Turmeric Latte, The Perfect Morning Detox

Yay, you have survived the Holidays! Maybe the holidays left you slightly bloated, a bit fluffier, and a little less satisfied with your body or your health.  What if there was a drink out there that can help combat some of these concerns?  What if there is a healthy way to detox your liver and your gut without starving, or endless juices? Let’s breakdown a Turmeric Latte and see how it can benefit you on a daily basis.  Prep Time 6 minutes.

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Turmeric Latte

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Organic Unsweetened Almond milk
• 1 tsp Organic Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp Organic Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Fresh Grated Ginger
• 1/2 tsp Organic Coconut Oil
• 1/2 tsp Raw Local Honey
• Sprinkle of pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat all ingredients in a sauce pan (be careful not to stain your counters with turmeric)
2. Sip slowly and enjoy

Ingredient Breakdown:

ALMOND MILK

1. Benefits: Use this instead of regular full fat milk when trying to detox the liver because dairy is broken down into sugar and sugar stresses the liver.  Also, the fat in milk is constipating to some.  I am not saying milk is bad.  I am recommending almond milk as a liver/gut detox.
2. Beware: Almond milk in the US is full of preservatives.  The only brand I found that I like is New Barn Unsweetened Almond Milk. It is expensive but fabulous.  I found it at Whole Foods.  The most economical almond milk is home made  Recipe Here.   NO Carageean, NO Sweetners, NO Vitamin Additives.

TURMERIC

1. Benefits: It lowers a major stress hormone in the liver.  It reduces the substances responsible for fatty liver.  It is a potent antioxidant which lowers the inflammatory markers that cause liver injury, gallbladder issues, fatty liver, and cancer.  Here is the latest from the American Academy of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 2013 .
2. Great spice info & ideas from my friend Kanchan at SpiceSpiceBaby.
3. Purchase Organic Turmeric.  Beware some brands have been recalled by the FDA for high lead content.
4. I get my spices from Thrive Market BUY HERE

CINNAMON

1. Benefits: Double blind placebo controlled trial showed that cinnamon taken daily in capsule format decreased oxidative stress of the liver.  Oxidative stress occurs when the liver gets clogged by toxins thus creating inflammation which leads to fatty liver disease.  It also decreases insulin resistance, the precursor to diabetes.  Lastly, patients taking cinnamon supplements showed a decrease in cholesterol levels when compared to placebo (sugar pill)  Nutrition Research 2014.
2. More Benefits: decreases sugar cravings and intestinal gas.
3. Great spice ideas, pics, and info from Kanchan at SpiceSpiceBaby.com
4. Ceylon cinnamon is best especially if ingested in capsule form, however Organic Cinnamon spices from Thrive Market are perfect for this beverage.  BUY HERE

GINGER

1. Benefits: In a double blind placebo controlled study, supplementation with ginger showed a decrease in inflammatory markers responsible for non alcoholic fatty liver disease due to its antioxidant effects.  Furthermore, patient had a decrease insulin resistance, the starting point of diabetes.  Hepatitis Monthly 2016
2. More benefits:  it helps with Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), nausea, and improves digestion  Children (Basel) 2014
3. Fresh is best.

COCONUT OIL

1. Benefits:  Protects the liver against damage from toxins, including antibiotics such a Bactrim (Trimethoprim Sulfa) study .  About 1400 studies published on this topic, mostly animal studies.  See Pubmed (medical google)
2. I get my Organic Virgin Coconut Oil at Costco.  Available in smaller sizes at Thrive Market BUY HERE.

HONEY

1. Benefits: Improves glycemic control (blood sugar control) and abnormalities associated with insulin resistance and diabetes.  Int J Biol Sci. 2012.
2. More benefits:  antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory to name a few as per this great review article Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2013.
3. Consider honey as a replacement for white table sugar, sweet n low, splenda, and other artificial sweeteners.
4. I get my honey locally from Earth Fare or Whole Foods.  Make sure it’s local, raw, and unpasteurized.  The only exception is Manuka Honey from New Zealand which has potent benefits despite being from a far away place.   The potency depends on the MG Factor, the higher the better.   Raw Manuka Honey found at Thrive Market BUY HERE.

PEPPER

1. Benefits: it boosts the absorption of Turmeric.
2. More benefits: It contains Piperine, a bioactive compound, which fights body fat, reducing lipid (fat) levels in the bloodstream of animals fed a high fat diet .  Indian J Pharmacol. 2011.  Moreover, piperine appears to suppress the formation of new fat cells J Agric Food Chem. 2012.
3. Photos and great information on spices from Kanchan at SpiceSpiceBaby.
4. Found at Thrive Market BUY HERE.

Final Notes:

• Since I adore THRIVE MARKET for their quality products and unbeatable prices, I am now affiliated with them to bring you savings.  The links in the item discussed will take you to the specific page, or click HERE for the general page.
• If this recipe is too strong or too weak for your taste buds adjust accordingly.  For discerning palates, start with small quantities and increase gradually.  Fun Fact:  1/3 of our taste buds die every 30 days, thus in 90 days we have all new taste buds.  What does this mean?  It means we can train our taste buds to accept different flavors.
• Kanchan from SpiceSpiceBaby is a Stanford PhD Biochemist who specializes in the health benefits of spices.  Her blog and books contain tons of information on how to add more spices to your cooking.

Happy Detoxing,

Ana-Maria Temple, MD