Antioxidant-Rich & Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Tea
Nutrition Real Food Recipes Recipes
Turmeric has been playing a big role in my life as of late.
I start each day with it as a new addition to my warm lemon and cayenne pepper water and even smear it on my face as a DIY all-natural antioxidant turmeric face mask.
Gotta love a multi-purpose product! Especially when they’re so jam-packed with nutritional goodness as turmeric.
Turmeric is a potent medicinal spice.
I’ve known this for quite some time but have only recently embraced the powers of turmeric (and clearly I’m making up for lost time 🙂 ). You see, I’ve been doing a lot of research for an eBook I’m writing about the vital role nutrition plays in getting great skin, and turmeric just kept coming up over and over and over again. Because inflammation plays a big role in most skin issues, and turmeric is an awesome anti-inflammatory. It’s also a potent antioxidant, neutralizing age-accelerating free radicals.
But the negative effects of chronic inflammation and free radicals extend far beyond the skin, making turmeric a wonderful medicinal herb for everyone looking to preserve their health.
Consider this quote:
“The single most promising food-derived compound to combat cancer, based on the current body of scientific evidence, is the curcuminoids found in turmeric.” — Nicholas Perricone, M.D. Forever Young
There is also evidence that regular consumption of turmeric can help prevent the loss of cognitive function as we age, and that turmeric helps the liver eliminate toxins by raising the levels of two key liver detoxification enzymes.
This antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory turmeric tea is a great way to add this spice to your life!
Ingredients
- 1 inch fresh organic turmeric root, peeled and grated (yes, apparently you can buy fresh turmeric through Amazon with free shipping! And the reviews are great!!)
- 1/8 teaspoon (really, just a couple sprinkles!) organic cinnamon, another great anti-inflammatory
- 2 tablespoons raw cream or organic coconut cream (or any type of milk you’d like with healthy fats, since the curcuminoids in turmeric is fat-soluble)
- 1 teaspoon organic raw honey for taste as well as extra antioxidant power
NOTE: Turmeric is very pigmented and will stain! Do not get it on fabric, in grout, or on porous surfaces/counter tops. However, don’t worry about it staining your teeth — ironically, many actually use turmeric as a natural teeth whitener!
Directions
Steep the grated turmeric and cinnamon in hot (almost boiled) water using a tea diffuser. After 5-10 minutes — or the point at which you could drink the water without burning your mouth! — remove the diffuser and add the raw honey and cream to the tea. Stir and enjoy!
I have a Fruit and Vegetable storage guide that I think I got from your website a long time ago. It needs replacing and was very detailed. Do you still have that available?
Thanks Nadia! I finally got my organic turmeric and cayenne pepper! Can I substitute lemon with lime if lemon is not readily available?
Hey, Jill! Just about half a teaspoon (and sometimes I sprinkle some black pepper in there too to increase the bioavailability of the curcumin in the turmeric).
Hi Nadia,
I saw on other post on warm lemon and cayenne pepper drink and in this post you mentioned you now add tumeric to it! May I know how much you add? I’ll like to try out the Warm Lemon with Cayenne Pepper and Tumeric combo..!
Is it necessary to use grated turmeric? I have organic powdered in my spice cabinet….I am guessing the drying process has probably depleted the nutritional benefits?
Oh that sounds interesting! I mean, yes, you can do whatever you want! This is just the recipe I’ve been using and enjoy.
Hi, Tasmin. Both should be kept in the refrigerator, but yes, you could grate the turmeric ahead of time to save some time!
I eat grated turmeric often over scrambled eggs. Is it necessary to use a diffuser to make the tea? Can’t you just eat or swallow it after if you want?
I have read so on the benefits of turmeric. This recipe looks quite good so will try it over the weekend. I was just wondering though, would i be able to freeze coconut milk and turmeric separately to safe me time in the morning?