Turmeric coffee and golden milk lattes have surged in popularity over the past few years — and for good reason. These beverages are warm, comforting, colorful, flavorful, and loaded with healthy nutrients and antioxidants.

Turmeric coffee is incredibly simple. You simply add turmeric — and other spices, if you like — to coffee to boost its health profile.

Turmeric is a vibrant yellow spice widely used in Indian cooking and traditional medicine. It contains a compound called curcumin, which may possess anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-aging, and pain-relieving properties.

Golden milk lattes are another drink made with turmeric. They may also contain other spices, such as ginger, black pepper, or cinnamon, and can contain coffee.

Thanks to curcumin and other related compounds, called curcuminoids, found in turmeric, turmeric coffee offers many potential benefits. These include:

  • Reduced inflammation: Curcumin may alleviate chronic inflammation, which links to chronic ailments like cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, mental decline, and some digestive disorders.
  • Pain relief: Curcumin may reduce inflammatory and nerve pain. Many natural pain relief supplements feature curcumin as a key ingredient.
  • Increased antioxidant activity: Curcumin may help neutralize harmful free radical compounds, which cause cellular damage when they build up in high enough levels in your body,.
  • Immune support: Turmeric may help your body more effectively ward off harmful pathogens by reducing inflammation and increasing antioxidant activity.

However, many of the studies supporting these benefits use larger doses of curcumin than you get from an occasional dose of turmeric in your coffee or golden latte. Therefore, larger, high quality studies in humans are still needed.

If you have cooked with turmeric powder, you know how fine and potent it is. Only a small amount of turmeric adds a pleasant flavor to turmeric dishes — or to stain your fingertips and countertops yellow.

For this reason, a golden milk latte or coffee with turmeric doesn’t need very much. Typically, about 1/2 teaspoon (1.5 grams) of turmeric per serving will do the trick.

Feel free to add more if you enjoy a strong turmeric taste. Turmeric powder is safe in amounts that would typically be used in cooking and baking.

However, if you’re also taking curcumin or turmeric supplements, be sure to stick to the manufacturer’s dosage recommendations.

Coffee’s effect on curcumin absorption

One drawback of turmeric is that it is difficult for the body to absorb effectively, which limits its usefulness.

However, there are some strategies to improve curcumin absorption from foods and beverages.

Black pepper is commonly paired with turmeric in turmeric coffee, golden milk lattes, and other dishes because it contains the compound piperine, which helps boost absorption of curcumin.

Additionally, curcumin is fat-soluble, so consuming it with fat may increase its absorption. As such, adding a source of fat — be it milk, creamer, butter, or oil — to your turmeric coffee may help you absorb this compound more effectively.

Interested in trying a golden milk latte for yourself? They’re simple to make and require just a few common ingredients. If you use skim milk or a low fat plant-based milk, add some coconut oil or butter to increase the fat content and improve curcumin absorption.

Kitchenware

  • small saucepan
  • spoon
  • frothing wand (optional)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (240 mL) of milk, dairy or plant-based
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) of turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) of black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) of cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) of vanilla extract
  • optional: honey to taste
  • optional: 1–2 ounces (30–50 mL) of espresso or strong coffee
  • optional: 1/2 tablespoon (6 grams) of butter or coconut oil

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, turmeric, pepper, cinnamon, vanilla, optional coffee, and optional butter or oil on low. Whisk regularly until hot.
  2. Carefully transfer the latte to a large heat-safe mug and sweeten with honey to taste, if desired.
  3. Optional: For a frothy latte, transfer just a small amount of the drink to your mug and use a frothing wand to make it bubbly. Then, carefully fill the cup with the remainder of the latte.

Turmeric contains many health benefits from the curcuminoids it contains. Thus, turmeric coffee and golden milk lattes offer easy, delicious ways to add this spice to your diet.

However, turmeric isn’t well absorbed. The addition of fat and piperine from black pepper helps maximize the amount that your body can use.

You can easily make turmeric coffee or golden milk lattes for yourself at home.

Just one thing

Try this today: If you want to learn more about other health-boosting herbs and spices that you can use in your everyday cooking, here are nine herbs and spices that fight inflammation.