Golden milk is a beverage that relies heavily on turmeric as the main substance and it's combined with milk (coconut milk, almond milk, etc.), honey, black pepper, ginger, and cinnamon (optional). Also known as turmeric milk or liquid gold, golden milk is an ancient recipe that has been used for centuries by people in Southeast Asia and is also used in Ayurvedic medicine.
Turmeric gives golden milk its golden color, but it is much more than that. Its active ingredient curcumin is a strong antioxidant with amazing, potent anti-inflammatory properties that are exceptional for your health. Turmeric blended with the aforementioned ingredients not only makes for a tasty drink but an essential one as well. Here are just a few of the numerous benefits of drinking golden milk according to Heathline.com:
The Benefits of Drinking Golden Milk
1.Drinking Golden Milk May Protect Against Heart Disease.
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Studies have shown that turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon have all been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease. One study, in particular, showed that people who received curcumin before undergoing heart surgery were less than 65% likely to experience a heart attack during their stay in the hospital compared to ones who received a placebo. While these are some great benefits, more research is still needed.
2.Golden Milk Is Packed With Antioxidants.
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As mentioned above, curcumin is a strong antioxidant, but this is also true for the other elements that make up golden milk, such as ginger and cinnamon. Antioxidants protect against cell damage and lower your risk of infection and disease. Having a diet rich in antioxidants is crucial to your diet and living a healthy lifestyle.
3.Drinking Golden Milk May Reduce Your Risk of Cancer.
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As a form of alternative medicine, ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric have all been used to help with the reduction of cancerous cells in the body. Curcumin may kill cancer cells and slow down the growth of tumors, cinnamon may reduce the growth of cancer cells, and ginger has anti-cancer properties. These are a few popular methods used in alternative medicine, however, research on these studies is limited.
4.Drinking Golden Milk May Reduce Inflammation and Joint Pain.
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Turmeric's active ingredient is curcumin and it has anti-inflammatory effects, which help reduce inflammation and pain in your joints. Ginger and cinnamon are also known to have anti-inflammatory effects and, when mixed with turmeric, make it a power-packed beverage.
5.Golden Milk Can Potentially Reduce Depression.
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Although more research is needed, studies show that taking curcumin gives you similar effects as taking antidepressants. People who are depressed may have lower levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), while curcumin actually boosts levels of BDNF, which puts you in an overall good mood.
Because of these amazing health benefits, many people have used this ancient recipe, some adding a little twist to it. Here are three variations of the golden milk recipe:
Featured image by Getty Images.
Originally published January 11, 2019
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