Golden Milk: you’ve probably seen it at your local hipster cafe, or perhaps popping up on your Instagram feed. But this beautiful beverage has been around for centuries if not millennia in India.

For most of its history it’s been used as an Ayurvedic health drink to keep away just about every ailment you can imagine, and now in the West these turmeric lattes are used as a tasty way to get your antioxidants, keep inflammation at bay and get in the mood for fall and winter (Ramadurai, 2020).

Today’s post delves into Golden Milk, covering:

 

• What is Golden Milk? Where is it from? (Spoiler: not only India!)
• What does Golden Milk taste like?
• When, how much & why to drink Golden Milk
• The difference between Turmeric & Curcumin

 

And then shares 4 delicious turmeric latte/Golden Milk recipes:

 

1. Traditional Ayurvedic Golden Milk / Masala Haldi Ka Doodh
2. Okinawan Turmeric Tea Recipe
3. Golden Milk Masala Chai Recipe
4. Green Tea Golden Milk Recipe
5. Bonus: Creative recipe ideas for your next Golden Milk / Turmeric Latte

 

 

What is Golden Milk? Where is it from?

Golden milk or Haldi Doodh is a traditional Ayuvedic drink from India, made using turmeric + milk + black pepper. Turmeric has been used in India for over 4500 years, in everything from skin treatments to fabric dye to charms to deter evil spirits (Sivasubramanian, 2017).

Turmeric is also famously every Indian grandmother’s answer to all health complaints. When we were living in Kerala, for example, I had an allergic reaction on my hands from something I had touched – the answer? Mix curcumin with water to form a paste, and cover my hands with it for half an hour twice a day. I’m not sure if it helped my skin problem, but it did turn my hands a stunning yellow!

Although Golden Milk is traditionally from India, turmeric tea has a long history in Okinawa, Japan as well (Nature's Help, 2019). Thanks to Okinawa’s southerly position, it was involved in the spice trade, and turmeric arrived in Japan several centuries ago (Yu, 2019). It was incorporated into society and the local diet, and to this day turmeric tea (ukoncha) is a popular everyday on the archipelego (Season with Spice, 2011).

Unlike India’s Golden Milk, Ukoncha is made with water instead – though still incorporates black pepper.

Golden Milk / the turmeric latte is now endemic across hip and trendy cafes in various Western countries, where it continues to evolve into new and different forms, with flavored syrups, foamed milks, and novel ingredients (Singh, 2018).

 

 

 

What does Golden Milk taste like?

When turmeric is combined with milk and black pepper (and often other spices, such as ginger and cardamom), it makes a creamy, lightly spiced drink that is distinctly warming and beautifully caffeine free.

It can have a somewhat bitter taste, especially if you use powdered turmeric, and there’s a certain dryness to it thanks to all the spices. Adding a teaspoon of honey helps cut the bitterness and dryness significantly, without making it taste too sweet.

 

How often should you drink Golden Milk? Can you drink it daily?

Some studies looking at safe consumption levels of curcumin found that people who reported stomach distress had consumed between 0.5g and 12g (Brennan, 2020).

Because turmeric is only 3% curcumin, to consume 0.5g of curcumin would mean eating or drinking at least 17g of turmeric, or 0.6oz. This is a lot of turmeric!!

For example, each recipe below uses 1-2g of turmeric. You would have to drink 8.5 Golden Milks (which is 17 cups of milk!) in a day to reach these level.

 

What is the best time to drink Golden Milk?

Because Golden Milk is caffeine free, you can drink it any time of the day. However, if you are drinking it to relax and get sleepy, than an hour or so before bedtime is ideal (Goyal, 2020).

Of course, if you make the black or green tea recipes below, then these contain caffeine from the tea leaves so you shouldn’t drink them too close to when you want to go to sleep! At least 4-5 hours before, to be safe.

 

Turmeric vs Curcumin: What’s the difference?

Turmeric is a plan whose root or rhizome is a vibrant gold with a mild spice. Curcumin is a tiny molecule within the root, and only 3% of turmeric is curcumin. Whenever you read about the miracle health benefits of turmeric, what people are actually raving about is the curcumin, as that has shown various promising anti-inflammatory properties across multiple studies (Eclectic, 2017; Morgan, 2021).

 

Health Benefits of Golden Milk: Turmeric as an Anti-Inflammatory

We have a post all about anti-inflammation and tea, with a focus on turmeric – there’s a lot to say. In a nutshell, turmeric’s curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory, if your body can access it. Black pepper combined with turmeric allows your body to absorb the curcumin, which is pretty cool – and why golden milk recipes always have pepper included (Morgan, 2021).

To learn more about the health benefits and science of turmeric, read our post here about inflammation and tea

Turmeric is also famously one of the highest antioxidant foods out there, with an ORAC score of an enormous 127,068 (Superfoodly, 2021). For reference, green tea has an ORAC score of 1253. Of course, this score is for consuming 100g of turmeric, which you shouldn't do, but suffice it to say it is a very antioxidant-rich food.

If you're curious how antioxidants are measured and what the heck ORAC score actually means, read this.

 

 

 A visual comparison from left to right of fresh turmeric root, turmeric powder, and dried turmeric root (this photo is of our Golden Kerala Pure Organic Turmeric, part of our Blend@Home collection) 

 

What type of turmeric and milk should I use to make Golden Milk?

A note on turmeric choice: you can use fresh turmeric sliced or chopped up, turmeric powder or dried turmeric root pieces. There are subtle differences between the three:

1. Turmeric root makes a clearer liquid and requires a longer steeping time
2. Turmeric powder causes a bright golden color, an increased bitter taste (mild, but it’s there), and requires regular stirring while drinking to prevent a sludge forming at the bottom
3. Turmeric pieces are a good balance between fresh and powder, with reduced bitterness but a longer steeping time compared to the powder.

Regarding your choice of milk, the higher the fat content, the richer the flavor and the higher the antioxdant levels. The fattier the milk or cream, the lower the protein level.

Antioxidants bind with proteins, and then aren’t available to us to absorb and use, so if you’re drinking Golden Milk for its health benefits then make sure you use a low protein milk or milk alternative. Read this post to learn about protein levels of different milk substitutes.

 

Golden Milk Recipes 

1. Recipe #1: Traditional Ayurvedic Golden Milk / Masala Haldi Ka Doodh with Classically Cardamom Ginger Chai

 

Makes a bright and cheerful creamy caffeine-free drink ideal for bedtime. Although not strictly necessary, adding the chai blend deepens and enhances the flavor. Simple and delicious.

Time: around 10 minutes
Serves: 1-2 people

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups full fat milk or plant-based alternative (the higher the fat content, the better - see note above)
• 1-2tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 inch fresh turmeric root, or 3tsp Organic Turmeric pieces
• 1 tsp black pepper (either whole peppercorns or freshly ground)

Optional additions:

• 3-4 cardamom pods 
• 2Tbs sliced fresh ginger or or 2tsp dried ginger root
• OR 1tsp loose tea of our of Classically Cardamom Ginger Chai Blend (which contains Cardamom, Ginger, Black + White pepper, Cinnamon, Clove, & Nutmeg)
• Sugar, honey or agave to taste (I used 1tsp honey, and it was perfect)

Method

1. In a saucepan bring milk to a simmer
2. Add turmeric, black pepper and spices / ginger / chai blend (if using)
3. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent a skin forming
4. Turn off heat
5. Strain, serve and sweeten to taste (turmeric has a slight bitterness to it, that a sweetener will cut)
6. You can chill it and serve it iced as well

 

 

2. Recipe #2: Okinawan Turmeric Tea with Golden Kerala Pure Organic Turmeric

 

Makes a light, balanced tisane that would pair beautifully with a meal, or is great to drink on its own. It is also yummy as an iced tea. I brewed mine with dried turmeric pieces, which reduced the spice and bitterness and allowed the ginger and black pepper to really sing.

Time: around 15 minutes
Serves: 1-2 people

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1-2tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 inch fresh turmeric root, or 3tsp Organic Turmeric pieces
• 2Tbs sliced fresh ginger or or 2tsp dried ginger root
• 1tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1tsp honey (if desired)
• Lemon or lime wedges to serve

 

Method

1. In a saucepan bring water to a boil
2. Add all ingredients except honey and lemon/lime (if using fresh ginger and turmeric, you don’t need to peel them)
3. Simmer for 5 minutes if using turmeric powder, 8-10 minutes is using either fresh or dried pieces
4. Strain and serve with honey and lemon or lime wedges to taste

 

 

3. Recipe #3: Golden Milk Masala Chai with Properly Malty Assam Keyhung BOP CTC Black Tea

Golden Milk Masala Chai with our Properly Malty Assam Keyhung BOP CTC Black Tea

Ohhh boy is this tea a treat: the rich black tea gives a velvety new depth to it, and also adds caffeine if you'd like something to help you wake up on a cold, dark morning. If you want to turn it into an evening drink, swap out the black tea for red rooibos and you'll be in heaven. What's also nice about this recipe is it's hard to overbrew.

Time: around 15 minutes
Serves: 1-2 people

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups full fat milk or plant-based alternative (the higher the fat content, the better - see note above). For a less rich option, you can use 1 cup milk and 1 cup water.
• 1-2tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 inch fresh turmeric root, or 3tsp Organic Turmeric pieces
• 1/2 tsp black pepper (either whole peppercorns or freshly ground if you want it even spicier)
• Looseleaf black tea or Rooibos. This recipe uses our Properly Malty Assam Keyhung BOP CTC Black Tea
  for a rich tea flavor and a punch of caffeine, but our The Purist Red Rooibos would also work beautifully
• 1tsp Classically Cardamom Ginger Chai Blend for extra spice (which contains Cardamom, Ginger, Black + White pepper, Cinnamon, Clove, & Nutmeg)
• Sugar, honey or agave to taste, I used 1tsp which was ideal
• Optional: 2Tbs sliced fresh ginger or or 2tsp dried ginger root

 

Method

1. In a saucepan bring milk to a simmer
2. Add turmeric, ginger (if using), black pepper, tea and chai spice blend
3. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent a skin forming on the milk
4. Turn off heat
5. Cover and steep for 0-5 minutes depending on how strong you’d like it
6. Strain, serve and sweeten to taste

 

 

 

4. Recipe #4: Green Tea Golden Milk with Shanghai Pearl River Organic Green Tea

 

 Green Tea Golden Milk with our Shanghai Pearl River Organic Green Tea

 

You probably haven't ever seen this before, but believe it or not it really works! The green tea adds a new dimension to the turmeric, and a caffeine boost - not to mention even more antioxidants from the green tea. Just be careful not to overbrew the green tea, as it can go very bitter. 

Time: around 15 minutes
Serves: 1-2 people

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups full fat milk or plant-based alternative (the higher the fat content, the better - see note above)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1-2tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 inch fresh turmeric root, or 3tsp Organic Turmeric pieces
• 1/2tsp black pepper (either whole peppercorns or freshly ground)
• 2tsp Shanghai Pearl River Organic Green Tea
• Sugar, honey or agave to taste
• Optional: 2Tbs sliced fresh ginger or or 2tsp dried ginger root

 

Method

1. In a saucepan bring milk and water to a simmer
2. Add turmeric, black pepper and ginger (if using)
3. Simmer for 4 minutes, stirring frequently
4. Turn off heat and wait for the milk to stop bubbling
5. Stir in green tea and cover (waiting for a few seconds to stir in the tea reduces the chances of burning the delicate tea leaves)
6. Steep for 30 seconds to 1 minute or to taste
7. Strain, serve and sweeten to taste

 

 

 

Bonus: Other tasty ways to change up your Golden Milk 

There are endless ways to make this recipe your own: From adding pumpkin pie spices for an autumnal twist, to cinnamon and nutmeg, to foamed milk, to vanilla essence, to adding dried chillis to really up the spice – there are a lot of options.

You can of course adjust the spices used as well, such as adding in licorice, ashwaganda, Tulsi Holy Basil, or really anything else you like (Gaia Herbs, 2021)!

But you can go even further – serve it chilled as an eggnog replacement, freeze it into popsicles, or use it as a custard base for your next great dessert. Iced golden milk is a refreshing drink on its own or with a meal as well!

In the end, you can wild with your Golden Milk - the only essentials are heating turmeric + black pepper, so your body can absorb the curcumin.

 

 

Note from Elizabeth...

This was a very fun recipe post to write, as it required making and drinking copious amounts of Golden Milk! It brings back happy memories of our time in India with Vientiene’s family, and the joy of making a beautiful, decadent drink that also feels healthy. But now we have a new task: Next time we visit Japan we need to explore Okinawa, to try their turmeric tea firsthand!

I’m excited to hear what you think of these Golden Milk recipes, and if you come up with any cool variations using our teas make sure to message us or tag us in SM posts on Instagram and Facebook @MatchaAlternatives !

 

About the Author

Elizabeth Ta'eed MSc is a teahead from Vermont and the co-founder of MatchaAlternatives.com. Her tea love grew and grew from years through regular visits to Japan, drinking tea while living in London, teaching tea classes in Madrid, drinking masala chai in India for a year, and then traveling for four years to research tea for TravellingforTea.com and this shop and blog. 

 

This week's featured teas are...

All of the information regarding the herbs, botanicals, minerals, vitamins, etc., is information drawn from traditional use data or academic research and should be regarded as such. If you, the reader, has a health or medical concern, please consult your healthcare professional. The information found here is not meant to diagnose, treat, prescribe or cure and has not been evaluated by the FDA. This information is for educational purposes only.

 

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References & Further Reading About Golden Milk

Ramadurai, C, 2020. India’s original “turmeric latte”. BBC Travel. https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20200623-indias-original-turmeric-latte. Accessed 07 November 2021.

Sivasubramanian, S, 2017. The secret history of the turmeric latte. SBS. https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2016/09/20/secret-history-turmeric-latte. Accessed 07 November 2021.

Nature’s Help, 2019. Why the People of Okinawa Japan love Turmeric Tea. Turmeric Australia. https://turmericaustralia.com.au/why-the-people-of-okinawa-japan-love-turmeric-tea/. Accessed 07 November 2021.

Yu, K, 2019. The Ultimate Guide to Okinawa Tea. Nomlist. https://www.nomlist.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-okinawa-tea/. Accessed 07 November 2021.

Season with Spice, 2011. Turmeric Tea - The Secret Spice of Okinawa. http://blog.seasonwithspice.com/2011/11/okinawa-turmeric-tea-health-benefits.html. Accessed 08 November 2021.

Singh , S, 2018. Traditional Golden Milk. Sukhi’s Gourmet Indian Food. https://sukhis.com/golden-milk-or-turmeric-milk-or-haldi-doodh/. Accessed 07 November 2021.

Brennan, D, 2020. Golden Milk: Are There Health Benefits? Nourish by WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diet/golden-milk-health-benefits#1. Accessed 07 November 2021.

Goyal, P, 2020. All you need to know about golden milk! Hindustan Times. https://www.hindustantimes.com/more-lifestyle/all-you-need-to-know-about-golden-milk/story-jCnSYbzFEje5Y3sW67IpoK.html. Accessed 07 November 2021.

Eclectic Institute, 2017. Ayurvedic Golden Milk. https://www.eclecticherb.com/blog//ayurvedic-golden-milk. Accessed 07 November 2021.

Superfoodly, 2021. Ground Turmeric Spice. https://www.superfoodly.com/orac-value/spices-turmeric-ground/. Accessed 08 November 2021.

Gai Herbs Farm, 2021. The Ultimate Guide to Golden Milk, Everything You Need to Know. Gaia Herbs Farm. https://www.gaiaherbs.com/blogs/seeds-of-knowledge/the-ultimate-guide-to-golden-milk. Accessed 07 November 2021.