Turmeric Tea Benefits for Immunity & How to Make “Liquid Gold”
Turmeric is an ingredient that has been used for thousands of years, both as a culinary staple and medicinal spice. In addition to adding a splash of color to cuisines, turmeric is now commonly found in capsule and tablet forms as well. It can even be brewed up into a soothing tea, allowing you to take advantage of the many turmeric tea benefits, such as boosting the immune system and reducing inflammation, that this delicious spice brings to the table.
There’s a reason why turmeric tea is a popular beverage throughout Asia and is known by some as “liquid gold.” The four simple ingredients in this turmeric tea recipe all work to improve your health, whether it’s by reducing inflammation, aiding digestion, improving the health of your heart or strengthening your bones.
Adding my turmeric tea recipe to your daily health regime can help to restore your body and promote your well-being.
So what is tumeric tea good for, and what are all the benefits of turmeric? Let’s take a closer look at the potential turmeric tea benefits, plus how to make your own at home using a few simple ingredients.
What Is Turmeric Tea?
Turmeric tea is a beverage made using either turmeric root or turmeric powder. The turmeric is steeped in a cup of hot water, which helps boost the flavor and nutrient profile of the final product.
Fresh turmeric tea can also be combined with other ingredients, including pepper, lemon, honey, ginger or ginger water, and more, and it can be made with green tea for an extra antioxidant punch.
Why should you make turmeric tea? There’s a simple one-word answer: inflammation. It’s true that inflammation is at the root of most diseases, and it’s an issue modern medicine typically doesn’t focus on.
Like my turmeric latte recipe, my turmeric tea is made with coconut milk, ghee, honey, black pepper and, well, turmeric. The curcumin present in this popular spice is what makes it a functional food and contributes to the many turmeric benefits.
Not only does it help to fight inflammation that can lead to chronic pain, arthritis, degenerative diseases and digestive disorders, but it also boosts the health of your skin and helps to detoxify the body.
Coconut milk and ghee, two other main ingredients in my turmeric tea, are packed with natural fatty acids that also help to reduce inflammation and work to boost the health of your heart and even help you to lose weight.
Have you given ghee a try yet? It tastes like butter, but it’s “buttier,” with a more intense flavor that’s really satisfying. When mixed with coconut milk, it really creates a creamy, rich and filling tea.
And to add a little sweetness to this tea, I add honey, which is one of the best natural sweeteners because it’s packed with vitamins and minerals and can even promote the health of your digestive tract.
These four super-star ingredients create a healthy and fulfilling turmeric tea that can help keep inflammation at bay and satisfy your taste buds.
Turmeric Tea Benefits
Is drinking turmeric good for you? Not only is it an easy and effective way to add turmeric to your diet, but it’s also delicious and jam-packed with health benefits.
Here are a few of the top turmeric tea benefits and why you may want to consider adding it to your morning routine.
1. Decreases Inflammation
Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric, and it is thought to be responsible for many of the health benefits of turmeric tea. Curcumin has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to help decrease markers of inflammation in several in vitro studies.
Not only can this have a huge impact when it comes to decreasing symptoms of autoimmune disorders, but it may also help protect against the development of chronic conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.
2. Relieves Joint Pain
One of the top benefits of turmeric tea is its ability to reduce joint pain and treat arthritis symptoms. In addition to its anti-inflammatory effects, one review published in the Journal of Medicinal Food also showed that taking 100 milligrams of turmeric extract per day was effective at reducing joint pain associated with arthritis.
Fortunately, there are plenty of resources out there for how to make turmeric tea for arthritis. It’s often combined with other anti-inflammatory ingredients, like ginger, raw honey or cinnamon.
3. Supports Weight Loss
Like green tea and ginger tea, many people use turmeric tea for weight loss, and for good reason. According to one study out of Milan, administering curcumin to people with metabolic syndrome increased weight loss, decreased belly fat and reduced total body fat by up to 8 percent.
Historically, turmeric root tea was also used as an appetite suppressant. It was thought to curb cravings and regulate food intake.
4. Enhances Immune Function
Adding turmeric tea to your daily routine can support healthy immune system function to help ward off infections and support better health. In fact, studies show that curcumin can reduce inflammation and prevent oxidative stress and free radical damage to protect against disease.
There are plenty of turmeric tea recipes for inflammation and immunity, all of which can help provide a hearty dose of antioxidants to optimize overall health by reducing free radical damage.
5. May Have Cancer-Fighting Properties
Although research is limited on the effects of turmeric tea on cancer in humans, there have been plenty of promising in vitro studies and animal models suggesting that it could possess potent cancer-fighting properties.
For example, a paper published in the AAPS Journal actually found that curcumin can modify several cell signaling pathways to kill tumor cells and slow the growth and spread of cancer cells. However, additional research is needed to evaluate the potential turmeric tea benefits for cancer in the general population.
6. Regulates Blood Sugar
Studies show that turmeric tea benefits blood sugar control and could help keep blood sugar levels stable.
One in vitro study conducted by the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at Auburn University showed that curcumin is effective at lowering blood sugar by modifying the metabolism of glucose. This could potentially help protect against diabetes complications long term.
7. Manages Cholesterol Levels
One animal model published in the journal Atherosclerosis found that supplementing rabbits with turmeric extract decreased levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and inhibited cholesterol oxidation, both of which are major risk factors for heart disease.
Similarly, a study out of India also suggests that taking a capsule containing curcumin twice daily improves endothelial function and is comparable to atorvastatin in terms of effectiveness, which is a type of medication used to treat high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
How to Make Turmeric Tea
How much turmeric tea should you drink a day? While the exact dosage can vary based on how you brew your tea or how much is found in your turmeric tea bag, one to two cups per day is a good starting point and can help maximize the potential turmeric tea benefits, while minimizing potential side effects.
There are plenty of recipes available for how to make turmeric tea with fresh turmeric root, as well as turmeric in dried, ground or powdered forms.
Typically, this involves boiling three to four cups of water, adding one to two tablespoons of turmeric and then allowing it to simmer for at least 10 minutes. Next, the tea should be strained and cooled for a few minutes prior to serving.
You can also easily find turmeric tea bags at health food stores, which can be steeped in hot water to brew a simple turmeric tea.
If you’re looking to spice up your cup of tea, there are plenty of turmeric tea recipe ideas out there to help. Experimenting with ingredients like pepper, lemon or honey can make it easier than ever to enjoy the multitude of turmeric tea benefits that are available.
Ginger turmeric tea, in particular, is made by brewing the root of ginger and turmeric tea to boost the anti-inflammatory effects of your beverage. It can also be steeped in green tea for an antioxidant punch.
Turmeric milk tea, also known as golden milk, is another popular drink that is enjoyed for its creamy flavor, rich texture and powerful healing properties.
To make my anti-inflammatory turmeric tea recipe, start by adding one cup of coconut milk and one cup of water into a saucepan and warm the combination for about two minutes.
Then add one tablespoon of ghee and one tablespoon of honey to the mixture. Stir. Don’t want sugar, then use a full dropper of stevia.
Next, add in the black pepper and 1 teaspoon of turmeric and stir. (The piperine in black pepper can improve the absorption of curcumin.) Warm the mixture for another two minutes.
And your last step is to stir it all together and pour your turmeric tea recipe into glasses.
This recipe should make about two cups of tea. And if you want your tea to be a little sweeter, you can add in a little more honey.
Mmmm … Isn’t this tea super comforting and delicious? It’s hard to believe it’s promoting your health too, right? Enjoy!
Side Effects
Despite the numerous turmeric tea benefits, there are some people who may need to moderate their intake. In particular, those who are allergic to turmeric should avoid it altogether, as it may cause food allergy symptoms like hives, itching and swelling.
Taking high doses of turmeric powder tea may also be linked to several adverse symptoms. Some of the most common turmeric tea side effects include nausea, diarrhea, decreased blood pressure and a higher risk of bleeding.
Enjoying turmeric tea in moderation as part of a healthy diet is the easiest way to prevent side effects.
Final Thoughts
- Turmeric tea is a beverage made using either turmeric root or turmeric powder. The turmeric is steeped in a cup of hot water, which helps boost the flavor and nutrient profile of the final product.
- Turmeric teabags are also available in most grocery or health food stores.
- You can take advantage of the many turmeric health benefits by drinking the herb’s tea, including boosting your immune system, reducing inflammation, fighting cancer, reducing free radical damage and more.
Turmeric Tea Recipe
- Total Time: 7 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Turmeric tea is a popular beverage throughout Asia and is known by some as “liquid gold.” The four simple ingredients in this turmeric tea recipe all work to improve your health.
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 tablespoon honey (or full dropper of liquid stevia)
- pinch of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon turmeric (powder or grated root)
Instructions
- Pour coconut milk and water into the saucepan and warm for 2 minutes.
- Add in butter, raw honey, black pepper and turmeric powder for another 2 minutes.
- Stir and pour into glasses.
- Prep Time: 3 min
- Cook Time: 4 min
- Category: Beverages
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 ounces
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 19mg
- Fat: 29.9g
- Saturated Fat: 25g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 12.8g
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Protein: 2.5g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
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I trust Dr. Axe, just started today for arthritis and tummy issues. Taste delicious.
Iamgoing to try this and tell my family and friends
What kind of coconut milk? The canned coconut?
This is soo good! 😊
Dr Axe, I was just wondering if a person could use the tea basket for lose tea. I think it would work better for me. What do you think about using them? Thank you and have a great day.
hi just wanted to ask what is ghee?Is that a herb and where can you find it ? Thank you so much and for all the info just find out i have mild colitis.
Ghee is clarified butter. You can find jars of it in most grocery stores
Iamgoing to try this and tell my family and friends
I’ve just made this for the first time today and it’s very nice. Tasty and you can feel the goodness in it. Both my husband and I like it but how many time a week you can drink this.
GREAT article BUT !!!
I read where Turmeric with low curcumin content the color will be bright yellow and that Turmeric with high curcumin content has an orangish yellow or brownish yellow color.
If this is factual, the article should not have used bright yellow, causing people to think the darker color turmeric is somehow bad.
I would not have thought that a darker color meant “bad” instead I might have thought it was more nutrient-rich. Getting a “perfect” picture for an article is sometimes challenging.
It’s a good basic recipe to start from. I do prefer mine iced, so I’m not sure it needs to be heated, but I did anyway. Is it necessary? I doubled the turmeric for more benefits, and added ginger powder, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, and erythritol to taste. It’s a delicious beverage that’s healthy!
Can diabetics drink this?
You would need to remove the honey from the recipe. It’ll still taste delicious. Perhaps use half a dropper of liquid stevia to naturally sweeten.
Dr. Axe,
I follow you on Facebook of coarse and you have great recipes. But how does this benefit someone who is diabetic or pre diabetic? Having to watch sugar intake? Some of recipes are high in carbs and sugar. Then what?
Studies suggest that curcumin in turmeric can decrease the level of glucose in blood, as well as other diabetes-related complications. For diabetics, the honey should be swapped with liquid stevia, half a dropper.
is there any other thing you can use besides coconut milk because I’m highly allergic to fresh coconut
Is this canned coconut milk or the kind sold like regular milk in the grocery cases.
Canned coconut milk, which is finer grade coconut milk and not watered down.
Is this good for diabetics?
I recently purchased a liquid turmeric with curcumin, no artificial colors.
How can I best use this product? Can I mix it with anything?
Thank you, Dr. Axe for this recipe! I was just diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis so I’ll be adding this tea to my daily regimen. I searched for everything on your website regarding psoriatic arthritis & found one article specific to PsA, but it’s five years old. I’m hoping you or someone on your staff can write an updated article that includes anything new you might recommend – foods to avoid, foods to eat, supplements, etc. The medication I’m being prescribed will depress my immune system and can potentially damage the liver & kidneys so I’m interested in any and all natural therapeutics. On a side note, glad to see Costco is now selling your collagen peptides!
Hi Teresa! We will look to update that article. Also give this article a look: https://draxe.com/nutrition/liver-cleanse/
Can I use Turmeric Essential oil instead of the powder?
I would not recommend making that switch.
Very useful thank you Dr. Axe for all your recipes especially like this that we probably all need God bless you and your family 😊
Can vegan butter be used. Need a vegan or vegetarian option please
Ghee has special properties that you’d miss with vegan spread, but if you found a good quality one without additives and gums, then I would just try it and see if you like it. Golden Milk has such soothing properties and is such a nice way to get turmeric in you that it would be a shame to miss out. Just try it!
Have not tried tea.
Thank you Dr. Axe for sharing your knowledge about this powerful herbal herb. You are blessed
Thank Dr Axe to sharing a turmeric tea recipe, it looks healthy. I’ll try it.
Was reading an article, posted by Dr. Axe, about recommended dosages of curcumin. This recipe was a link to ways of adding turmeric into you diet. So my question is, if I follow this recipe, how much curcumin is there per serving?
I read that 3% of turmeric is curcumin.
Enjoying a cup right now! But on Keto, so used Tumerix Soluble Solution Powder (has cinnamon, pepper, coconut, ginger, and other healthful additives in the mix, including stevia). So yummy and a treat to drink :)
so so grest 5stars thank you
Do you use full fat coconut milk?
Very interesting I’m gonna make it matters in fact I brought turmeric powder for a reason i didn’t know how to make this thanks for sharing
What can be used in place of ghee???
Good ole butter (ideally grass-fed).
This is so good! I added a dash of cayenne pepper to spice it up. Yum!
How often would you recommend drinking this tea recipe?
What can be used in place of honey for a diabetic.
I’m confused. I have heard many times tumeric needs to be combined with pepper for best results. I don’t see anything about pepper?
I add pepper to mine.
Fat or pepper will help absorption. You don’t need both, but you certainly can if you want.
The pepper activates the tumeric
There is pepper listed in the recipe.
There is pepper listed as optional add ins in the introduction to the recipe.