Adaptogenic Golden Milk

self-care season

Golden milk is a traditional Ayurvedic drink that has been used for thousands of years to promote whole-body health. It’s comforting, nourishing, and soothing, a super-charged glass of warm milk before bed. Most golden recipes out there are complicated- requiring up to 10 spices, plus sweeteners, ghee, and milk. With so many components, making a mug of golden milk can seem like an insurmountable task during times of anxiety and unease. And as these are the exact times we would most benefit from a warm and comforting mug of golden milk, I always have a jar of spiced adaptogenic ghee handy to simplify the process. Just stir a spoonful of ghee (which can be customized with your favorite adaptogens and spices) into heated milk with turmeric, black pepper, and a touch of maple syrup. Easy!

Synergistic Magic of Traditional Golden Milk

The traditional combination of turmeric with black pepper, ghee, and warm milk is truly powerful, as together they create a combined effect greater than each on its own.

• Turmeric supports a healthy inflammation response and is a whole-body tonic. The most widely studied phytochemical in turmeric is curcumin.
• Our bodies are not good at absorbing turmeric. Turmeric is traditionally paired with black pepper to increase absorption. Black pepper increases curcumin’s absorption by 2,000%!!
• Curcumin is fat-soluble. Ghee provides healthy fats that curcumin break-down and dissolve into. Coconut oil works as a vegan substitute.
• The heat of the warmed milk also improves curcumin absorption.

Turmeric and the Phytochemical Curcumin

Turmeric is closely related to ginger (Zingiberaceae family) and is native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Like ginger, the rhizome (underground modified stems; also called rootstalks) are edible. Harvested rhizomes can be used fresh or are boiled in water, dried, and then ground into powder. Cuisines of India, Asia, and the Middle East widely use turmeric for its bright golden color and earthy, slightly bitter taste. It has also been used medicinally in Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese medicine, and other traditional medicine practices of Asia and the Middle East.

Medicinal benefits

The western world is only recently catching up with turmeric’s medicinal benefits. Supporting thousands of years of use in traditional medicine, scientific studies show turmeric, specifically it’s phytochemical curcumin, provides countless health benefits. Nearly all of the major systems in the body benefit from therapeutic doses (which are much higher than the amount of turmeric consumed in culinary dishes).

Turmeric (and curumin) powerfully modulates inflammation, specifically chronic inflammation that can lead to age-related chronic diseases, metabolic disorders, and digestive problems. Studies even show that curcumin is as effective in relieving arthritis symptoms as NSAIDs and without the side-effects common with NSAID use. Additionally turmeric is full of potent antioxidant that reduce oxidative damage throughout the body.

Amazingly curcumin can even cross the blood-brain barrier, a roadblock that prevents pathogens and potentially toxic molecules in the blood from crossing into the central nervous system. The blood-brain barrier is so good at its job that unfortunately therapeutic drugs for treating brain disorders are almost always blocked from accessing the nervous system and brain. There is hope that curcumin may one day be utilized to prevent or treat brain inflammation and oxidative damage that can lead to Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other brain diseases.

More Herbal Recipes

+++When adding new foods or herbs to your diet, check with your healthcare provider to see if any of the ingredients are contraindicated for you.+++

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Adaptogenic Ghee Golden Milk

Golden milk made easy-just stir a spoonful of spiced adaptogenic ghee (which can be customized with your favorite adaptogens and spices) into heated milk with turmeric, black pepper, and a touch of maple syrup. See notes for link to spiced adaptogenic ghee recipe.

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: 2 cups

Author: Sammy

Equipment

• small saucepan
• blender (optional)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp spiced ashwagandha ghee
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• pinch black pepper
• 2 c milk or milk alternative
• 1 tsp maple syrup

Instructions

• Melt the ghee in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the turmeric and black pepper, stir for 30 seconds as the spices sizzle and become fragrent.
• Add the milk and stir constantly until the milk is steaming hot. Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup.
• Optional: you can blend the hot golden milk to emulsify the ghee and produce a frothy golden milk. To do so, pour hot golden milk into a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds (always use caution when blending hot liquids and be sure to allow the steam to escape).
• Pour into a mug and drink immediately. Stir non-blended golden milk as needed to redistribute the ghee.

Notes

Spiced adaptogenic ghee recipe

On days with very low mental and energetic bandwidth, you can make it even easier. Simply combine all ingredients in a large microwave-safe mug until warm. Keep an close eye on it as you microwave- it is prone to bubbling up and overflowing. 

+++When adding new foods or herbs to your diet, check with your healthcare provider to see if any of the ingredients are contraindicated for you.+++