3 Drink Recipes With Turmeric That You’ll Actually Enjoy

Drinking turmeric everyday is a simple and tasty addition to your wellness routine.

Turmeric is a popular herb for health and wellness, but if you grew up in the United States, chances are it wasn’t always a staple in your kitchen. With the buzz around turmeric’s health benefits, you may be looking for some easy recipes with turmeric that will leave you wanting more. We’ve tried tens of recipes, and three drink recipes stood out in terms of taste and simplicity.

1. Golden Milk

Golden milk is a creamy, delicious drink typically served warm. You can think of it as a latte replacement—one that boasts powerful anti-inflammatory properties and zero caffeine, making it a delightful treat for winding down at the end of the day.

Here’s a simple recipe to make golden milk using ingredients you likely already have in your pantry.

Ingredients (1 Mug)

1 cup milk of choice (the creamier, the better)
½ tsp turmeric powder
⅛ tsp ginger powder
⅛ tsp cinnamon powder
A pinch of black pepper
Maple syrup, honey, or stevia to taste

Directions

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and place on the stove over medium heat. Start with a small amount of sweetener (1 tsp maple or honey, or a few drops of stevia).
Whisk the mixture until there are no lumps.
Continue heating until hot but not boiling. Turn off the heat if you notice small bubbles forming.
Taste your mixture and adjust the flavor as needed. Ginger and pepper add a bit of bite, turmeric brings earthiness, cinnamon more sweet spiciness, or honey, maple, or stevia for added sweetness.

Lemon Turmeric Tea

You might be familiar with a hot toddy—a soothing alcoholic drink with honey, lemon, water, and whiskey. Swap out the alcohol for turmeric, and you have a beverage that can soothe sore throats, aid digestion, and support overall health.

Ingredients (1 Mug)

1 cup hot water
1 Tbsp lemon juice (either freshly squeezed or 100% lemon juice from a bottle)
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp to 1 Tbsp raw honey
A pinch of black pepper

Directions

Add all ingredients to a small or medium saucepan, starting with the smaller amount of honey, and whisk to combine.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and heat until just starting to bubble.
Pour from the pan into your favorite mug.

Ginger & Turmeric Tea

You often find ginger and turmeric together in recipes. These two root herbs are both incredibly good for you, and they pair well when used in both savory and sweet dishes. A simple ginger and turmeric tea can help ease digestive issues while giving your body a boost of antioxidants. In this recipe, we use fresh ginger and turmeric root for freshness, texture, and flavor.

Ingredients (1 Mug)

1 cup hot water
½ inch turmeric root
½ inch ginger root
Raw honey or stevia to taste
Pinch of black pepper
Optional: lemon

Directions

Wash and chop turmeric and ginger roots into small pieces. It’s okay to leave the skin on.
Add water, turmeric, ginger, and pepper to a pan over medium heat.
Bring water to a boil and then turn off the heat and cover the pan.
Allow the tea to steep for five minutes.
Strain and pour into a mug, then add the sweetener of your choice. Consider adding a squeeze of fresh lemon for a slight sour zing.

Why Use Black Pepper? It’s All About Bioavailability

You probably noticed one strange ingredient in every recipe: black pepper. When it comes to taste, pepper doesn’t add much to the above recipes. So, why do we include it?

Black pepper boosts turmeric’s bioavailability. What this means is that when you eat or drink turmeric with black pepper, your body can absorb and use more of it. (1)

Increasing turmeric absorption is crucial if you want to reap turmeric’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential. Without black pepper, your body uses very little of the turmeric that you eat.

If you want the maximum benefits of turmeric, a daily supplement with Theracurmin curcumin is one of your best options. Theracurmin curcumin enhances turmeric bioavailability. And when you take it in pill form, like that in Interceutical’s Better Curcumin, you know you’re getting the same benefits every time—without having to add pepper.

RELATED: Curcumin vs. Turmeric: Are Curcumin Supplements Better?

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