Anti-Viral Turmeric Golden Milk Latte

Happy 345th Ground Hog Day in a row! It seems like winter and the pandemic are going nowhere fast. We all know that washing hands and wearing masks can help prevent the spread, which I have been extremely vigilant about. I rarely leave my house anyway these days, feeling more like a house cat than a human, but I do try to practice some preventative medicine just in case.

When I had the flu that was going around a few years ago, my yoga mentor suggested loading up my system with turmeric, garlic, and ginger, all known to be anti-viral and anti-inflammatory herbs.

Turmeric is known to be especially healing and has been used in Ayurveda for thousands of years to treat a variety of viral and bacterial infections. Curcumin, the naturally occurring bio-active ingredient in turmeric is a well studied anti-inflammatory substance. The curcumin in turmeric becomes even more powerful when mixed with black pepper. In India and Pakistan, where turmeric is a dietary staple, cancer rates are significantly lower than in countries where turmeric is not regularly consumed.

Turmeric is one of the things I am trying to grow in my “superfood” garden this year. It is delicious in curries, but I also love to use it to make “Golden Milk” a latte that combines turmeric with milk and sugar, or in this case, almond milk and honey which is a natural way to soothe a cough. I also add in cinnamon, another warming spice, which is not enhances the flavor, but in Ayurveda cinnamon enhances the bio-availability of other herbs.

To make the latte you will need:

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (I like the Malk brand because of the limited ingredients)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of raw honey

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, turn the heat to low and let simmer for 5 minute, stirring frequently. Drink immediately.