The first time I tasted turmeric milk, before realising it was such a health-trend fringe-food was at a friend's party in Miami. She's someone who knows how to give a party warmth and break through that icy, mingling with a drink in your hand feel that parties can often take on. She did this with soft lighting, candles, an aromatherapy diffuser, and in addition to a bar of wines, alcohols and mixers, she had warm teas, smoothies and a beautiful thermos of lightly sweetened turmeric milk. It was the perfect vibe to go along with the crystal meditation bowl-sound healing session that followed with everyone lying on rugs and furs, absorbing the healing vibrations of the beautiful singing bowls. But I digress... Months later in Paris during the winter, in our magical attic apartment/recording studio covered in tiny fairy lights (we like to say we live in Neverland, what I would imagine the inside of Tink's lantern to look like), and turmeric milk became my life force during long rainy nights of writing and creating while Ulysse made music until the sun rose. To give an extra energy boost, I would sometimes infuse two bags of black tea... It was the perfect post-dinner sweet fix and late night hunger pang easer and a much more effective and healthy option than coffee.
The Truth About Turmeric...
You might have noticed articles flying around the internet stating that turmeric doesn't work. Read more closely and you'll see this highly replicated article trending across blogs fed off the click-ability of the turmeric craze, but in fact, it's based entirely off of a clinical study which states that although benefits were possible, that particular study found inclusive results. Part of this backlash is do to the turmeric sensationalization that is exploding on the blogesphere. Claims that turmeric can replace "14 drugs" and is just as effective as the strongest anti-inflammatories. I take turmeric everyday (and will get to the why) but as someone who deals with a chronic pain condition and high levels of inflammation throughout my entire body, I can tell you that even a large dose of turmeric has nothing on my prescription strength anti-inflammatory medications I am forced to take at times.
What Turmeric Actually Does...
Turmeric has been used for thousands of years, coming from India and is an integral part of Ayurvedic healing. There are clear health benefits to this spice, but like any herbal dietary supplement, turmeric is only part of the puzzle, and it can take up to three months of daily ingestion to notice effects. But a lot of the benefits of turmeric are taking place deep inside our organ systems. Facilitating the liver's ability to detoxify itself, reducing inflammation throughout the body, including the brain, and at times, the effects can even be noticed in the skin. But it is important to understand the causes of our body's "dysfunctions." For example, if someone has acne due to fatigue, poor diet, etc, turmeric can have a noticeable effect given the fact that acne is essentially an inflammation within pores and follicles, but if acne is being caused by a hormonal imbalance, turmeric won't cut it as it can't effectively treat the cause.
How to Increase the Effectiveness of Turmeric
- The benefits of turmeric come from the curcuminoid particles, the most important of which is curcumin. Often, the cur cumin content in turmeric is quite low, around 3%. The levels are much higher, around 10% in raw turmeric root. During the powder processing, heat is needed, destroying the turmeric rhizomes. So opt for the fresh root whenever possible. (1)
- Consume curcumin with black pepper and bioperine (another name for piperine), which is the substance that enhances absorption of curcumin by 2000%. Without this substance, curcumin passes directly through the digestive system without being properly absorbed. (2)
- Curcumin is fat soluble, so try and ingest alongside a fatty meal (fish, vegetables sautéed in olive oil, or salad with a lipid-based dressing). (3)
Health Benefits
- Anti-inflammatory: Inflammation is critical. It helps the body to fight off foreign invaders and without it, pathogens would take over the entire body and kill us. But when inflammations remains, and becomes widespread, it can turn chronic and can end up attacking the body's own tissues. And it is believed that chronic, low-level inflammation plays a big role in many common diseases such as cancer, heart disease, metabolic systems and various degenerative diseases. (4, 5, 6) Therefore, anything that can attack this baseline inflammation can help ward off such diseases. And taken on a regular basis and in an potent enough curcumin content, turmeric can have anti-inflammatory effects that can rival some synthetic medications. (7)
- Curcumin blocks NF-kB, a molecule that enters inside the nuclei of a cell and activates genes related to inflammation. NF-kB is believed to play a major role in many chronic diseases (8, 9).
- Inflammation is a highly complex process, but the takeaway is that curcumin is a bioactive substance that fights inflammation at the molecular level (10, 11, 12). Several studies, its potency has compared favorably to anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical drugs… except without the side effects (13, 14).
- Anti-aging and anti-oxidation effects: Turmeric Increases the antioxidant capacity in the body. Oxidation occurs in the body due to the involvement of free radicals (which are highly reactive molecules with unpaired electrons) and react with key substances like fatty acids, proteins or DNA. Curcumin boosts the effectiveness and activity of the body's own antioxidant enzymes that contract the negative effects of free radicals like pollution. Curcumin works twofold: by both blocking free radicals from entering cells and stimulating the body's own oxidation fighting mechanisms. (17, 18, 19)
- Turmeric increases brain functions: By boosting brain-derived Neurotrophic factors which are connected to improved brain function. It was once believed that brain cells–neurons–stopped dividing and multiplying some time after we stopped growing. This has been proven false. We now know that neurons can form new connections, and in certain areas of the brain, they can also multiply and increase in number. The Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a type of growth hormone that functions in the brain, is known to catalyse this process. (20). Many common brain disorders, including Alzheimer's, have been linked to decreased levels of this hormone. (21, 22). And curcumin can increase brain levels of BDNF (23, 24). It can thus be effective at delaying are reversing some brain diseases and age-related decreases in brain function.
Ingredients
(2-4 servings)
Milk of choice (pictured: almond), 1 cup
1/2 cup water
Cumin pods, small handful
Ground turmeric, 1.5–2 tablespoons
Black Pepper, a few grains or 2 teaspoonsCinnamon, 3 sticks or 1 tablespoon
Ginger, several slices fresh ginger or 2 teaspoons powdered ginger
Anise, 3-4 star pods or 1 teaspoon powdered anise
Vanilla, sprinkle of seeds or a 2-3 drops
Agave or Honey (aim for organic to avoid pesticides), 1-2 tablespoons
Recipe
- Place milk and water in medium sauce pan.
- Add spices and other ingredients and gently simmer to infuse for roughly 20-30 minutes. Add more milk/water if reduced too much.
- Strain and serve+leave an anise pod in cup as a garnish