*Post contains affiliate links | Photo: Osha Key from www.lovetariandiet.com
Turmeric ginger tea (or ‘Golden Milk’ as it’s sometimes called) makes a delicious warming drink and I’m a huge fan of a cup, especially during the autumn and winter months.
This turmeric ginger recipe uses both turmeric and coconut oil and if you’ve read my recipes for turmeric coconut oil toothpaste and coconut oil deodorant, you’ll know both are permanent fixtures of my food cupboard.
Turmeric, with its powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties, has been a staple of Indian and Ayurvedic recipes and healing remedies for thousands of years, whilst the health benefits of coconuts have been celebrated for a similar time frame in the Pacific Rim and Asian countries.
Why Make a Tea From Turmeric and Ginger?
For peak health, a body’s pH level should be between around 7.35 and 7.45 .
When it starts going above this level, long term, it can lead to a host of digestive and health ailments – from weight problems and allergies to fatigue and premature aging, as well as problems with our nervous and cardiovascular system and muscles.
The Western diet is often very acidic these days, so our PH levels can often be higher than nature intended.
Eating alkaline foods (and avoiding acidic food and drink like coffee, alcohol and fried, fatty foods) can balance your PH back to the level at which our bodies work best.
And this is where turmeric and ginger really come into their own.
Here’s why:
Turmeric and ginger are both are highly alkalising.
This is why drinking a turmeric ginger tea couple of times a day can be so beneficial.
I can honestly say, at a particularly ‘gurgley’ time in my tummy’s history, drinking this tea before bed truly worked wonders. I woke up feeling less bloated and my tummy no longer felt slightly acidic
So I’ve since started making the tea a part of my morning and pre bed routine.
The Powerful Health Benefits of Turmeric and Ginger
As well as being alkaline, turmeric and ginger come with a host of other kick butt benefits too.
Turmeric is a one of nature’s truly wonderful anti-inflammatory foods, which makes it an excellent choice if you have stiff or achey joints. It’s also a powerful immune-booster and is touted as an amazing cancer fighter. It’s a great anti-oxidant. Ever seen the word curcumin mentioned in relation to turmeric? It’s this active ingredient that makes turmeric so powerful as a healing spice.
Ginger root is another powerful anti-inflammatory agent and immune booster. It also helps with digestion, can help reduce nausea, joint & muscle pain, aids nutrient absorption and helps to fight physical degeneration. It is even thought to help ward off cancer, Alzheimers and depression and help with diabetes.
Here’s how to make turmeric and ginger tea:
What You’ll Need to Make Turmeric Ginger Tea
- 1-2 inch piece of fresh ginger (grated)
- 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric (you can also use fresh turmeric root if available)
- a generous teaspoon of coconut oil
- a pinch or two of freshly ground black pepper
- milk of choice – coconut, almond or dairy work well.
How To Make Turmeric Ginger Tea (Golden Milk)
This recipe is really easy to make and the ingredients above will make enough paste to pop in a small airtight container and keep you going for a few days.
Here’s how:
- Melt the coconut oil* (I use this one) in a small skillet or saucepan
- Add the grated ginger root and simmer for a few seconds
- Stir in the turmeric (organic is best) and simmer until a sizzling golden paste forms (it’s important to heat the turmeric in the oil to release the flavour)
- Add a pinch or few grinds of freshly ground black pepper**
- If your paste is a bit on the dry side, simply add a bit of water to form a thickish paste like consistency
- Remove the paste from the heat, allow to cool and pop in a small airtight jar (such as these) and store in the fridge.
- Add a third of a teaspoon of your golden tea paste to a pan of your milk of choice and heat.
- Stir and drink! (I drink as is but you can strain your drink if preferred).
If you like your drinks a little sweeter, simply add a drop of maple syrup, date syrup or honey.
*Without fat, the active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, has a tough time making it past the stomach and on into the small intestine and lastly into the blood, which is where it can offer the greatest benefits (source).
** Adding black pepper is important, as black pepper contains piperine, which studies indicate hugely aids absorption of turmeric by up to 2000%).
Photo: Osha Key from www.lovetariandiet.com
Please note, if you are pregnant or taking prescribed medication, always consult your doctor first or do your own independent research. Whilst turmeric is completely natural, I am not a healthcare professional and the recipe and benefits above are based on my own experience. It is also not recommended to take turmeric in excessively high doses (source).
Have you tried turmeric and ginger tea? What did you think?
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