This blogpost also is available in German.
This homemade turmeric latte spice mix is an absolute must for the busy household. It`s ready to hand in a blink whenever the desire for golden milk is overwhelmingly great. Furthermore, it`s of course vegan, sugar-free and completely without any plastic. The mixture is ready within 5 minutes and tastes just as delicious as the purchased one. Except that you`ll never again spend a lot of money on a plastic-wrapped mix once you have tasted this turmeric latte spice mix.
vegan turmeric latte
Golden milk, also called turmeric latte, has its origin in India and is part of the Ayurvedic cuisine. The turmeric latte is also known as “haldi doodh”. In Ayurvedic medicine, people drink golden milk for insomnia, colds, and coughs. Whereby the traditional Indian version has rather less to do with the version we know nowadays. Haldi doodh is simply a glass of warm milk with a little turmeric powder and that`s it. Just like warm milk with honey in our latitudes. So the golden milk as we know it has only limited relation to the original drink. But that doesn`t make it less healthy or tasty!
The main ingredient of golden milk is turmeric. However, other spices are still being added to this trendy beverage today, as well as plant-based milk instead of cow’s milk. The golden milk is often refined with coconut oil (see below why) and rounded off with plant-based milk foam and different toppings.
The typical yellow color of golden milk originates from the curcumin contained in turmeric. This is also the substance to which the positive properties of turmeric are attributed.
Homemade golden milk mixture
Golden Milk is a good caffeine-free alternative to cappuccino, latte macchiato, matcha latte, etc. That’s why I came up with the idea of creating a homemade golden milk spice mix. As you may know, I`m a real coffee junkie. Without coffee in the morning, it`s not a good start into the day. In the past, I used to drink up to five cups a day. However, at the beginning of this year, I decided to reduce my coffee consumption to one or two cups in the morning. The cup in the afternoon I wanted to leave out completely. That works – except at work, where I need another cup in the afternoon – actually quite well. But at some point just drinking tea and water gets a bit too boring. And in principle, I don’t have anything against a delicious milk foam either. Which is why I like myself a nice soothing golden milk as a coffee substitute in the late afternoon. And it tastes just as good, if not even better, than coffee.
So if you also want to reduce your coffee consumption and are still looking for a tasty hot drink, I recommend you try a cup of turmeric latte. Of course, you don’t have to be a coffee drinker to test it out. Turmeric Latte is also a great alternative to tea or hot chocolate. And it also warms you up from the inside out. Just what you need when it’s cold outside.
why turmeric is healthy
The main active ingredients in turmeric are curcumin and curcuminoids. The following positive effects are mostly attributed to curcumin:
- digestive & cholagogue
- anti-inflammatory
- antimicrobial
- analgesic
- immunomodulating
- antitumoral
- antioxidative
The only disadvantage of turmeric, or curcumin, is its poor bioavailability. This means that it`s absorbed relatively poorly and in very small quantities into the human body. This is because curcumin is fat-soluble and therefore needs a very fatty medium to be absorbed. In combination with piperine (from black pepper) the absorption can be increased to a certain extent. Furthermore, it`s eliminated from the human organism relatively quickly, if it has ever been absorbed in all.
Therefore it`s very important that you always add some fat – preferably in the form of coconut oil – to your golden milk and some black pepper to your powder mixture.
In principle, the positive effect of curcumin is of course much higher with vitamin preparations than when you drink golden milk. These have higher curcumin content and have been formulated so that they can be better absorbed by the body. Nevertheless, golden milk is not harmful under any circumstances and can have a positive effect on your health or the course of a cold, despite its lower content of curcumin.
These spices work best for your homemade turmeric spice mix
What you put into your homemade golden milk mixture is basically up to you and your preferences. However, there are a few spices that should definitely not be missing in your mixture. Number 1 and clearly the main ingredient is turmeric. In the following list, you can find the most important spices for a delicious golden milk mixture:
- turmeric –> a must
- ground ginger
- black pepper
- nutmeg
- cardamom
- cinnamon
- ground cloves
- vanilla
- star anise
- saffron
My blend contains all these spices except star anise and saffron. However, you can leave out some of the spices or play around with the amounts, depending on what you already have at home. In principle, however, I would definitely add – besides turmeric – cinnamon, ginger, pepper, nutmeg, and cardamom to the mixture.
how to make the perfect vegan milk foam
The perfect milk froth is an art in itself. Sometimes it works wonderfully, sometimes it seems to work, and then the foam collapses like a house of cards. And if everything goes wrong, the experiment ends without any milk foam. Whether a milk foam works with plant-based milk depends on the protein and fat content of the milk. In principle, plant-based milk has a lower content of both compared to cow’s milk. Therefore you`ll not get a convincing milk foam with plant-based milk with low protein content, such as rice milk. In my opinion, the best choice is soy or oat milk. Both types of milk can be frothed up wonderfully, even if you don’t have a high-tech machine and also work great with a hand frother.
In the meantime, there are also specially developed barista plant-based milk varieties that are supposed to provide an extra fluffy foam. When buying it, however, you should pay attention to the ingredients, as there can be a lot of unnecessary additives. I personally like to use this barista oat milk*. Many other food bloggers recommend this variety as well.
You don’t necessarily need fancy devices to create nice milk foam. Of course, it works better, creamier and airier with a milk frother or a special steam nozzle on the coffee machine. I`ve just recently bought an electric milk frother. Before I always used a hand foamer and that worked just as well. So don’t let the milk frother stop you from frothing milk just because you don’t own huge appliances. The most important thing is the right choice for plant-based milk.
low waste tips for your turmeric latte spice mix
This homemade golden milk is in itself low waste, as there is no plastic or waste from the production process. You can simply pour the mixture into a reusable glass that you have already recycled (more about this here). If you want to go one step further in terms of sustainability, I have the following tips for you:
- buy all spices in the unpackaged shop
- make your own turmeric powder from fresh turmeric, which you crush and dry
- make your own turmeric powder from the leftovers of turmeric shots
- grind the spices yourself –> e.g. cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom
- make your own oat milk or soy milk
golden milk in a glance
Of course, this turmeric latte spice mix is made to be prepared in advance. Yes, that`s actually the winning idea behind this blend. Because if you`re very busy, you certainly don’t have the time or desire to add all the spices to every golden milk you prepare. So this mixture is meant for you to prepare it in advance. Then you always have it in stock and ready to hand when you feel like turmeric latte The powder mixture can also be stored without any problems. Preferably in a sealable container. As soon as the mixture is empty, it`s best to make a new blend immediately.
why you must try this homemade golden milk mixture:
It is:
- vegan
- non-dairy
- sugar-free
- Zero Waste / Low Waste
- sustainable
- quickly prepared
- easily prepared
- suitable for meal prep
- easy storable
- perfect for the busy everyday life
more warming drinks:
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Turmeric Latte Spice Mix
Equipment
- milk frother (optional)
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp ground turmeric organic
- 3 tbsp ground cinnamon organic
- 1 tbsp ground ginger organic
- 1 pinch of black pepper organic
- 2 pinches bourbon vanilla
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom organic
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg organic
- 1/8 tsp ground clove organic
- 200 ml vegetable milk organic
- 1 tsp ready mixed spices organic
- sweetener of choice optional
- 50 ml soy or oat milk for foaming organic
Instructions
- Mix all the spices together and pour into a jar
- Heat milk with spice mixture.
- Froth the remaining milk with the milk frother.
- If necessary, sweeten golden milk a little and pour into a glass. Pour milk foam over it.
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