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Golden Milk Tea: Exotic & Delicious

What Is Golden Milk Tea? 

Many fresh herbs and spices are valued for their medicinal benefits, and one of the most famous of these spices is turmeric. Used in cooking Asian dishes and as a natural dye, this bright yellow ground spice is also the main ingredient in golden milk tea. 

Golden milk tea is a tea recipe in Ayurveda Indian cuisine that includes coconut milk, turmeric, and other spices such as black pepper and cinnamon. Golden milk tea is associated with several health benefits like improved sleep, reduced inflammation, and antioxidants.  

Golden milk tea might seem unusual if you’ve never tried it before, but this silky yellow drink can pack a punch when it comes to preventative health. Read on to learn more about golden milk tea and why it’s so good for you. 

What Is Golden Tea?

Golden milk tea is an exotic drink to many people, but this delicious concoction has been made in India for hundreds of years. Golden milk tea has been used in Ayurvedic medicine in India since ancient times. Ayurvedic medicine is a branch of herbal medicine that focuses on using natural ingredients like herbs and spices to induce different effects within the body. 

Turmeric Golden Milk Tea

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Why Is It Called Golden Milk?

Golden milk is called golden milk because of its bright golden color. This color comes from the ingredient turmeric. A relative of the ginger root, Turmeric is a common spice derived from the dried and ground roots of the Curcuma longa plant. This orange-yellow spice is also used as a dye for clothing. 

Is Turmeric Tea the same as Golden Milk Tea?

Depending on who you talk to, golden milk tea is also called:

  • Turmeric tea
  • Turmeric latte
  • Turmeric golden milk tea

No matter what you call it, all of these contain the same basic ingredients:  hot milk, turmeric, and other spices.  

What Does Golden Milk Tea Taste Like?

The flavors in golden milk tea are similar to those in chai tea. It’s warm and spicy, with a hint of bitterness from the turmeric. For this reason, turmeric is usually simmered to mellow its flavors. Sweeteners and aromatic spices are also added to tame turmeric’s taste. Common additions to golden milk tea include the following: 

  • Ginger: Like turmeric, ginger is another strong spice derived from the ground root of a plant. This aromatic flowering plant is often used as a medicinal herb to help curb nausea and suppress the appetite for weight loss.
  • Vanilla: Vanilla is an aromatic spice harvested from the seed pods of Vanilla orchids. Vanilla has a sweet marshmallow flavoring good for mellowing out stronger spices like ginger and turmeric.
  • Honey: This natural liquid sweetener derived from bees, honey has health benefits such as antimicrobial properties that make it a healthy addition to any tea recipe.
  • Cinnamon: Cinnamon is an aromatic spice that is gathered from the inner bark of some tree species. It’s commonly used as a culinary ingredient in both savory and sweet foods, and is often added to hot beverages as a flavoring. Like turmeric, cinnamon is a common ingredient in Ayurvedic medicine. 


Not only do these spices help improve the flavoring of golden milk tea, they also give golden milk tea many additional medicinal qualities and health benefits that the tea wouldn’t have if they weren’t included.

turmeric tea latte

Health Benefits of Golden Milk Tea

While many people enjoy the flavor of golden milk tea, the main reason that this tea is consumed is the health benefits it provides the drinker. Here are just a few of the medicinal properties associated with drinking golden milk tea : 

  • Antioxidants: Golden milk tea is full of antioxidants, chemical compounds that have been shown by science to help prevent degenerative diseases by reducing free radicals in the body. Consuming antioxidants can help prevent chronic disorders such as cancer and heart disease.
  • Anti-inflammatory properties: Golden milk tea has anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation in the body is associated with many health problems such as metabolic disorders and Alzheimer’s disease. Anti-inflammatory compounds can also help alleviate the symptoms of inflammatory diseases such as irritable bowels and arthritis.
  • Improved mood: The main active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, has been associated with antidepressant properties. 

When consumed regularly over time, golden milk tea has the ability to improve your mind as well as your body. 

How to Make Golden Milk Tea

Golden milk tea is easy to make, but it does require simmering on the stovetop to get the best flavor from it. Mulling aromatic spices such as ginger and cinnamon with coconut milk and turmeric gives you a tea with a mellow but delicious taste. 

Golden Milk Tea Ingredients

Golden milk recipes can vary according to taste, but most contain:

  • Ground turmeric
  • Milk (usually coconut)
  • Sweetener (usually honey)
  • Other spices (cinnamon, black pepper, ginger, etc.)

Follow this recipe from Epicurious to brew two cups of golden milk tea : 

  • Mix up the golden milk tea. Add one cup of coconut milk to one cup of water, then whisk in a stick of cinnamon, a half-inch piece of ginger, a tablespoon of honey, a tablespoon of coconut oil, a half teaspoon of dried turmeric, and 1/4 teaspoon of whole black peppercorns.
  • Heat the tea. Place the tea mixture on a stovetop and bring it to a low boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer the tea for ten minutes to allow the spices to mingle with each other in the milk.
  • Strain the tea and serve. Strain any whole spices out of the tea with a sieve, then serve the tea in two mugs and top them with a dash of powdered cinnamon. 

This tea may take a bit longer to prepare than some other varieties, but the exotic flavors and medicinal properties of this brew are well worth the effort. 

If your busy life doesn’t allow you to slowly simmer a batch of golden milk tea, you can also get the benefits with a premixed powder that you can add to any warm milk of your choice, dairy or plant based milk

Golden Turmeric Milk Tea is an Indian Delight

If you’ve never made a cup of spicy golden milk tea before, consider this easy guide above your prompt to give this delicious yellow drink a try. Your body and your tastebuds will thank you! 

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