Haldi Doodh: The Original Turmeric Latte?
If you’re health-savvy, you’ve likely heard of the golden latte by now. But did you know that this nourishing turmeric-based beverage predates America by thousands of years? Read on for a simple, authentic recipe for the original golden latte (plus Clean Eating’s creative takes on this trend)!
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If you’ve ever had a warm golden latte on a chilly day, you know of the restorative magic of turmeric. This superfood sipper has gained a cult following in the west for its deeply nourishing qualities.
But the golden latte wasn’t born in a new-age California coffee shop. The practice of drinking haldi doodh (Hindi for “turmeric milk”) goes back thousands of years to the Indian subcontinent. India is currently the world’s greatest exporter and consumer of this spice, both as a South Asian kitchen staple and an age-old mainstay in Ayurvedic medicine cabinets. Turmeric’s most active compound, curcumin, has been found to have powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in the body. It’s also been linked to improved brain function and health. Indian haldi doodh combines the powerful turmeric root with warm milk for a thousand-year-old soothing elixir.
The following recipe makes an old-fashioned mug of this golden Indian elixir that may help keep chronic low-level inflammation under control.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk (or coconut milk or any nut milk)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 sticks cinnamon
- 3 pods ground cardamom
- 2 whole cloves
- ½ tsp minced ginger or ground ginger
- Honey, to taste, optional
- ¼ cup almonds, finely chopped, optional
Preparation
- In a small saucepan, bring milk to a gentle boil, stirring frequently. Add turmeric and pepper and whisk for about 30 seconds, until mixture is frothy.
- Add cinnamon sticks, cardamom, cloves and ginger and whisk well. Reduce heat to low and cover; simmer gently for 5 more minutes.
- Take off heat and strain into cups. If using, add honey and top with almonds.
Looking to up the ante? Try Clean Eating’s original takes on turmeric drinks, made using unique ingredients with distinct health benefits.
Hot Turmeric Ginger Latte Recipe 
Instead of warming spices like cinnamon and cloves, this recipe uses refreshing lemongrass and a pinch of saffron, revered in ancient Greece for its powerful medicinal properties and linked by modern science to improving symptoms of mild-to-moderate mood disorders. Get the recipe.
Reishi Golden Milk Nightcap Recipe 
East meets South in this adventurous take, blending India’s ayurvedic turmeric brew with reishi mushrooms from East Asian traditional medicine. Studies have linked reishi mushrooms to increasing the count and activity of certain cancer-fighting white blood cells. Get the recipe.
Golden Milk Smoothie Recipe 
If a hot drink isn’t your cup of tea, try the concoction in a sweet smoothie. This healthy bev blends turmeric with creamy coconut milk, bananas, hemp hearts and dates for a true pan-Asian fusion. Get the recipe.
Turmeric drinks are just the beginning. Level up and incorporate this beneficial spice in your cooking, with Beyond the Golden Latte – 7 Tasty Ways to Take Turmeric.