy fats needed for proper brain functioning. It also helps to fight viruses and bacteria, reduces inflammation, improves heart health, and has a positive impact on weight and metabolism.7  

Let’s talk about the one unique addition to golden milk that often times you won’t see in traditional recipes: ashwagandha. Ashwa- what, you say? Ashwagandha is known for its powerful adaptogenic properties, meaning it helps the body adapt and recover from physical and psychological stress. If that's not enough, there are also several other benefits to adding it to your golden milk. It can help to reduce blood sugar levels, impedes growth of new cancer cells, helps to manage cortisol levels (our stress hormone), reduces anxiety, increases muscle mass and overall strength, decreases inflammation, and promotes antioxidant activity to protect cells from oxidation and damage.8

But be cautious about the amount of ashwagandha you add — it has a potent and powerful taste that can easily overwhelm the subtler spices in the mix. Start by adding just a bit and work your way up, or add a little more sweetener of your choice to mask the flavor. 

Why should you drink golden milk?  

In case you’re not yet convinced, golden milk is beneficial for the body in a number of other ways.9 

• Supports healthy cholesterol levels
• Inhibits platelet aggregation (sticking together)
• Suppresses symptoms of arthritis
• Protects against liver damage
• Enhances wound healing
• Protects against cataracts
• Helps with insomnia

Unlike with caffeinated beverages, there’s no ideal time to consume golden milk. Some people like to drink it before bed to promote relaxation and sleep, while others prefer to have it first thing in the morning for an energy boost (without the caffeine crash afterwards). Golden milk can also be a great mid-day pick-me-up if you find yourself in an energy slump. 

If you haven’t tried golden milk before, you may be thinking that turmeric in a sweet beverage seems a little bizarre – it’s usually a spice you find in savory dishes. Not so fast, though. The combination of earthy, warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger, and a bit of honey (or other sweetener) turns turmeric into a dessert-like treat. 

There’s also no reason that kids can’t enjoy golden milk, too. If they enjoy the taste and want to reap all the benefits, encourage them to drink up!
Find the recipes for this amazing product here