Golden Milk Paste Recipe (aka Turmeric Tea)

If you love the idea of drinking golden milk (aka turmeric tea) but want to save some time by not mixing up all your spices every time, then you’ll love this golden milk paste recipe.

If you’ve read my blog, you know I’m all about making things in advance and in batches if possible, since I know I’m more likely to stick to something that way…in this case, a nice warm cup of golden milk in the evening before bed.

This is a shortcut that takes a few minutes and lasts a couple weeks, which I totally dig and hope you will too.

Traditional Golden Milk

Golden milk, an Ayurvedic remedy known as haldi ka doodh, gets it’s vibrant yellow-orange color from turmeric, which is why it’s also called turmeric milk, has been used for thousands of years as a remedy to fight colds, coughs, congestion, all sorts of inflammation, and many more ailments. In Ayurveda, turmeric is a delicious staple in Indian cuisine, and is said to be Tridoshic, balancing disturbances within all doshas in the body.

Because of it’s ability to soothe the respiratory tract and induce comfort and sleep, turmeric milk is most commonly consumed in fall and winter, but personally I like to enjoy the benefits for sleep anytime of year. Plus it makes a refreshing spring and summer beverage when chilled over ice too.

Traditional turmeric milk was prepared with fresh turmeric root, crushed long pepper and full fat buffalo or cow’s milk. I’ll come back to the milk in a minute but first, using fresh organic turmeric root is most effective, but it can be tricky to find. More than anything, it’s important to get your organic turmeric powder from a reliable source like the ones recommended in this post.

Benefits of Golden Milk/Turmeric Tea

The studies on the therapeutic properties of curcumin in turmeric alone are well documented, proving it’s ability to strengthen the immune system, lower inflammation and blood sugar levels, detoxify the liver, speed wound healing, suppress tumor formation (it’s one of the top cancer fighting foods), and much more.

Mix turmeric with the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and digestive promoting properties in ginger, cinnamon, black pepper and coconut oil, and golden milk is a tonic worth adding to your routine.

With autoimmune diseases on the rise, I should mention that the ingredients in this tonic are already potent antioxidants with the ability to reduce inflammation, including chronic inflammation that contributes to the pain experienced with autoimmune conditions, but for an extra gut repairing boost try adding hydrolyzed collagen to your golden milk. Or mixing your paste in bone broth (you can get the recipe here).

How to Get the Most Out of Turmeric

So how can we get the most out of the powerful phytonutrient, turmeric?

Back to the black pepper…a compound contained in it called piperine is used to also help the body better absorb curcumin, and a little bit goes a long way to increase bioavailability.

Turmeric also needs some sort of fat for optimal absorption, which is why traditional golden or turmeric milk was made with full fat milk. The coconut oil in this recipe covers that aspect in a nice healthy-fat-kinda-way, so all my non-dairy friends can rest easy.

Feel free to use any milk that makes you happy (regular or dairy-free, including coconut, almond, or hemp). Rice milk or even half milk half water is fine too, it just won’t be as thick and creamy.

Even though the smooth and nourishing taste alone is a satisfying enough reason to drink golden milk, we want to make sure and get the maximum benefits right? So, black pepper coupled with coconut oil and you’ve got the perfect recipe for ultra absorption.

Some Helpful Tidbits Before Making Your Golden Milk Paste

While making golden milk paste and turmeric tea is a simple process, it should be treated with care. The spices are pungent in nature and if over-heated they can become bitter-tasting, so it’s important to warm them gently to avoid this. When preparing a nice warm cup, especially avoid pouring boiling hot milk or water over the spices.

I usually like to add a little raw honey for sweetness after I’ve already whisked my golden milk paste into almond or coconut milk – it mixes in easier once the paste has dissolved.

And this probably goes without saying but just a heads up…if you’ve ever used turmeric in recipes before, you know how easily it can stain things so I would suggest wearing an apron or something you don’t mind possibly mucking up, and if it somehow ends up on a surface like say certain types of cabinets or floors (not that I speak from experience….ahem) Okay, so it’s no secret that I tend to spill things, soooo yeah if you clean it up asap, you’ll save yourself from a major debacle.

That said, glass, stainless steel, and quick cleanup are your best buds when it comes to making turmeric paste =)

Turmeric paste can also be used in a variety of your favorite recipes and even in smoothies, keeping in mind that it may stain your blender, so long as that doesn’t bother you. It’s goes really well in curries, soups, and stews. Have fun experimenting. If golden milk is new for you, I’m excited for you to experience it’s vibrant and comforting flavor.