3 Warm Spiced Milks & Why they’re good for you
By Trusha Patel
If like me, as a child, you had a warm glass of milk every night, you'll remember that warm comforting feeling just before a good night’s sleep.
As adults, warm milk is rarely a drink of choice but, in the age of nut milk and other nondairy kinds of milk, it’s time to revive the habit of drinking warm milk, especially when flavoured with health-supporting ingredients like spices.
Saffron Milk
Great for eye health and a known antioxidant, saffron is the most expensive spice in the world.
Saffron contains three key chemical compounds:
- Crocin, which infuses colour into food
- Safranal, which gives saffron its honey aroma
- Picrocrocin, which gives it its subtle sweet flavour
You know you have the best saffron when all three compounds are present in high numbers.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of milk of your choice (this works well with coconut, almond, or dairy milk)
- pinch of good saffron, crushed in the palms of your hand to make it go further
Preparation
1. Warm a little water, add the saffron threads and leave for about 10 to 15 minutes to infuse the water.
2. Add the water and threads and milk to a pan and warm through on a low heat. Enjoy immediately.
Turmeric Milk
Turmeric is well-known for its numerous healing benefits and for being a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Turmeric works wonders at keeping inflammation down in all parts of our bodies and boosting our immunity at the same time, which is why people often use it more in the winter months.
Like saffron, turmeric also has a compound that releases colour (and health benefits) into food — this is curcumin.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of milk of your choice
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- twist of black pepper
- Coconut oil
Preparation
1. Melt the coconut oil in a pan on a very low heat, add the turmeric and black pepper, and stir, warming the turmeric and activating the curcumin for optimal ingestion.
2. Add in the milk and heat all the way through before drinking.
Cinnamon and Star Anise Chocolate Milk
For the pure chocoholics among us, this spin on a hot chocolate has true cinnamon and star anise in it to help reduce blood pressure, keep down our sugar levels, and give our body’s antibacterial protection.
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk of your choice
- ¼ teaspoon pure cocoa (or raw cacao or ⅓ ounce of pure dark chocolate, melted)
- ¼ teaspoon true cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground star anise
Preparation
1. Blend all the ingredients in a blender.
2. Transfer to a pan and heat all the way through before sipping with a smile on your face.
Using organic ingredients whenever possible is always recommended!