GOLDEN MILK
Beautiful and tasty Golden Milk is an ancient remedy with roots in Ayurvedic medicine. Turmeric, its active ingredient, has been used for centuries for its anti- inflammatory effects to treat arthritis, menstrual pain, digestive issues and to improve liver functioning. It’s also used for weight loss and cancer prevention.
Golden Milk is the English name for haldi doodh, “turmeric milk” in Hindi. It is made by heating whole milk (or some other fat-containing milk) and mixing in turmeric, various sweeteners and other spices. Turmeric spice comes from the plant’s ground up rhizomes* and has a solid 4,000 year history of medicinal use in India and Southeast Asia. (Wikipedia, 6/13/2018) * In botany, a rhizome “is a modified subterranean stem of a plant that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks and rootstocks.” (Wikipedia, 5/29/2018)
TURMERIC RHIZOMES
“Turmeric contains curcumin, a chemical compound that is responsible for all of the perceived health benefits turmeric has to offer. Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant that is believed to be even more powerful than both vitamin C and E when it comes to its ability to repair damaged cells. Curcumin has also shown great promise as an anti-inflammatory agent, a finding that could warrant it being used in the treatment of a long list of medical conditions.” (Linkletter, 2017)
Curcumin is fat-soluble so simply taking turmeric capsules on their own will make it difficult for the GI tract to absorb the curcumin. This is why you most often find turmeric in dishes that contain fat, such as coconut, fish, olive oil, avocado, and a whole fat milk. Black pepper also enhances the absorption of curcumin.
You may have been hearing lately about the many health benefits of polyphenols* derived from plants. Curcumin, the active chemical compound in turmeric, is one such polyphenolic phytochemical. (Wikipedia, 6/13/2018)
* “Polyphenols are a group of over 500 phytochemicals, which are naturally occurring micronutrients in plants. These compounds give a plant its color and can help to protect it from various dangers. When you eat plants with polyphenols, you reap the health benefits as well.” (Lehman, 2018)
Turmeric is the ingredient in curry powders that gives them their intense, golden yellow color.
MADRAS CURRY POWDER
Unless you’re inclined to whip up a nice curry dish a few times a week, Golden Milk is an easy way to get curcumin’s anti-inflammatory benefits.
TWO DELICIOUS, READY MADE GOLDEN MILK POWDERS
GAIA GOLDEN MILK POWDER
Description of the product from the Thrive Market page:
“Gaia Herbs Golden Milk is a satisfying, plant-based blend of turmeric, dates, and herbs (black pepper, cardamom, vanilla, and ashwagandha) inspired by the traditional Ayurvedic recipe that has been savored for centuries for its support of the mind and body. The delicious mix comes in a convenient powder form that is designed to be stirred into regular milk or plant-based milk alternatives. Golden Milk is intended to be sipped warm and is perfect for people who want to relax and unwind at the end of a busy day with something tasty and nourishing. This product is vegan, and gluten-free with no GMOs or soy.”
A note about Thrive Market:
I highly recommend Thrive Market as a site to order a wide variety of organic and non-GMO products. They have great prices (generally 25-50% off retail) offer a good selection, orders over $49 ship for free, and everything comes quickly and well packed in recycled materials. You can also choose to have them donate a percentage of the cost of your order to a low-income family, teacher, veteran, or student. You’ll quickly be glad you’ve spent the $25 to sign up with them.
“Our mission is to make healthy living easy and affordable for everyone. That’s why when you buy a Thrive Market membership, you’re also donating one to a low-income family, teacher, veteran, or student. We also provide educational content and grocery stipends to our Gives members. That way, we can all Thrive together. If you or someone you know needs a Thrive Gives membership, apply now.”
I just discovered that the very same jar of Gaia Golden Milk Powder is available from Amazon Prime for $12.34, less than the $12.99 Thrive Market charges. Oops!
REPUBLIC OF TEA’S ORGANIC TURMERIC SINGLE SIPS
Amazon.com’s description of the product:
Turmeric Single Sips allow Citizens to blend premium organic turmeric root powder easily and conveniently, whether at home or on the go.
With turmeric, ginger, vanilla, cinnamon, and monk fruit extract, this spicy blend is rich and savory – cold or hot.
Make your day golden by adding it to water, lemonade, milk or dairy alternative, yogurt, oatmeal, and smoothies.
To enjoy cold, remove a little water from a 16.9 oz. (500 mL) bottle of water or lemonade, pour in a Single Sip, and shake well until blended. To enjoy hot, add a Single Sip to an 8-12 oz. mug of hot milk or dairy alternative or water.
Certified Organic, Gluten-Free, Kosher, and Carb Free
Amazon sells this product in a 14-serving size for $19.99 ($1.43 / Count) + $3.99 shipping and also a 50-serving size for $69.99 ($1.40 / Count) with free shipping.
MAKE YOUR OWN GOLDEN MILK
Here’s a tasty recipe for Golden Milk in case you want to make your own from scratch. The milk (use whole milk) and coconut oil in this recipe provide the fat needed for the gut to be able to absorb the curcumin in the turmeric :
THE DANGERS OF A LOW FAT DIET
If you’re someone who still believes a low fat diet is good for you, please read this post from 2017:
An excerpt from that article:
WHY FULL FAT DAIRY IS HEALTHIER THAN LOW & NON-FAT
For decades we’ve been told to avoid full fat dairy in favor of low and non-fat options – to the great detriment of our health.
Our bodies need a high percentage of fat to survive and thrive. This means we need to eat healthy fats, not low or no-fat processed foods.
A study published last year in the journal Circulation sheds light on one example of this need for adequate fat intake. It concerned the consumption of dairy fat and risk of diabetes.
The study’s researchers tested the hypothesis that the higher the amount of circulating fatty acid bio-markers of dairy fat, the lower the incidence of diabetes mellitus.
Results showed that people with the highest circulating bio-markers of full-fat dairy products had a 46% lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes compared to people who consumed less full-fat dairy. This was a big, well-designed study of over 3,300 people. (Axe, 2017A) & (Yakoob et al, 2016)
REFERENCES
Hardin, J.R. (2017). Low Fat Dairy and Parkinson’s Disease. See: http://allergiesandyourgut.com/2017/06/18/low-fat-dairy-parkinsons-disease/
Lehman, S. (2018). What Are Polyphenols? Plant-Based Chemicals With Many Potential Health Benefits. See: https://www.verywellfit.com/what-are-polyphenols-2507085
Linkletter, A. (2017). Golden Milk: What It Is And How To Make It At Home. See: https://www.healthyway.com/content/golden-milk-what-it-is-and-how-to-make-it-at-home/?param4=hwy-google-ppc-us-de&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=golden%20milk&utm_campaign=990564630&adgroupid=47874591286&network=g&creative=248127700282&device=c&devicemodel=&matchtype=b&adposition=1t1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlNahh_zp2wIVhsDACh3ZjgBVEAAYASAAEgJGcfD_BwE
Wikipedia. (5/29/2018). Rhizome. Rhizome. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhizome
Wikipedia. (6/13/2018). Golden milk. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_milk © Copyright 2018. Joan Rothchild Hardin. All Rights Reserved.
DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site or blog is intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.