Golden Milk Is The Cozy Health Elixir You Need To Drink This Fall
The weather is getting chilly, your room is getting stuffy, and you're feeling a little under the weather — when fall hits, it's almost impossible to avoid. No matter the time of day or night, it seems you're always craving something cozy. The feel of a heated cup between your palms is absolute heaven on a gusty fall evening. But there's only so much tea a person can drink.
Fortunately, there's another perfect brew for autumn: Golden milk, loaded with nutrients, foamy milk, and aromatic spices, is the ultimate steamy filler for your adorable ceramic mug.
Golden milk has been used for centuries in ayurvedic medicine to boost wellness and cure various ailments. The combination of ingredients is nourishing and warm, a soothing end to a long day.
It has four main components: coconut milk, turmeric, a pinch of black pepper, and coconut oil.
Turmeric
This spice is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, which can decrease pain in joints, ease digestive discomfort, and block against free radical damage that contributes to cancer and other diseases.
It has a mild taste and a strong orange twinge of color, which has been known to stain fingertips and every surface it touches. But it's worth it — the spice can help boost your brain health and reduce stress, too. Fun fact: It's also great for your dog.
Black Pepper
An odd choice for a cozy sweet drink, black pepper boosts the bioavailability of turmeric, the star of the health potion. Bioavailability is the ability of the body to absorb the nutrients of a certain substance. When you pair turmeric with black pepper, you get more nourishment from each sip.
Coconut Oil
Your calorie-counting brain might not like this one because oil is such a dense food, but it's an essential component to the comfort of the drink. The oil provides healthy saturated fats called MCFAs, which have antimicrobial properties that can protect against infection and illness. During the flu season, this is essential. The healthy fats also make the drink feel more satiating and can contribute to lower levels of bad cholesterol.
Coconut Milk
There's so much coconut in this steaming cup of comfort. This coconut milk comes in a can, and is often used in cooking curries or other creamy dishes.
Similarly to coconut oil, coconut milk has healthy fats your body needs — but a different kind. Coconut milk has MCTs, a substance popularized in the bodybuilding community for its ability to stimulate fat oxidation and muscle regeneration. The milk also contains electrolytes which, paired with fats, can help with digestion and boost gut health.
Plus, coconut milk is so creamy.
Outside of those four nourishing components, the rest of the recipe is up to you. Many drink mixers like to add in other immunity-boosting spices such as cinnamon or ginger. To thin out the milk and fill a whole cup, it's common to brew it with water or plant-based milk.
A warm cup of comfort, golden milk is best sipped right before bed. Your body will love every second. If you try it and don't love the drink, you could always revert to one of these tried and true ways to incorporate turmeric into your daily diet.