Turmeric Tea, or golden milk, has legendary anti-inflammatory properties, so give this ancient home remedy a try if you’re stuffed up, sore, or coughing. It makes a great calming bedtime drink, too, even if you’re perfectly healthy.
Turmeric tea is an effective home remedy and a delicious restorative tea!
How are you feeling? A little under the weather? Tired? Stuffed up? Not quite yourself? Turmeric might be just what the doctor ordered. Turmeric is the bright yellow spice that gives mustards and curries their vivid color. In raw form it’s a little root-like thing, related to ginger, only a deep vivid orange inside. The color is so intense that it was originally used as a dye, but turmeric milk, or tea, has also been used in India as a healing drink for thousands of years, and lately Westerners have discovered turmeric in a big way. It has one of the longest lists of potential health benefits of any food known to man, from healing cuts to slowing the growth of cancers, and Alzheimer’s disease.
I made mine with coconut milk, but you can also use almond milk, or regular dairy milk, it’s up to you.
Other delicious ways to stay healthy the natural way ~
Turmeric Tea
Ingredients
- 2 cups light coconut milk, full fat coconut milk, or almond milk
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 peppercorns
- 6 cardamom pods
- 1 star anise
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- honey to taste
Instructions
- Gently crack the cardamom pods open with a rolling pin, being careful not to lose the tiny black seeds. Break the cinnamon stick in two.
- Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and let steep for 5 minutes.
- Bring the tea back up to a simmer, then strain into warm mugs.
- Top with a little ground cinnamon, if desired.
Hi Sue,
This tea sounds incredible and this is my first time learning the health benefits of turmeric, though I often cook with. Last week I saw fresh turmeric at my local produce store; I hope they still have it when I go shopping this week. Thanks for the recipe and I love the illustration!
Thanks Rosanna! I’m noticing fresh turmeric in several of my regular food stores, now that I have an eye out for it. I’m going to use the fresh in a curry one of these days. And my daughter is doing the illustrations, we’re having a lot of fun.
Get a mug, grate tablespoon of skinned raw turmeric(very cheap,in ethnic stores) also same with raw ginger pinch of cayenne pepper, manuka or other quality honey to taste, if you have tried this drink from the powdered products you will find the above recipe is far superior(no bitterness) I dont strain it and leave all ingredients to marinate in mug, nb, turmeric is staining to hands and worktops etc. enjoy. Gareth uk.
I will try it with the raw roots, thanks for the inspiration Gareth!
That cup is really beautiful. Any chance you would share where you got it and/or who the maker is?
Hey Anna— You know I’m pretty sure I got it at Marshall’s or someplace like that, but I looked it up and found it for sale on Etsy, it’s marked EIT Ltd England…http://www.etsy.com/listing/176348098/vintage-eit-ltd-england-cups
Whenever I start to feel any aches and pains from running, I up the turmeric in our diet and it’s amazing how much better I feel and so quickly! Definitely going to keep this turmeric tea in mind for that also!!
Ohhh my Indian flatmate makes me something similar every time I’m ill! thank you! I’ve really enjoyed your blog posts and recipes thanks!
I love turmeric, this tea looks so soothing and aromatic!
I’ve never seen fresh turmeric and I’m having an “ewwwww” moment. That is what that root is? Right? Just for the record. I’ll still eat it… GREG
Hi Sue,
In your second pic is the orange-ish looking root turmeric? Also love your illustrations. Nice Work!
Yes, that’s the turmeric next to ginger…it’s the most beautiful color when you cut into it!
I have been making a turmeric tea for a bit over 4 weeks now, after seeing Heidi Swanson’s recipe earlier. I gave turmeric and cauliflower to my dog when he was diagnosed with a prostate originating cancer: turmeric and cauliflower is reputed to help the prostate in humans.
My tea – no milk:
Put mint leaves and ground pepper in a mug (you need black pepper and some fat for the turmeric to be bioavailable to the body).
While the water is getting hot make a paste of a spoonful of honey, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp cayenne
Pour hot water over the mint to 1/2 the cup level.
Add the honey-spice paste and let dissolve (NOT boiling water with raw honey)
Add the juice of one lemon.
Hot water to fill the cup.
It is warming but the heat from 1/4 tsp cayenne is not sweat inducing…somehow tempered by the other ingredients.
I typically eat a spoonful of peanut butter for my fat before I drink it.
Long story to say that after 4 weeks, some joint pain that was plaguing me is gone (turmeric). Also, some rapid heartbeats at bedtime – gone (cayenne)
I haven’t tried the milk version although I know that is a typical Indian remedy. I envy you finding the root! My local told me they can get it but very spendy so I’ve been using a powder.
Wow, great testimonial Liz! I’ll give the non-milk version a try for sure.
I am totally going to make this! It sounds delish and I am chilly and worn out right now.