Golden Milk: More Than Just a Pretty Color
It seems like golden milk is everywhere these days- recipe websites, health blogs, I’ve even seen it on the menu at my local coffee shop! While it can be easy to write off health food trends, golden milk is much more than just a pretty drink. Golden milk is what I call a “functional food”. Basically, this means that golden milk not only tastes delicious, but it can provide some wonderful health benefits. The spices used are the key players in this beverage, so I want to highlight a few:
Turmeric: If one medicinal plant really had a “glow up” the past few years , it has got to me turmeric, and rightfully so! Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, has been shown to be anti-inflammatory and a powerful antioxidant. Because of it’s anti-inflammatory properties, curcumin may help manage conditions, such as metabolic syndrome and arthritis.
Black pepper: Similar to curcumin, the active compound in black pepper, piperine, also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Even more impressive, piperine works synergistically with curcumin, so adding black pepper to golden milk can actually increase your body’s ability to absorb curcumin by 2000%.
Cinnamon: This spice is probably one that you’re most familiar with, so you might be surprised to learn that cinnamon has medicinal uses as well. Cinnamon may lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels. Several polyphenols in cinnamon have been shown to have “insulin-like activity”, meaning that this spice may contribute to improved blood sugar control, particularly in those with insulin resistance.
Ginger: Ginger is one of my personal favorites because of the wide range of health benefits all backed into this little root! Research has shown that ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties can help to relieve pain from rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. Ginger is also a wonderful plant to use for gastrointestinal discomfort, particularly nausea and vomiting. I have found ginger to be very effective at relieving morning sickness in my pregnant clients.
If you’d never tried golden milk, give it a shot! While it’s tasty on it’s own, I must admit that I love adding a shot of decaf espresso to transform it into a spiced latte. If you're just not a fan of this beverage, no worries! These powerhouse spices can be used on their own in more ways than you can imagine- throw some cinnamon in your morning coffee, add ground turmeric and black peppers as the secret ingredients in your standard chicken noodle soup, or include some chopped ginger when you brew your next cup of tea.
References:
Hewlings, S.J. & Kalman, D.S. (2017). Curcumin: A Review of Its’ Effects on Human Health. Foods, 6(2), 92. doi: 10.3390/foods6100092
Jabir Al-Awwadi, N.A. (2017). Potential health benefits and scientific review of ginger. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy, 9(7), 111-116. doi: 10.5897/JPP2017.0459
Rao, P.V. & Gan, S.H. (2014). Cinnamon: A Multifaceted Medicinal Plant. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. doi: 10.1155/2014/642942