What Is Golden Milk?

What Is Golden Milk?

If you keep up with the latest health and wellness trends, you have probably heard about golden milk.
Golden milk, traditionally known as Haldi Ka Doodh, is a milk tea made with therapeutic spices . The spices used in golden milk are turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and cardamom. This drink is all the rage because each spice used contributes to a rich flavor palette, and they are all believed to provide potent health benefits. If you are curious about the potential benefits of golden milk and how to reap those benefits, continue reading.

Benefits of Golden Milk Spices

Turmeric: The turmeric spice is what gives golden milk the luxurious appearance it is named after. But what is turmeric? Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial flowering plant of the ginger family. The turmeric plant can be used fresh, but often you will find it on shelves in its dried and ground form. Originating from India, this spice has been traditionally used in curry dishes, as well as therapeutically in Ayurvedic medicine. Modern medicine has been fascinated by the reports of turmeric’s therapeutic benefits, linked to its bioactive ingredients like curcumin and berberine . Berberine can also be found in other plants, like barberry, which is used in Enzymedica’s Berberine™ supplements. Favorable results have been found in studies analyzing the preventative benefits of turmeric’s bioactive ingredients1.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of trees from the genus Cinnamomum. True cinnamon is indigenous to Sri Lanka and southern India, and has been used for centuries in these regions for culinary and medicinal purposes. Cinnamon has been claimed to have preventative benefits, to improve cognitive function and to help the body maintain homeostasis. Modern studies continue to research these claims, and supportive results have been observed so far.2

Ginger: Ginger is a rhizome of the Zingiber officinale family. It is commonly used worldwide in beverages, teas, and cooking. Similar to turmeric, ginger is used fresh or in a dried, powdered form. For thousands of years, ginger was produced in India and China and used to make therapeutic tonics. Ginger contains a variety of bioactive ingredients; the most abundant of these is gingerol. Gingerol is a ketone, which gives ginger its spicy aroma. Ginger’s bioactive ingredients have been claimed to provide antioxidants properties, digestive relief and other therapeutic benefits. When studied, many claims have been supported, but further research is needed.1,3

Cardamom: Cardamom is a spice that is a perennial herb. It originates from India, Pakistan, Burma and Bangladesh. This spice, like the other spices, has been used for centuries to add flavor to dishes and in traditional medicine. Recent research has examined the claims of cardamom’s effect on obesity, glucose tolerance, oxidative stress and other ailments. So far, positive results have been seen 4.

    Enjoying Golden Milk

    With all these benefits, it’s clear to see why golden milk is all the rage. If you step into any trendy holistic cafe or restaurant, you will likely see golden milk on the menu. This may make it seem like an elusive and complex luxury drink, but it is quite simple and can be made at home in under 5 minutes. Read about how to make it in this blog: Health Benefits of Golden Milk . So now that you know the amazing benefits of golden milk’s spices, check out your local spice shop and try making this luxurious drink at home.


    Citations

    1. Zheng, Jie, et al. "Spices for prevention and treatment of cancers." Nutrients 8.8 (2016): 495.
    2. Ranasinghe, Priyanga, et al. "Medicinal properties of ‘true’cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum): a systematic review." BMC complementary and alternative medicine 13.1 (2013): 275.
    3. Bode, Ann M., and Zigang Dong. "The amazing and mighty ginger." Herbal medicine: Biomolecular and clinical aspects 2 (2011).
    4. Rahman, Md Mizanur, et al. "Cardamom powder supplementation prevents obesity, improves glucose intolerance, inflammation and oxidative stress in liver of high carbohydrate high fat diet induced obese rats." Lipids in health and disease 16.1 (2017): 151.
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