Healthy lattes are all the rage at the moment, and so they should be. Adding healing herbs and spices to drinks is a fantastic way to get extra nutrients into your diet. This easy turmeric latte with ginger is just that, and that’s why we think you’ll love it!

Loaded with spices that are healing to the body and soothing to the soul, filled with anti-inflammatory effects and gut healing properties.

It’s a great latte to make when you feel like taking a little time out of your busy day to put the feet up and relax.

A great cuppa to make before bedtime as well.

As the title says this latte contains turmeric, ginger, as well as cinnamon, and cardamom.

Instead of adding the spices individually you could make a batch of golden paste, which will keep well in the fridge. Add 1/2 a teaspoon to your drink and enjoy.

The paste is also great for adding to many other dishes – soups, stews, dressings and sauces.

Apart from spices, this drink is a great way to get some extra healthy fats in your diets from the coconut oil, as well as from coconut milk – should that be your choice of milk.

If you find coconut milk to be too rich on its own you could do 1 part coconut milk to 1 part almond milk or even hot water.

There is another reason this recipe calls for coconut oil, but we will go into more detail on why, below…

The Benefits of Turmeric, Ginger, Cinnamon & Cardamom

Let us break this recipe down a little, and take a look a why these spices are so beneficial for our health.

Turmeric

This spice has been used in many of our recipes, it has some amazing benefits and it is a spice that is affordable, one everyone should have on hand.

The active ingredient found in turmeric is called Curcumin, this biological compound has some powerful benefits. In fact, turmeric has been used for medicinal purposes since early times.

Let us take a look at why you should fall in love with Turmeric:

More than just a spice that adds flavour to your favourite dish, Turmeric has been used in Indian and Chinese medicine to treat a wealth of ailments.

A Powerful Anti-Inflammatory & Pain Reliever – Multiple studies on Turmeric have highlighted the power of using turmeric as an anti-inflammatory. In fact, researchers saw that turmeric has the ability to prevent joint inflammation instead of just reducing the inflammation. It is also significant in reducing pain that comes with inflammation. A study concluded that used turmeric can be just as effective as taking Ibuprofen/Advil in patients suffering from arthritis. Patients in this study took 800 mg of turmeric in capsule form every day.
Improves Gut Health – This golden spice plays a vital role in our digestion. This is due to its antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory ability. Turmeric has been known to treat diseases such as colitis and irritable bowel syndrome, in fact, turmeric can help with gut inflammation and gut permeability (aka leaky gut). It is also a Low FODMAP friendly spice for anyone following a Low Fodmap diet, read more about this diet in our article, How to start a Low FODMAP diet plan.

Activate Turmeric For Optimum Absorption

Curcumin is known to have a low absorption rate, this means although this biological compound has some super benefits, our bodies find it difficult to fully absorb its goodness. Most of the Curcumin will get absorbed directly into the lining of the liver and stomach wall, instead of the bloodstream, where it would truly reap the health benefits.

Here a few things you can do to ensure maximum absorption:

You will notice this recipe calls for black pepper and coconut oil. Two vital components in helping our bodies absorb Curcumin.

Black Pepper – Our liver makes substances water soluble, this is so they can pass through our systems easily. When we consume pepper with turmeric, the absorption of the Curcumin is slowed down. This is due to the compound in pepper called piperine. This ultimately means absorption is increased dramatically.
Coconut Oil (Good Fats) – Turmeric is fat soluble which means it dissolves in fats. Without any fats to bind it, the turmeric will struggle to make it through the liver and stomach without being absorbed too early. Ideally, you want the turmeric to move into the small intestine, where it can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Therefore, when you consume turmeric with good fats and pepper, you are more likely to absorb high amounts into your bloodstream.

Turmeric & Ginger Latte (Gut Healing/Dairy Free)

Apart from our Easy Turmeric Latte, if you would like to get more turmeric into your diet, give these yummy recipes a try:

Ginger

Ginger, is another gem to keep as a regular part of our diet. This fragrant spice is packed with antioxidants, it has also been used for centuries to treat pain, inflammation and nausea.

Here is what you need to know about Ginger:

Natures Anti-Inflammatory – Ginger contains the compound gingerol, which is known to be a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
Pain Relief – Like turmeric, ginger also has the ability to alleviate pain, especially muscle and joint pain. A study even showed that athletes who supplemented with ginger experienced less muscle pain after exercise.
Digestive Aid – Ginger is great for soothing an unhappy tummy, as well as easing nausea.
Immune Booster – Known for its antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties, ginger has the ability to help fight infections and boost your immunity.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon, the spice of comfort, at one-time cinnamon was more valuable than gold.

Cinnamon contains an incredible amount of benefits, from helping with ailments such as diabetes to pain management.

Here is why we love cinnamon:

Antimicrobial Properties – Cinnamon is able to help fight fungal, bacterial, and viral infections, making it great for treating anything from lung problems to the common cold.
Treats Candidiasis – Cinnamon’s anti-microbial properties also extend to fungi, thus making it a promising treatment for candida.
Anti-Carcinogenic Properties – Research shows that Cinnamon has the potential to be an alternative medicine for tumour treatment. A study showed cinnamon’s positive benefits on both lung cancer and stomach cancer.

“Evidence suggests that cinnamon may have anti-carcinogenic effects as well, although the research thus far is limited to animal studies,” she says. “These experiments demonstrate that cinnamon extract slows the growth of cancer cells and induces cancerous cell death.” – Parikh

Cardamom

This unique spice has an intensely sweet and savoury taste. It adds a beautiful flavour to many dishes.

Like the other spices we spoke about above, cardamom too, is widely used in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine to treat many illnesses.

Here are a few benefits you can get out of Cardamom:

Anti-depressant properties
Helps in controlling gastrointestinal disorders such as acidity, flatulence, and stomach cramps.
Cardamom contains antimicrobial properties.
Cardamom is known to act as a detoxifying agent and can be effective against cancer cells.
A stimulant and effective tonic for calming nausea and vomiting.

Now that you know more about all of the potential incredible health benefits, here is the recipe for our Easy Tumeric Latte.

Enjoy!