Golden milk, also referred to as turmeric milk, is a popular Indian beverage in Western societies.
This bright yellow beverage is typically made by heating turmeric, along with other spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cow’s or plant-based milk.
It is praised for its many health advantages and frequently used as a complementary treatment to raise immunity and fend off illness.
1. Antioxidants Abound in Key Ingredients
Turmeric, a yellow spice that is commonly used in Asian cuisine and gives curry its yellow color, is the primary ingredient in golden milk.
The active component of turmeric, curcumin, has been utilized in Ayurvedic medicine for ages due to its strong antioxidant properties.
Antioxidants are substances that shield your body from oxidative stress and stop cell ageing.
Antioxidants are crucial to the health of your cells, and studies consistently show that consuming a diet high in them may help reduce your risk of illness and infection.
The majority of golden milk recipes also include cinnamon and ginger, which are both high in antioxidants.
2. Could aid in reducing joint pain and inflammation
The components of golden milk are potent anti-inflammatory agents.
Cancer, the metabolic syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease are just a few of the chronic diseases that are thought to be greatly influenced by chronic inflammation. Therefore, anti-inflammatory-rich diets may lower your risk of developing these conditions.
According to research, turmeric’s active ingredient curcumin, ginger, cinnamon, and cinnamon all have strong anti-inflammatory properties.
Studies even imply that curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties similar to some pharmaceutical drugs without any of the negative side effects.
These anti-inflammatory effects could lessen osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis-related joint pain.
One study, for instance, found that 500 milligrams of curcumin daily reduced joint pain more than 50 grammes of a popular arthritis drug or a combination of curcumin and the drug. This study involved 45 people with rheumatoid arthritis.
In a 6-week study involving 247 osteoarthritis patients, similar outcomes were seen: those who received ginger extract reported less pain and required less pain medication than those who received a placebo.
3. May Enhance Memory and Brain Activity
Your brain may benefit from golden milk as well.
Studies suggest that curcumin may increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is a chemical that promotes the growth of new neural connections and connections between brain cells in your brain.
Alzheimer’s disease and other brain disorders may be associated with low levels of BDNF.
Additionally, other ingredients might have advantages.
One of the telltale signs of Alzheimer’s disease, for instance, is the accumulation of the tau protein in the brain. Cinnamon’s constituents may help to lessen this buildup, according to research conducted on animals and test tubes.
Additionally, studies on animals show that cinnamon appears to improve brain function and lessen Parkinson’s disease symptoms.
By enhancing memory and reaction time, ginger may also improve brain function. Additionally, ginger appears to guard against age-related decline in brain function in animal studies.
To fully understand how these ingredients affect memory and brain function, more human research is still required.
4. Turmeric’s curcumin may elevate mood
It seems that turmeric, and more specifically its active ingredient curcumin, may improve mood and lessen depressive symptoms.
60 people with major depressive disorders participated in a 6-week study where they were given either curcumin, an antidepressant, or both.
The combination group saw the greatest advantages, while those who received only curcumin saw improvements comparable to those who received antidepressants.
Depression may also be linked to low brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels (BDNF). The fact that curcumin seems to raise BDNF levels raises the possibility that it could lessen depressive symptoms.
However, there haven’t been many studies done in this area, so more research is required before drawing firm conclusions.
5. Might Prevent Heart Disease
It’s interesting to note that studies have linked the three main ingredients of golden milk—cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric—to a reduced risk of heart disease.
For instance, a meta-analysis of ten studies found that 120 mg of cinnamon daily may reduce total cholesterol, triglyceride, and “bad” LDL levels while increasing “good” HDL levels.
In a different study, 2 grammes of ginger powder were administered daily to 41 participants with type 2 diabetes. Measured risk factors for heart disease were 23-28% lower after the 12-week study.
Curcumin may also improve the endothelial function of the linings of your blood vessels. The proper operation of the endothelium is necessary for a healthy heart.
One study gave 4 grammes of curcumin or a placebo to patients having heart surgery a few days before and after the procedure.
Compared to those who received a placebo, those who received curcumin had a 65% lower chance of having a heart attack while they were in the hospital.
Additionally protecting against heart disease, these anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. More studies are needed because there aren’t enough of them to draw firm conclusions.
6. Could Reduce Blood Sugar Levels
Ginger and cinnamon, in particular, are components of golden milk that may help lower blood sugar levels.
For instance, 1-6 grammes of cinnamon per day may reduce fasting blood sugar levels by up to 29%. Cinnamon may also lessen insulin resistance.
Lowering insulin resistance typically lowers blood sugar levels because insulin-resistant cells are less able to absorb sugar from your blood.
Cinnamon appears to reduce the amount of glucose absorbed in the gut following a meal, which may aid in blood sugar regulation.
Similarly, including ginger in your diet on a regular basis can help lower fasting blood sugar levels by up to 12%.
Hemoglobin A1C is a measure of long-term blood sugar control, and a small daily dose of ginger may lower these levels by up to 10%.
Nevertheless, the evidence is based on a small number of studies, and more analysis is required to support these findings.
It’s important to note that honey or maple syrup are typically used as sweeteners in recipes for golden milk. If there are any benefits for lowering blood sugar, they are probably only present when drinking unsweetened varieties.
7. May Lower Your Cancer Risk
Cell growth that is unchecked is a hallmark of the disease cancer.
Traditional cancer therapies are losing ground to complementary anti-cancer treatments in popularity. It’s interesting to note that some research points to potential advantages of the spices used in golden milk in this context.
For instance, 6-gingerol, a compound present in significant amounts in raw ginger, has been linked in some test-tube studies to having anti-cancer properties.
In a similar vein, studies in both the lab and on animals suggest that cinnamon’s constituents may help slow the spread of cancer cells.
The active component of turmeric, curcumin, has the potential to eradicate single cancer cells in a test tube and stop tumours from developing new blood vessels, thus limiting the spread of the tumours.
Nevertheless, the evidence is based on a small number of studies, and more analysis is required to support these findings.
It’s important to note that honey or maple syrup are typically used as sweeteners in recipes for golden milk. If there are any benefits for lowering blood sugar, they are probably only present when drinking unsweetened varieties.
Summary The two main components of golden milk, cinnamon and ginger, may reduce blood sugar levels and increase insulin sensitivity. However, more study is required.
The ability of curcumin, ginger, and cinnamon to stop human cancer has, however, not yet been fully demonstrated.
Additionally, research findings are ambiguous, making it difficult to determine how much of each ingredient must be consumed to conceivably reap these advantages.
8. Contains Antiviral, Antifungal, and Antibacterial Properties
In India, golden milk is a common at-home treatment for colds. The yellow drink is actually praised for boosting the immune system.
Curcumin may help prevent and treat infections because test-tube studies suggest that it has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties.
Although the outcomes of studies conducted in test tubes are encouraging, there is currently no proof that golden milk lessens infections in humans.
Furthermore, some bacteria’s ability to grow may be hampered by compounds in fresh ginger. A common cause of respiratory infections known as the human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) may be combated by ginger extract.
Similar to this, research suggests that the active component of cinnamon, cinnamaldehyde, may prevent the development of bacteria. Additionally, it might help with the treatment of respiratory tract infections brought on by fungi.
The components of golden milk also have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that may boost your immune system.
9. Turmeric and Ginger Could Help with Digestion
Dyspepsia, another name for chronic indigestion, is characterized by pain and discomfort in the upper part of the stomach.
Indigestion may result from a delayed stomach emptying. One of the components of golden milk, ginger, has been shown to hasten stomach emptying in individuals with dyspepsia, which may help alleviate this condition.
Additionally, research indicates that turmeric, another ingredient in golden milk, may lessen the signs and symptoms of indigestion. Additionally, turmeric may speed up the breakdown of fat by causing your body to produce up to 62% more bile.
Last but not least, research indicates that those who suffer from ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory digestive disorder that causes gut ulcers, can use turmeric to maintain healthy digestion and avoid flare-ups.
10. Vitamin D and calcium Contribute to Bone Health
Strong bones may benefit from golden milk.
Calcium and vitamin D are two nutrients that are crucial for establishing and maintaining strong bones, and both cow’s and enriched plant milks are typically high in these nutrients.
In order to maintain healthy calcium levels in your blood, if your diet is too low in calcium, your body begins to remove calcium from your bones. As a result, your risk of developing bone diseases like osteopenia and osteoporosis rises over time.
By enhancing your gut’s capacity to absorb calcium from your diet, vitamin D aids in the development of stronger bones. Therefore, even if your diet is high in calcium, having low vitamin D levels in your body can result in weak and brittle bones.
Choose a plant-based milk that is fortified with both calcium and vitamin D for additional bone-strengthening advantages if you prefer to make your golden milk that way.
Conclusion
Golden milk is a delectable beverage rich in antioxidants that may offer a variety of health advantages, including a healthier heart and brain as well as stronger bones, better digestion, and a reduced risk of disease.
Use milk that is high in calcium and vitamin D, and reduce the amount of honey or syrup you use in your beverage to get the most health benefits.
