Turmeric is an ubiquitous indian spice and a common ingredient of pre-mixed curry or masala powders. Turmeric (haldi, Konkani; haridra, Sanskrit) is also an essential component of fish marinade.
While I take for granted the turmeric used in cooking, I distinctly remember my grandma preparing scalding hot, turmeric milk whenever we had a sore throat or cold. And grandma admonished us to sip it hot, letting it course its way down the back of our throats. Haaiiii! She had alchemized this common root, to a piping hot, golden elixir, which not only got us back to school the next day (unfortunately), but also back on the playground (v good). Something magical about that turmeric milk! If she only knew!
A few months ago when experimenting in the kitchen I had cut my palm. Having seen my aunts and mother for ages in the kitchen, I instinctively reached for the turmeric powder and dabbed it in the cut stanching the blood and forming a clot. Now scientists tell us that turmeric is anti-bacterial – preventing infection and also helping heal the wound! Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric is responsible for its medicinal activity and pigmentation.
Ensconced in multimillion dollar laboratories, western scientists are slowly catching up to what our grandmothers, armed with stone mortar and pestles have known for millennia. Something magical about that turmeric!
Scientists now tell us that curcumin is anti-inflammatory, in that it can reduce soreness and fever, much like tylenol or paracetamol. And it acts like those latest anti-inflammatory drugs called cox-2 inhibitors: Celecoxib and Vioxx. Both of these medicines have serious side effects and vioxx has been withdrawn by the FDA for safety reasons. On the other hand, turmeric as a dietary constituent is safe and well tolerated!
A host of scientific investigations have also looked at the ability of curcumin to fight cancer. Curcumin kills several types of cancer cells in the laboratory. In animals, curcumin prevents or slows cancer in the skin, breast, liver, fore-stomach, duodenum and colon. Curcumin also has anti-angiogenic properties; translation: curcumin seriously slows new blood vessel formation in tumors, causes asphyxiation of tumors and thus preventing their growth and metastases.
Without turning this into a scientific review paper, I hope you are convinced that turmeric is really good for you. Daily consumption of dietary turmeric in the form of added spices, or this turmeric milk can have near magical properties.
No wonder that in Hindu pujas, devas (Gods as crude approximation) and young brides are doused in turmeric powder!
Here is a really simple recipe for the magical turmeric milk (haldi dudh, in konkani). At the first signs of a sore throat, or feverishness, sip this hot milk drink and call it a night! Wake up fresh and ready to take on the world!
When you do try this recipe, I’d love to hear your experience.
Note: Ginger (adrak, Sanskrit) used in this recipe is well recognized in Ayurvedic and western medicine as having anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. It is widely used to prevent motion sickness, to prevent nausea and most importantly suppresses cough. More on that in another recipe.
Recipe:
- In a mug, place 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- Add a quarter cup water and twirl to mix in turmeric
- Top off with milk. You can also skip the milk and do this in water!
- Microwave ~ 2 min (depends on power rating of your microwave) bringing milk nearly to a boil)
- Leave milk in the microwave for ~ 5 min, allowing the active ingredients of ginger and turmeric to seep into the milk
- Add a teaspoon of jaggery. Alternately use honey, cane or regular sugar to taste. Mix well and reheat milk
- Spoon out and discard ginger bits; turmeric settles to the bottom. If it bothers you, you can strain
- Sip this very hot and feel the heat course over your gullet
- Off to bed! Awake refreshed and energized!
Update: Scientists have demonstrated that when curcumin is ingested along with a peppercorn extract, the ability of our body to absorb and utilize curcumin increases dramatically, upto 2000%. Thus the indian tradition of including peppercorn in this home remedy (as commented by readers) has a basis in science as well.
See related drinks:
Selected science articles for further enlightenment (or treat insomnia):
- Sharma and others, Curcumin: The story so far, European Journal of Cancer (2005) (PDF).
- Villengas and others, New mechanisms and therapeutic potential of curcumin for colorectal cancer, Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (2008) (PDF).
- Goel and others, Specific inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) expression by dietary curcumiin in HT-29 human colon cancer cells, Cancer Letters (2001) (PDF).
- Tiwari, Ayurveda: Secrets of Healing, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, India (1995)
Nice one Arun…we normally add turmeric with milk..never tried with ginger..will try this right away…
Srivalli:
Ginger suppresses coughs and goes well with the turmeric.
Let me know how it works out!
Love Turmeric…but…I mixed it with some French Vanilla creamer & whipped cream…it was very nice
& looked great
Interesting way to mix it and make it taste better!
Awesome and thanks for sharing
Arun
Thanks for the great recipe Arun! It soothed my cough and sore throat almost right away!
Heh Aimee: Glad this is working out for you. Keep at it for a few more days, and rest too. Arun
Just gave my hubby this drink with ginger, will update twm!
That was very fast!
Update please!
Recently they discovered that Curcumin also prevents Alzheimer’s also!
So I have doubled the quantity of turmeric I use to cook dals and else where
You are absolutely right!
I had read it, but was so excited with the anti-cancer stuff, just overlooked it. Thanks for pointing it out!
Amazing Turmeric!
Nice one with pictures. I optionally add black pepper with the turmeric and usually slow boil over the stove to let the turmeric and pepper seep into the milk. Like you say nothing like our good home remedies.
Thank you Lakshmi for sharing your suggestion. I have tried that once with Black pepper, but without the milk. Will try it this evening! Thank you again!
Arun
Gone are the days when I used to make fun of turmeric milk when I was given a mug of it when I was suffering from sore throat and cold! Now, I make it myself and recommend to others too.
Life comes a full circle after all!
Ghirardelli mug with turmeric milk in it
Nope, we don’t miss a thing!
Exactly Anu!
I used to dread haldi dudh, now look!
Well said! Life does come full circle!
Hey! you know Ghiradelli!
A memento of so many fabulous visits to the beautiful city! Nice mug, no?
… it was not there by accident! and nice of you to notice it.
Arun,
How does one prepare tumeric milk in the absence of a microwave? Also, can you suggest a mail order source to purchase the coffee maker pictured in the September 30, 2008 edition of “Kaapi: Way Coffee Should Be Enjoyed!” I cannot find a traditional South Indian coffee maker in our local Indian grocery stores.
Warm regards,
Paula
Hi Paula,
Thank you for your comment.
On a stove-top do exactly the same in a saucepan. Add a little more water to account for evaporation. And while you are at it, do two cups.
Actually stove-top method does a better job of getting the ‘essence’ from the turmeric and ginger. At home in Mumbai we do it on the stove-top too.
Kaapi-Maker – sorry you couldn’t find it in a store near you. I don’t know any mail-order places, but let me check our Indian grocery stores here. If I find one here, would you like me to buy one here and ship it to you?
Hi, please do not use Microwave at all, and especially trying to prepare such a marvelous remedy like Fresh turmeric / milk and honey. How to make it: grate the fresh turmeric (after removing sskin of course) in a small sauce pan, then add fresh milk, and bring to boil, but watch out, and then under cover let sims in very small fire under cover for approx. 5 min, swithc off, let temperature go down by half (10 mn to half an hour depending where you are), and then add honey (if you wish) or not before drinking. It works VERY WELL against flue.
Thank you for the tip! You can accuse me of laziness
We use the stove-top for most of our cooking.
Paula – brought back a south indian coffee maker for you. Please send me mail … with your mailing address.
arun – this is brilliant. i think we’re all going to be warding off summer colds soon, it seems that june is a month for colds around here. i won’t say i can’t WAIT To try it, but i am grateful to have it in mind and we’ll for sure give it a try. thank you!
Thank you Jessie:
Nowadays, I don’t wait for the cold; whenever I am feeling very tired (and weak) I just make this. As you may have read in the discussion, making this on the stove-to is prolly better, but as a quick drink before going to bed, I prefer the microwave, and easier to clean-up.
Whenever you get a chance, or remember. let me know your thoughts.
Thank you for this.I have once learned a bit of Ayurveda and have also been introduced to the wonders of Turmeric! I agree that many of our elders knew about natural healing properties through instincts and tradition,and are unfortunately not sufficely appreciated as our modern day scientists..I personally believe that all the answers to our ideal health lies within that knowledge,in the fruit of our earth and not in the artificial produce of laboratories..
Amen!
When in doubt, I fall back on the wisdom of the ages!
Don’t get me wrong, I am a scientist and faculty at a leading University here in the US, and from that vantage point I also see the shortcomings of our science.
Given all I know today, I’d gladly eat everything that my grandma would feed me; and feed meera the same!
The challenge I see is how to bring that knowledge forward to our current times and how to make it a part of our hectic schedules in a nuclear family.
You always pose thoughtful responses that get me thinking.
Hey Arun, what a coincidence!!! These days, I am giving a warm Haldi-doodh to my hubby…poor hubby has been suffering with cough and cold. Since ages, the Haldi-doodh is best remedy for cough. Yes, yes…haldi is also excellent when you have got cut any part of ur body as it has healing power. Everything just comes frm mom, great grand maa. Aren’t they very thoughtful and ahead of time?
Btw, I never have had tried ginger in haldi-doodh. Let me try with hubby dear. hehe
Thanks for your beautiful info.
Hope you & ur family are doing well.
Sonu,
Hope your baby gets better soon with the haldi dudh. … and rest!
And most definitely try the ginger, I truly enjoy the taste.
M&M are doing well, but still in mumbai.
All else is well.
Arun
Dear Arun,
Yes, if you can find a South Asian coffee maker in one of the Boston stores, I would love one! I shall reimburse you for the purchase price and shipping charges. I have searched our local stores and none of them carries very much cooking equipment. Also, I have had no luck in internet searches. I can purchase the South Indian coffee in two of our local restaurants, and it is as delicious as you described.
Warm regards,
Paula
Sure will look around here for the coffee maker; give me a couple of weeks. … and you got to try Kaapi in restaurants! Yaay!
Also, for making this on the stove-top:
use half cup water, 3/4 cup milk, add the turmeric and ginger and bring to a slow boil; stir ocassionally;
strain into a mug, add jaggery, or honey to taste and stir.
Will keep you updated.
Thank you for this. I never thought of using turmeric for a simple cold. I’m going to try the tumeric with black peppercorns. An active ingredient in black peppercorns, called piperine, boosts the effects of curcumin by like 2000%
I wouldn’t suggest cooking it in a microwave. A microwave rearranges the molecules and might destroy some of the nutrients. Boiling on a stovetop might do this as well. Maybe try cooking on a stovetop at a very low temperature. I’ll try cooking it a few different ways and see what works best.
Thank you for the recipe!
You are absolutely right Rebecca:
The piperine boosts the bio-availability of curcumin. It is in the articles I have attached, but did not mention it in the post itself.
And I partially agree with your thoughts on microwave rearranging molecules. The same can happen (but in a different way) when the concoction is heated on a stove-top. But your point is well taken!
Let me know how it works for you.
Best
I doubt your grandmother used a microwave, if you do a little research on microwaves you will realize that you are destroying any medicinal benefits by microwaving it. I am surprised that the milk does not cause more mucus formation. I like that you mentioned using water instead. Sorry to be nit picky, because in fact, I highly recommend tumeric, it is a spice/herb that everyone should use on an almost daily basis.
Thanks, Sean
Microwaves were not around for grandma; I’m just trying to make life easier for me. The whole thing happens in ONE mug and easier to clean-up. Yaay!
But I do agree, heating on the stove-top seems to make the turmeric and ginger steep into the milk more. When I want more than 1-mug full, or when I have company, I make this on the stove-top.
You may be right, the microwaves may dimerize some of the DNA and denature proteins (including the active ingredients); but the same can and does happen when heat is applied on a stove-top.
I’m a regular milk drinker (1% low fat), so have not noticed the mucus; perhaps its the low fat version that I consume. Also, medically it is well know that milk does NOT cause the phlegm, but may make you more aware of the phlegm or mucus at the back of the throat.
Thanks for the turmeric recommendation and for joining the discussion.
Hi, microwave transforms the molecular structure of any EVEN just heated food, so your body will not recognize it as food… and then you can imagine. I refused to have microwave at home, and i believe i live better without. When i see young parents heating baby food in microwave, i feel very ANGRY to be so stupid though i realise that not everyone could feel and understand things
ummm… doesn’t milk make the body produce phlegm?
hi Dillon:
A common notion, but incorrect;
When you have a cold, you already have phlegm or thick mucus at the back of your throat; drinking milk makes you more conscious of the phlegm.
But drinking milk itself, doe NOT produce phlegm.
Curcumin is a potent inhibitor of nuclear-factor kappaB (NF-kB), a transcription factor involved in activation of several hundred inflammatory genes (Bharat Aggarwal, UT MD Anderson Hospital). NF-kB was discovered in 1986 by Ranjan Sen in David Baltimore lab (published in journal Cell,1986).It is ironic that famous indian scientists in USA elucidated a major pathway involved in turmeric action that is used so commonly in India.
Thank you Ramana for the info:
The inhibition of NF-kappa B by curcumin is very interesting and well documented. Appears to be the primary driver of its anti-inflammatory, and perhaps its anti-cancer activity.
Thanks for the info on Rajan Sen, didn’t know that. Very appropraite, I’d say!
Thanks for your comment. Arun
Stumbled this lovely and timely post. I’m trying this right now!
Have felt a cold or sinus-thing coming on all day.
Since I’m allergic to milk and have downed about all the ginger tea I can stand today, I simmered the turmeric and peppercorns in some clear homemade chicken broth I had on hand.
Tastes delicious! Thanks for the info.
Thank you for your comment and for trying out this concoction! And particularly with added peppercorns!
Its does feel ’spicy hot’ but soothing for the throat.
Let me know how it turns out for you.
Best
Arun
Wonderful discussion….Thanks to all
I use cold almond breeze milk-tastes wonderful!
I’ll try the ginger, cinnamon, & black pepper but not all
at once.
Thank you Nessa:
Almond milk breeze sounds delicious!
Its ginger, turmeric and black pepper – one at a time is smart!
Thanks for sharing your comment.
Arun
Hi there Arun,
I came across your blog by accident,& very pleased that I did
I’ve known about the health properties of turmeric for ages,(but not about its wound healing properties, so thats another new thing I have learned!)
However,I used to have it in curries (which I can no longer eat,sadly) So,I’m really glad to find other ways to try it.
Thank you very much for your tips!
Best wishes,
Anita
Hi Anita:
Thank you for visiting and glad the blog could hold your attention.
Turmeric is truly a fascinating spice and scientists are learning new things about it. Sorry to hear you cannot partake of the curry; but the turmeric milk should get you where you are going.
BTW, if you are off curry for acidity, try Almond milk, which is linked in the post above.
Thank you for visiting
Arun
Totally unrelated, but I finally tried the flaxseed meal from TJ’s and you are right – chapathi with more nutrients! Thanks for the tip (took me mooooonths to execute, but I am finally there!)
Ha hA! Thanks for updating me.
Yes! good for you!
Better late than never!
Hope R&R are doing well!
My husband placed an order for Turmeric for a Moroccan dish he was making. His order was at least 3 full cups. that’s enough turmeric for all of So. Cal for the next 30 years.
Ha hA! Yes, enough for a lifetime!
We bought a small 100 gms packet in the last century and its still going strong!
If you make fish, after the wash, we generally rub turmeric on the fish and let it sit for 15 minutes; then wash and marinade.
I guess you’ll need to come up with creative ways to use the turmeric.
Enjoy!
I never thought of adding any of these ingredients to milk, but what a good idea. I always love a good home remedy and this one looks particularly useful (lots of colds around here!).
Absolutely give this a shot! … and it works!
as kids we obviously hated it – I think the trick is to add a bit more honey (or sugar or jaggery);
Hope you enjoy it!
Thanks
Hi arun,
I am a first timer here and simply enjoying my stay!
Haldi-doodh!! it is like home away from home. These days we crave for stuff we used to take for granted in India when we grew up. We realize the worth of daadi’s nuskiyan and mom’s advice/pampering only when you don’t get it ready-made.
Like your posts.
And hey, you reply to every single comment. How very nice of you and a very patient person!!
Off to browsing more of your posts.
- Ritika
Hi Ritika:
Thank you for visiting!
as your browse the five years worth of articles, please do share your thoughts. And btw, some posts could be tackled with the “Delete” key!
Distance certainly breeds love – and the further away we are from people or things, we miss them more. The challenge would be to find the balance and appreciate the things we have and at the same time add more richness to our lives.
and yes, I do read (carefully) every comment and am truly appreciative that complete strangers take the time to (1) read, and (2) put all the information down to actually share their thoughts! The least I can do is to acknowledge their generosity. And yours too.
Enjoy your stay!
Arun
Hello Arun and thanks for this great turmeric post.
I often juice a small chunk of fresh turmeric root in my morning carrot juice, and I’m wondering if anyone knows how the healing and anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric would compare by using the fresh root rather than the dried turmeric powder in this recipe.
In any case, I am planning to try this concoction using both fresh turmeric and ginger root, which has to be a wonderful combination.
Hi Elky:
What a fantastic idea!
I love the whole concept of using fresh turmeric, along with the fresh ginger root.
I was trying to look through the science archives and did not find any information on the curcumin content of fresh turmeric. My sense would be that fresh turmeric would have essentially the same amount of curcumin as in the dried form. And it is likely that the curcumin in fresh turmeric is likely in a biologically more active and potent state.
Yes! Great suggestion and I’m personally going to find some fresh turmeric on my next trip to Mumbai (likely, next month).
And thank you for such a wonderful suggestion.
Live Long! Live Well!
Arun
I love the flavor of turmeric and have known of some of the medicinal qualities. This article is great! A reminder of some ideas I knew and others that are new to me. Many thanks. And keep up the good work!
Joy,
Glad you enjoyed and thank you for your kind words.
I just visited your site. Beautiful work.
Bestest
Arun
Great post. I have book marked this for the future. Thank u sooooo much.
Thank you much!
Hope this is of use to you.
Good stuff Arun,
was surprised that no one mentioned fresh turmeric root until the very end (Elki’s post). It definitely adds a flavor component not found in the powder. As far as curcumin or other health benefits, one can only assume (if no one has any data to share). Since turmeric is related to ginger, I wonder if adding fresh ginger isn’t similar to using fresh turmeric. I like both so much I usually use both! (currys etc.) There is also a notable difference in yellow and white ginger. I find it easy to find fresh yellow ginger (my favorite, so intense!) and fresh turmeric, in season, here in Portland, Or., at natural food stores. They get it from organic farms in Hawaii. Josanna’s Organics, Andy’s Organics and Biker Dude are three of the ones I know about. I don’t know if they sell to individuals but I do know Josanna’s would ship (via USPS) in quantities as low as 7 lbs. Fresh turmeric will dry out and lose its flavor if left for long in a dry environment and will mold in a humid one so buying one or two roots at a time is recommended. Covered and refrigerated it has a very long shelf life (1-2 mo’s?)
Loved getting the authentic traditions and hearing about the benefit of adding peppercorns. Would love an actual recipe with peppercorns (whole or ground, and to taste or is there a recommended proportion?)
Dylan
http://www.hawaiigreenpages.com/OrganicFarms.html
Hi Dylan:
Thank you for the detailed note on the fresh turmeric. Interesting that you can buy it here in many of the organic grocery stores. The power of globalization!
But in rural india, since turmeric only grows in the spring and summer, the folks have to store it for use during the rest of the year! There are no refrigerators and drying appears to be an excellent way of preserving the turmeric!
BTW, we do include fresh turmeric leaves (when available) in many of our dishes and as you mentioned, the taste is exquisite! I’m off to India soon and can’t wait to reacquaint myself with fresh turmeric.
Thank you again for the detailed info on fresh turmeric. I’m going to check out some local stores here and see what they have.
To your health!
Arun
Hello Arun,
I am not a first timer at your blog. I visit it very often. I must mention it is a very well written blog.
Your little girl Meera is a blessing.
Haldi Dudh – Oh! I remember being fed this as a kid – absolutely hated it.
My mom also made a concoction by adding Tulsi leaves, jaggery, black pepper and dry ginger.
Thank you Vaishali for reading here and posting this comment.
Thank you about Meera – one never tires of hearing of their darling daughter! Thank you much!
And yes, interesting you mention the concoction. Just in Jan during a short visit to Kumta, I ended up with a sore throat and my aunt made something similar with black pepper, tulsi, jaggery, ginger and also blades of the wintergreen grass (called taakka taN). What a delicacy! and ofcourse my sore throat was gone. I am planning a trip to Kumta again in Aug and will try and document the exact ingredients.
Thank you for the reminder; and apologize for the late reply.
Arun
Hi Arun,
My mom used to make this for me… and since I left out to venture the world…. I hardly remembered it. Thanks to you
)
I am going to start it again. My dad used to put almonds in water overnight, and I used to eat them in the morning. He is a doctor, retired now from goa medical college ( I think your roots are from Goa because you mentioned Konkani phrases
I used to love them too. Really nice post…
Thanks
Abhishek
Thank you Abhishek:
Glad we could reacquaint you this age old remedy! Go for it!
And yes, Almonds in water is such a good tonic! Your father did well! Kudos to him.
Yes, we are originally Konkanis from Goa and Kumta; and try and visit regularly.
To your health!
Arun
Turmeric is good alternative medicine…whenever I have a cough,before going to doc always drink hot turmeric milk…it works most of the time.
Glad you have had a positive experience with Turmeric milk.
Awesome! Enjoy great health!
Arun
Hi Arun,
Great post and I whole heartedly agree! I had a major cut on my chest recently and before I put the plaster over it I packed it with Tumeric and it healed incredibly quickly. I’ve been talking about the power of tumeric for a long time. It also has many anti cancerous properties!
Great post and great blog…this is the first time I’ve found you!
Amit
Heh Amit:
in this day and age of Neosporin, it was brave of you to dab the wound with Turmeric. I do that too as the first line of defense!
Its surprising how well respected Turmeric is – and we knew it all along! |-)
Thank you for visiting and sharing your thoughts.
Arun
I’m seeking a guest writer for my site (paid) to write articles such as this one on a weekly or monthly basis. Please reach out to me if you’d be interested in sharing this amazing natural healing wisdom that you have. I’d love to chat with you about some ideas. Best, Dave.
Well I tried it and the taste was weird at first, but I got used to it. I ended up really enjoying this and will make it again. I still have a cold this morning, but I am not coughing out my lungs like I was yesterday. Thanks for the recipe, I will surely share this with friends and family.
Impressive that you tried it Nastassia! Thank you very much.
and you are right, it feels wierd at first, and then you think its pretty ok. Growing up, we kids hated it (see some of the comments), but now as adults we developed a taste for it – and particularly knowing its medicinal properties. yaay!
and think about it, it is inexpensive and NO sideeffects.
BTW, just today, the FDA has recalled ‘another’ cold medicine. Better to stick to natural remedies.
Stay Healthy!
[...] I was excited to come across this great recipe for preparing turmeric in milk posted by Arun Shanbhag. Adding ginger gives it an extra anti-bacterial boost, and probably better [...]
Are you sure about using mocrowave?
Yeah, despite all the talk, it is pretty convenient.
But stovetop would certainly be better.
Thanks
Perhaps?
Lightly boil the turmeric, ginger, ground peppercorn(s) in 1/2 cup water for five minutes. Add 1/3 cup milk and continue another 10 minutes at the same low temperature.
Strain through permanent mesh plastic coffee filter into large cup. Add 1 cup cold milk and 1 TBSP turmeric powder, and add a shot of canned whipped cream.
Begin adding vanilla (or other) ice cream and mixing with hand blender until at the proper milkshake consistency.
Since you have a lot more experience than I regarding these herbs, may I ask:
What would be the best ginger and turmeric measurements?
How many ground black peppercorns? Is one sufficient to obtain the 2000 percent curcumin uptake?
Would the mix keep in the refrigerator for a few days so you could make a week’s worth of the initial boiled mix without degradation of the chemicals or their effects?
What other ingredients might be appropriate?
Arun,
I hope you don’t mind, but I invoked this recipe in my blog at http://www.acupuncturebrooklyn.com and used the photo, linked back to this page.
And for the last poster: 5% freshly ground black pepper will increase the assimilation of turmeric, and that is based on the research. I use 5% of dry ginger in my herbal prescriptions, but with fresh ginger you probably want 2-3 times as much by weight.
Thank you Karen for linking back to this page.
you do have a nice and informative site, but I am having trouble finding the article on your site.
Also, do you happen to be wearing a ’saree’ in that pic? Cool!
and thank you for the proportion of black pepper and ginger. we just do it instinctively (and partly by taste).
(I forgot to mention, the article I wrote, Turmeric, Sweet Turmeric, will be featured on an herbalist’s blog party, so you may get visitors out of it.)
That is so awesome! Many thanks!
Just in case anyone gets scabies out there, turmeric made into a paste, with water or plain yoghurt really did help get rid of the mites and heal the skin without scarring.
There is an Ayurvurdic remedy that has Neem and turmeric in it which is available over the net.
GPs in this country are mostly useless at diadnosing scabies and when they do prescribe some horrid chemical wash. Natural is def better.
Thank you!
Just remembered; in india you get a turmeric neem cream for improving the skin.
And before a wedding, it is traditional to rub turmeric on the bride – to improve her looks ha ha!
In India the turmeric cream is made by Vicco
http://www.viccolabs.com/vicco/Products.aspx?ProdNo=M5
[...] that I drink my turmeric in hot milk it’s a much more pleasant treatment. This last time I enjoyed one cup at bedtime and another [...]
Hi,
our 20 month old has a cold and my wife was making something similar to this, I think with a little less ginger in it… so it will be easier for her to coax it into the baby. I was very skeptical about her pouring all this down his throat especially when he was sick. But she seemed to strongly believe that it would do more good to the baby than bad. This morning I decided to find out more about it if I could and landed at this post. Just wanted you to know that it has left me a little wiser. I guess I sould agree mom knows best!!
thank you for taking time to educate us.
Heh! Hope the baby is doing well. Turmeric and ginger and the optional black pepper really works! Though babies may not appreciate the black pepper.
Here in Mumbai, I have been nursing a sore throat (too many parties) and as I woke up this morning, M made a nice hot Turmeric milk! Yaay! its magical! And I believe in it so much I drink this nearly once or twice a week, just to make sure I get enough turmeric in my system.
BTW, Am traveling here in Mumbai, and it is surprising to find so many have taken to Ayurvedic preparations to fight the Swine flu panic here. A lot of public education going on. Awesome!
Thanks for sharing your experience and yes! Mom’s do know the best! Best Wishes Arun
[...] Terrific Turmeric Posted on September 4, 2009 by nzhealthfood While wandering around the internet the other day I came across a really interesting blog article reminding us of some of the traditional uses of turmeric. [...]
Very intersting. Thanks for this information. I have a cold and I plan to try it!
I posted a link to it on my blog, which is about food and recipes to help you stay healthy and prevent cancer.
Leni
[...] see whether any new ideas had come along in the last hundred and fifty years or so, and found this remedy from India. I hate drinking milk, so the thought of milk with turmeric in it sounds worse than being [...]
Yay! I made this drink. I mushed together the ginger and the turmeric and added boiling water. I also put some cracked pepper in it. Then I added some soy vanilla creamer and agave. I see a lot of possibilities for making this even more delicious.
Very interesting and creative, Lindsay!
yes! healthy and tasty is possible.
Thank you for sharing your recipe – will try that as well.
Arun
I am very grateful to find this site. I am suffering from asthma and I do not turn to Doctors for the answers.
Much information goes into that statement.
Your explanation for using tumeric and ginger gives me confidence to try it. The simple remedies of the kitchen are best.
Thank you,
Borgny Parker
CT-U.S.A.
Hi Parker:
Sorry to hear about your asthma. I can understand your predicatment, as I suffer from have Exercise-induced, dust-induced, cold-induced, … asthma as well
You may want to consider the yoga technique of Jal-Neti to essentially cleanse the nasal passages.
see this link
http://www.womenfitness.net/yoga_jalneti.htm
and just google Jal-Neti
I know Whole foods and many pharmacies carry these Jal-Neti kits for about $15.
Live well!
Arun
I am actually just about to make myself a cup of this. I find it to be a very effective cold remedy.
But to the author, there is no need to be so snarky about scientists. Scientists need to satisfy a much higher burden of proof that something actually works than family members. I have a great deal of respect for their use of the rigorous scientific method, double and triple blinded trials.
And as much as I respect grandmothers throughout the world, the reason I put stock in this particular folk remedy is because of the scientific support.
Glad you enjoyed a cup of this remedy;
and please let me clarify – I am a card carrying scientist, very familiar with doing double-blinded, placebo controlled, clinical trials. You may be surprised to learn that most of the medications commonly used have ‘not’ undergone rigorous testing; and those that have been tested are tainted (and the end points manipulated) by big-pharma funding, and multi-million dollar consulting fees for doctors.
~ you may notice i never come out and mention in any of my posts, where I actually work, or what I do for a living
My continued snarkiness, contains a healthy dose of self-deprecation.
And you rightly point out, that many of the older home remedies are now being borne out by scientific proof! I find these studies more credible, primarily because these are not motivated by huge payouts, but rather for the love of science and health.
Live well! and thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Hi Arun-
I just wanted to thank you for posting this recipe. I plan on making a cup every day or two through the fall and winter months. It’s delicious with raw brown sugar and grass fed whole milk. It’s also given me the impetus to learn more about home remedies and ayurvedic medicine.
Question: I’ve been cooking the concoction on the stove in a pot. Is there any reason why I couldn’t let it sit for say, 20 or thirty minutes before adding the sugar? Would that change the effectiveness of the ingredients? Or is five minutes the amount of time it takes the milk to completely absorb the goodies from the turmeric, peppercorns, and ginger?
Thank you Rick for your kind words.
aHa! you found grass fed whole milk. Been trying to find that here in Boston and no such luck! The bestest!
and we don’t have any scientific studies, but particularly if you are doing this on the stove top, the cooking time itself may be sufficient, and certainly no harm in letting it steep for 20-30 minutes. Actually, when I do it on the stove top, I make 2-3 cups (to account for evaporation) and while I sip the first cup, the remaining is still steeping! Ha hA!
will have to search harder for the grass fed cow milk!
We have a local co-op here in MD that imports raw cheese and grass fed milk from farms in PA where it’s legal. I was part of a cow share program a couple years ago where I was able to get raw grass fed milk and raw yogurt. It really was good and worth the 85 mile per weekend trip. Unfortunately the farmer had some family problems and had to move to California. Good luck with your search. This link may be of some help: http://www.realmilk.com/where3.html#ma .
Hi Rick, thank you for the link. There is one which is closer to a friends house. I’m going to ask him to get some for me. Need to give it a try.
… and there are so many other benefits of real milk!
Many thanks and Best Wishes to you.
Arun
This looks totally awesome and if I could get a hold of some good tumeric here in podunk (and like, wasn’t broke) I’d probably try this. I’ve been fighting a sore throat that not even regular tea drinking is getting rid of xD
Just a note about the milk: Milk will increase the mucus production in your throat. I’m not sure how much of this effect would exist with the tumeric and ginger added, but if you’ve got some major mucousy nonsense going on, you might be better off just omitting the “milk” part (as is stated as optional to do)!!!
But then, I hate milk anyways, so it’s easy for me to recommend not to drink it
i think its the ‘fat’ which irritates the mucus membranes. use fat free, or skim milk; or skip it entirely.
sure, even podunk has an indian grocery store nearby for the turmeric
Hi Arun
Got a link to this site when I was looking for ways to prepare tumeric for a cough. I am heavily pregnant and have had a horrible cough for over 2 months. I’ve taken tons of lemon and honey, did juicing of carrots, ginger and apples for days, I’ve taken antibiotics as well and so far nothing has worked.
I’ve just made the tumeric milk drink and am keeping my fingers crossed that I will feel better tomorrow!
Congratulations on the baby,
and hope this works out well for you.
Go heavy with the ginger and sip it hot!
Best Wishes
Arun
Arun,
Doesn’t ginger and turmeric have anti-inflammatory properties as well? I am wondering if this recipe might be good for joint pain. Laura
Turmeric definitely has anti-inflammatory properties. While ginger suppresses cough and nausea, I’m not so sure about its anti-inflammatory properties.
Also, no studies have explored turmeric and joint pain in particular, but given turmeric’s other effects, this is likely.
If you can find other data, please do let me know.
Best Wishes for the Holidays.
Arun
[...] Just play with it until you get a paste, measurements may be different. There are so many ways to use turmeric. [...]
[...] http://arunshanbhag.com/2009/06/05/turmeric-milk/ [...]
I’ll definitely try your recipe
I found this one that’s equally interesting, thought I’ll share it with you
http://www.pureinsideout.com/turmeric-curcuma.html
Namaste
Thank you Grace;
and for sharing that interesting article.
To your health,
Arun
Thanks so much for the information and recipe. I’d heard of it, but not the particulars. Sounds like a great recipe.
Hey, no body mentioned about this turmeric milk, its a great liver cleansing and toning elixr that will ward off skin diseases, allergies, digestion problems and producing more bile. It revies and rejuvenates the liver, the important organ of our body.
Thank you for mentioning this.
There are innumerable benefits attributed to turmeric, but I focussed on those for which we had good scientific data. The sad part is scientific research is usually funded by big fat pharma companies, only on their products which have patents. Thus we will NOT see many studies done with turmeric. But that does not mean turmeric does not have these benefits.
Thank you again.
Arun
I just whipped up a batch of turmeric milk because I heard that this is good for asthma symptoms. I tasted it and thought it could use a little ginger and honey to sweeten and add a little flavor (both for the healing properties as well.) Then, I thought, huh – I wonder if anyone else has done this, so I googled and lo and behold – there’s your recipe. Thank you so much for posting this. I am planning to drink this on a daily basis to see if combats my breathing, wheezing and coughing difficulties. I feel better already, but I’ll let you know how it works! (also starting to take chaivenprash on a regular basis as well.)
Thanks again – Jeannie
Awesome to hear that Jeannie; I’m sure that’s how the ancients experimented and developed their recipes.
and thank you for sharing your experience.
Hope you feel better.
Arun