How To Make Golden Turmeric Milk At Home When You Need A Relaxing Nightcap

If you haven't heard about the miracle herb that is turmeric, then you're missing out, guys. Turmeric is an amazing nutrient for your body that just so happens to reveal itself in a gorgeous, orangey-yellow color, and turmeric milk is just the latest recipe to push the turmeric trend to new heights. The best news of all? Learning how to make turmeric milk is super easy, and there are tons of options to customize your recipe based upon your favorite flavors and go-to superfoods.

At its core, turmeric milk — often referred to as "golden milk" — is a centuries-old healing strategy, one often used within Chinese medicinal practices for healing and well-being. Turmeric itself is a a spice (it's what gives curry that orange color) that's been proven to serve a variety of healing purposes: It's an anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant, and it can even help lower your risk of heart disease if you consume it regularly.

Given its wide range of power, it's no surprise that people are trying to incorporate turmeric into as many recipes as possible. But golden milk is, in particular, one recipe that you will absolutely want to add to your daily routine ASAP.

Golden milk is commonly served warm, and most recipes call for ingredients such as turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and pepper.

Because turmeric has become so popular recently, you can actually get turmeric lattes at certain Starbucks around the world. But since none are available at any Starbucks locations in the United States, the best option is to make your own at home. Lucky for us, most golden milk recipes are super simple, and made up of ingredients you probably already have lying around your apartment.

A traditional golden milk recipe is made of at least two basic ingredients: warm milk and a tablespoon of ground turmeric — which sounds super pretty to look at on its own. But since we live in the era of foodies, many people have taken it upon themselves to get even more creative with the traditional recipe, experimenting with variations that make the teas sweeter, spicier, or some combination of the two.

One of the most common alternative recipes for golden milk is to swap out regular milk for coconut milk.

Keep in mind, if you decide to make that swap in your own recipe, this will likely make the beverage a little bit sweeter overall. If you have a serious sweet tooth, though, you can go even further and add vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice to your golden milk drink, following this recipe by McCormick for guidance.

If you'd prefer something a little bit less sweet, adding ginger, pepper, or cayenne pepper is a great way to add a little bit more of a kick to your evening sip. This turmeric tea recipe by Wellness Mama suggests you even swap out your milk base for bone broth, "for a more hearty tea."

Turmeric can yield some serious health benefits, but there's a little bit of a catch: You need to ingest it often, almost daily, in order to keep it in your system, since turmeric absorbs very quickly. That's why a golden milk recipe is a great way to incorporate turmeric into your diet on a daily basis, rather than going out to get curry once a week (although I wouldn't necessarily complain about that option, either).

Consider making golden milk a part of your bedtime routine, as a pre-snooze ritual.

Having a relaxing nighttime routine that you go through every evening before bed can do wonders for promoting a healthy sleep cycle, and drinking a hot mug of yellow-orange deliciousness is the ultimate habit to add to that routine. Or, if you're down to drink it cold, you can always opt for a cold golden milk recipe, like this one by Pressed Juicery.

Whether you love honey, cinnamon, ginger, or some combination of all of them, golden turmeric milk is a customizable, warming way to get more nutrients into your body every single day. Try messing around with your own version of the traditional recipe, adding a different ingredient each time to see what you like best. Just make sure you always add that turmeric.