The winter winds are howling. Yesterday, according to USA Today, 49 of 50 states had snow on the ground! It’s time to snuggle inside with a warm drink that heals. I have concocted a recipe for a yummy hot elixir that has become my daily morning ritual – Turmeric Tea.
A member of the ginger family, turmeric (pronounced tur-mer-ik) has long been used as a culinary spice in Asian cooking. Recent research announced this magical root as a healing superstar. While turmeric has been used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine for eons, western science has recently jumped on the bandwagon and deemed it effective for treating osteoarthritis – and early research indicates its potential for treating issues surrounding almost everything from Alzheimer’s to zits!*
The seemingly endless list of far-ranging health benefits has me incorporating turmeric into my daily diet. However, when ingesting turmeric for its specific health benefits, it is vital to remember that turmeric is fat soluble. In order to experience the benefits it has to offer, you must absorb it versus just consuming it. Fat-soluble, means it dissolves in fat. Without fat, the active component in turmeric, curcumin, has a difficult time making it past the stomach, into the small intestine, and into the blood where it can offer the greatest benefits. So it is vital to combine turmeric with with a bit of fat. Hence my recipe with coconut cream. In addition to adding in the fat, I updated my recipe recently to include black pepper. I learned of its health benefits. As pepper (piperine) enhances curcumin absorption in the body by up to 2,000%, combining the spices magnifies their effects. Win-win.
The tea is warm and creamy along with sweet and spicy. It will soothe all that ails. To make this form of liquid gold, you’ll just need a few ingredients and enough time to heat water.
This recipe is gluten-free, vegetarian (vegan if you substitute Agave nectar for the honey or leave out sweetener all together), and dairy free:
Let me know how you like it! Email [email protected] with your outcomes or any additional ingredients you add to make this potent healing potion.
Turmeric Tea
RECIPE
Total Time: 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Penzeys Spices Turmeric Root Powder
- dash of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon honey or Agave nectar
DIRECTIONS:
- Boil water.
- Scoop the coconut cream, sprinkle in the turmeric powder, dash of pepper and squeeze some honey into a tea cup
- Add in boiling water and stir.
- Drink up your magical elixir!
Let me know how you like it! Email [email protected] with your outcomes or any additional ingredients you add to make this potent healing potion.
*dementia, eye inflammation, colorectal cancer, bypass surgery, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, stomach upset, gum disease, stomach ulcers, skin rash, itchy skin, kidney inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, skin wounds due to cancer, surgery recovery, tuberculosis, ulcerative colitis, heartburn (dyspepsia), joint pain, stomach pain, hemorrhage, diarrhea, intestinal gas, stomach bloating, loss of appetite, jaundice, liver problems, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gallbladder disorders, high cholesterol, a skin condition called lichen planus, skin inflammation from radiation treatment, and fatigue.
According to Web MD, turmeric has also been used for headaches, bronchitis, colds, lung infections, fibromyalgia, leprosy, fever, menstrual problems, recovery after surgery, and cancers. Other uses include depression, Alzheimer’s disease, swelling in the middle layer of the eye (anterior uveitis), diabetes, water retention, worms, an autoimmune disease called systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), tuberculosis, urinary bladder inflammation, and kidney problems.
