Winter bevvies feel like my adult binky for winter. I can't live without them! I used to wake up and crave coffee. Boil the water, grind the beans -- it was ritual and I couldn't imagine life without it. Now that I haven't had it in awhile, I don't even miss it! Thanks to drinks like this. Let me just say that a delicious, spiced, warming GOLDEN LATTE is now a regular rotation in my morning routine.
I used to dabble in golden lattes every now and then. And now I'd say I enjoy one at least every few mornings. I love the rich flavor and the many benefits that come with a golden latte. The turmeric, the main component of this treat, is what makes the latte that beautiful, golden color.
Turmeric has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and an herb. Now we have science supporting what Indians have known -- that it has compounds with so many wonderful benefits! The compounds in turmeric that have medicinal benefits are called curcuminoids, most importantly curcumin -- the active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
Research now shows that chronic, low-level inflammation plays a major role in almost every chronic, Western disease. This includes heart disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome, Alzheimer's and various degenerative conditions. Therefore, the more we can reduce inflammation, the better! Curcumin blocks NF-kB, a molecule that travels into the nuclei of your cells and turns on genes related to inflammation. NF-kB is believed to play a major role in many chronic diseases. Essentially, curcumin is a bioactive substance that fights inflammation at the molecular level - I'll take it!
ANTI-OXIDANT
Furthermore, turmeric is a powerful anti-oxidant, and we know that oxidative damage is believe to be one of the primary mechanisms leading to aging and disease. Oxidation involves free radicals, which are highly reactive molecules with unpaired electrons -- which then react with other important organic substances, like fatty acids, proteins or even DNA. SO, the main reason anti-oxidants are so helpful in our whole health is that they protect our body from free radicals! Curcumin can neutralize free radicals due to it's chemical structure and can even boost the activity of our body's own antioxidant enzymes -- winning! It's actually win-win because curcumin both blocks free radicals directly, as well as supports the body's own antioxidant defenses. Curcumin has even been to cross the blood-brain barrier, which means that it's anti-oxidant effects could enter the brain and support mitigating illness such as alzheimer's disease, which is a very common neuro-degenerative disease.
ANTI-CANCER
Curcumin has been studied for it's anti-cancer properties and it has been discovered that it affects cancer growth, development and even spread at the molecular level. It can even be part of the death of cancerous cells as well as reducing the spread of cancer. Some studies show it can reduce the growth of cancerous cells in a lab setting and inhibits tumor growth in test animals. Even if we aren't drinking clinically effective doses of curcumin in our lattes, we know we are potentially doing our cells a favor!
SO, LET'S GET OUT OUR TURMERIC ON
I love that I can sneak this powerful substance into a yummy latte in the morning. To maximize the power of curcumin in our bloodstreams, it's best of the turmeric is paired with something fatty, as it is fat soluble. So I pair mine with full fat coconut milk or almond milk. Oat milk would be tasty, too. Or you could use full fat cow milk, and even boost it with a little scoop of coconut oil! It also is absorbed best if paired with either black pepper or piperine.
Golden Latte Ingredients
1 tsp fresh, chopped turmeric or 1 tbsp powdered turmeric (we mostly do powder)
1 cup of your milk of choice (full fat, ideally -- to max out absorption)
a dash of black pepper
a dash of cinnamon
honey to taste
I add all of that to a small pot to heat it (that will make 1 latte). Then I pour it into my vitamix to blend it smoothly and enjoy that foam life! Note that some turmeric powders come already blended with black pepper or piperine, so no need to add extra if that's the case.
I also add turmeric to our immunity shoots, sprinkle it on our roasted veggies and add it to our hearty immune-boosting winter soups! There are so many ways to add this golden substance to our lives, and the flavor is strong, warm and perfect for winter. Enjoy this delicious latte and the wonders of turmeric, and let me know how you weave it into your nourishment!
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