I hope you had a chance to try my Iced Turmeric Ginger Latte. I sipped on it all summer long, even when we were in Austria visiting my father-in-law, Axel. Luckily, I managed to find a health food store in in small town Klagenfurt that sold fresh turmeric.
Now that it's getting chilly out, I'm sipping on this turmeric ginger tea. It warms you from the inside out and nourishes your whole being. Plus it's the colour of the trees right now in High Park.
Turmeric and ginger are super healing anti-inflammatory foods.
You may have heard that the Okinawan people of Japan have the highest population of centenarians (people who live to one hundred years old or more). Researchers attribute this long lifespan to their diet and their lifestyle – it is truly a holistic approach. Interestingly, a very popular drink in Okinawa is turmeric tea! In fact, most stores sell powdered, ready-made turmeric tea. I think they are on to something with their love of turmeric.
Even though it's very easy to find powdered ginger and turmeric, I prefer using fresh when I can find it.
This warming drink tastes absolutely wonderful, spicy and sweet.
Turmeric has more known health benefits than another other botanical in modern science. Before we get to the recipe, I’ve gotta share some of them with you!
Health Benefits of turmeric
Anti-inflammatory: This is it's biggest claim to fame
Detoxifying: Stimulates phase 2 liver detox pathways.
Thins the bile: That may sound like a weird health benefit but "thinning of the bile" allows it to flow more freely through the intestines. This translates to better detoxification. Bile is a carrier of toxic waste products.
Antidepressant: Recent studies have shown that turmeric can be used to effectively treat some depressive disorders.
Blood-sugar balancing: Turmeric can help lower blood sugar levels and fight insulin resistance.
The key to getting all these health benefits is to use high-quality spices, preferably certified organic or use fresh turmeric and ginger root.
Here is this wonderfully healing and deliciously detoxifying recipe for Turmeric Ginger Tea and a recipe video, it is so good, we had to post it on my YouTube channel.
Drinks
Turmeric Ginger Tea
Print
Ingredients
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder or 1 inch fresh turmeric root
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger or 2 inches fresh ginger root
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or coconut butter
- Option: 1/2 cup nut milk
- 1 tsp unpasteurized honey
Instructions
- Add 2 cups of boiling water to your blender.
- Add turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and blend.
- You may wish to strain the mixture into your cup with a wire mesh strainer but you don't have to if you don't mind you'll have some grit in the bottom of your cup.
- Add honey, coconut oil or coconut butter to your desired amount. Add coconut milk if using.
Notes
Please use all organic spices. Fresh is even better if you've got it! The recommended measurements I've provided make a potent flavour, so cut back if this is a new recipe for you! Serves 1-2
There you have it! My turmeric ginger tea. I hope you love it and it becomes a favourite recipe in your home for years to come!
And if you're reading this post from somewhere warm and you'd rather have it chilled, be sure to check out my Iced Turmeric Ginger Latte.
As you can see from the little hand, Vienna loves it too.
Before I go, I wanted to add an update to this post which I talk about in this video at 6:05 and it's s a question I get asked all the time: "Joy, why don't you add black pepper?". I do not add black pepper because it's not necessary for the bioavailability of curcumin when you are consuming turmeric in its whole food form due to the presence of other phytonutrients like turmerones. If you're taking a supplement of curcumin on its own then you do need something to enhance the absorption because it's now an isolated phytonutrient and you've lost the nutrient synergy of being in its whole food form. I talk about it more in that post I linked. I hope that makes sense!
Have a joyous week,
Joy
Hi Joy, Are you willing to share the brand of spices you used for your tea? Thanks, Stephanie
ReplyI didn't have any ginger on hand so I substituted it with Cardamom. It was delicious! I was expecting this tea to be bitter, but it wasn't at all. What are the health benefits of Cardamom?
ReplyHey Amanda! Sounds delicious. It offers similar health benefits as ginger: great for digestion, bloating, gas and supports the kidneys :) Enjoy! Heather- Joyous Health Team
Great recipe - make sure to only add the honey once the drink has slightly cooled down as honey should not be heated. My functional medicine doctor gave me the same recipe and made sure to mention that about the honey, it should never be heated, it looses nutrients. Thank you.
ReplyHi Joy, Just wondering what brand of spices you use? I understand with cinnamon it is best to get one from Ceylon I think it is. Is this correct? Also wondering what the difference is between collagen & gelatin as in the Great Lakes ones & if you can use them interchangeably? For instance in making a homemade jello would you only use gelatin? If so how would you use collagen? Hope that isn't confusing! Thanks, Elizabeth
ReplyHi Elizabeth. Ceylon cinnamon is the "TRUE" cinnamon! Be sure to buy it from an organic company like Cha's Organics. Great Lakes Hydrolyzed Collagen is the same as the Gelatin except that it has been processed differently to allow it to dissolve in hot or cold liquids so it does not congeal when chilled. You can use them interchangeably in smoothies, add to oatmeal etc if the consistency of the final product is not an issues for you but for homemade jello and any other recipes you want to congeal, you would definitely want to use gelatin. I hope that helps! Heather- Joyous Health Team
can this drink be given to a child? If yes, what age and how often? Thank you
ReplyHi Roula! I think this tea would be just fine for a child. I'd suggest starting off with small amounts to see how it works for them and enjoy as often as you'd like. :) Heather- Joyous Health Team
I’m wondering if you should limit this to one per day. When I first saw this recipe I thought I read something about that.
Hi Joy! We having been drinking a hot milk with turmeric, ginger and black pepper and some coconut oil once heated. My question is, I have read that you need the pepper to help to make the turmeric more efficient in the body. What is your opinion? I am going to try it with water, Thanks, Melanie
ReplyHi Melanie! When using whole fresh turmeric root, you do not need to pair it with black pepper as it has synergistic compounds/nutrients that help your body use the beneficial curcuminoids found in turmeric. That's the beauty of using whole foods! I hope that helps. Enjoy :) Heather- Joyous Health Team
Hi Joy: So from reading the comments it seems if I am using powdered turmeric I should add some black pepper, but if I use fresh I don't have to? Also, what kind of blender doesn't explode when blending boiling water? Your first instructions sound scary to me, but the final results look delicious!
ReplyHi Janet! So if the powder is truly the whole turmeric which has been properly dried and ground, black pepper is not necessary because there are other phytonutrients like “turmerones” that aid in the absorption of the curcumin. Black pepper actually modulates the activity of P450 detox enzymes and this is why the absorption of curcumin is increased (but again, it’s not necessary when the whole food is eaten). And inhibiting these enzymes is not necessarily a good thing because you may also absorb more toxins or if you take any Rx then it may not be properly detoxified and stay in the blood stream longer. The key message is that when using the whole food or a high quality turmeric supplement or powder the pepper is not necessary. I hope that clarifies things. I find that my Vitamix doesn't explode when blending hot liquids, but any blender could work! Just be sure to start blending slowly and allow some of the steam to escape during the process by venting the lid a bit. I hope that helps! Heather- Joyous Health Team
Hi there! Is this safe to drink during pregnancy ? Looks delish :)
ReplyHey Candice! It sure is. Turmeric supplements are not recommended during pregnancy because they are super high doses but fresh or dried powder turmeric is perfectly fine. Enjoy! Heather- Joyous Health Team
I made this tea last night and it was AMAZING!! Stopped my craving for a sweet after dinner. Thank you.
ReplySo glad you liked it!!!! Heather- Joyous Health team
Hello joy, Love your recipes and blog! My naturopath just told me to look up Golden milk and drink daily for digestion issues, love the look of this one! If I was to instead use fresh, do you peel off the skin or grate it all? Also is it necessary to grate it, or just add small pieces to vitamix? If I was to double this recipe would it overflow the vitamix, maybe I should make everyone a separate drink? thanks for all you do for all of us!
ReplyHi Leanne! If using fresh, you don't have to peel it if it's organic and can totally just throw the chopped up pieces in the vitamix. If it's conventionally grown, I highly recommend peeling it first. Most Vitamix's can handle 4 cups of water so feel free to make a double batch! Enjoy :) Heather- Joyous Health Team
I just mixed up the tumeric ginger tea, it is fabulous!
ReplyIs the coconut oil necessary? I recently read that coconut oil has a high saturated fat content that raises the body's LDL cholesterol. Is its purpose in the tea to help dissolve the cinnamon and tumeric?
ReplyMmmm....delicious!! Just tried it and I love it! Thank you for bringing another wonderful thing to my life ??
ReplySo good....so relaxing! It feels like a walk in the park. It has this calming affect on me. Thank you!
ReplyGlad you enjoyed Lise!
Thank you for sharing it.This is easy
ReplySo glad you enjoyed this one too! :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
I just made this. It is so delicious and I cannot believe how EASY it was. Thank you for sharing. This will be a regular drink for me.
ReplyHey Amber! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it and found it so simple too! Now you can enjoy the anti-inflammatory benefits on the daily :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Hi! Where do you get your organic ground tumeric if I could ask. I'm looking for a high-quality tumeric to help fight cdiff. Thanks!
ReplyHey Elaine! Joy uses Cha's Organics which you find over here: http://chasorganics.com/products/turmeric-ground-30-g :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
I have tried this and cannot drink it. I think it is the turmeric flavour I do not like. I have tried it several times and cannot drink it again. Suggestions? Barbara
ReplyHey Barbara! Fair enough :) Turmeric takes some time to grow a liking to if you don't like it right off the bat. I would suggest using a smaller amount of turmeric to start off with and using a bit more raw honey. If you can't reduce the amount of turmeric anymore, try increasing the amount of cinnamon and ginger. Hope that helps! Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Is this ok to drink while breastfeeding? I know some detox methods should be avoided.
ReplyHi Nicole!
Yes, definitely. This one of the more gentle detoxifying foods and you aren't having it in excess amounts so certainly! Joy continues to drink this while breastfeeding and did so during her pregnancy as well :)
Rachel - Joyous Health Team
If you are having your turmeric tea everyday, can you make up a large amount ahead of time and just reheat it instead of having to get the blender and ingredients out everyday. Also, if you are using the actual ginger and turmeric root, how much of it do you use and do you just pop the whole thing in the blender? Carol
ReplyHey Carol, We'd recommend having it fresh as much as possible. When we cut the turmeric or ginger open, it becomes oxidized which decreases it's nutrient value slightly. Now if preparing it in advance is what's going to get you to drink it more frequently, by all means, go for it :) But if you're looking to get the most nutrition out of a certain food, it's best to enjoy it fresh. For this recipe, you can use 1 inch of fresh turmeric root and 2 inches of fresh ginger root. Hope that helps! Rachel - Joyous Health Team
I'm allergic to coconut, is there an alternative that I can use in its place?
ReplyHey Yvette! For sure - almond milk would work just as great! Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Hello there! Love all the recipes online
ReplyHey Jen! Thanks so much :) So glad you're enjoying them! Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Hi Joy! I'm wondering if I don't have a vitamix, if I could still use a blender for this recipe, say, a ninja bullet? Or would I just be better off adding these ingredients into boiling water on the stove? Thank you!
ReplyHey Gwendolyn! This would definitely work in a Ninja Bullet blender! Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Hi Joy, Do you have a video on the recipe with fresh ingredients and using a nut milk? Do you heat the nut milk?
ReplyHey Lucy!
Are you asking about a video of how to make the Turmeric Ginger Tea? If so, you can find that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wFXsl5kHDI
Health benefits of turmeric are countless. We all know that turmeric has been used to treat various kinds of problems and this is a very common ingredient in every Indian house hold. It is not only used to enhance the taste of your food but it can also help you to treat any kind of problem.
ReplyYes, so true! Well said :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Hi Joy
ReplyHey Silvia! Thanks so much for stopping by :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Oh, I wrote question but it disappeared :( Please is it ok to drink this tea in the evening (because of sleep?) Or do you suggest drink tea before lunch? Thank you :)
Oh no! Well happy you were able to post it again :) Yes, you could drink it at anytime of the day. There's nothing in this that is overly stimulating. I hope that helps! Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Hi, I made this tea tonight using fresh ingredients but I don't have a blender to use so I just steeped it all in my teapot. It tasted lovely but I'm wondering if I'll get the same health benefits from steeping?
ReplyHey Gillian, For sure! You may not get as much as blending it and consuming the whole turmeric root, however you will be able to extract a lot of the key vitamins and minerals simply by steeping it :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
I used my rasp grater this morning and grated the fresh ginger and turmeric so I could consume more of it! One more question...some reciepes called for simmering the turmeric for 10-20 minutes, do I need to do that or is steeping for 5min enough?
ReplyHey Gillian, Amazing! Great idea :) The main benefit of steeping it longer would be to ensure you're extracting all of the healing properties out of it. But I would say 5-10 minutes would give you a sufficient amount! Rachel - Joyous Health Team
My tea turns out a dark color It's never been like the beautiful golden yellow.
ReplyHey Velma, That's quite normal :) It might vary depending on whether you're using the actual root, the powder and the brand of the powder. It will likely always taste the same across the board though! Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Hi there. The tea is delicious. It did, however, leave a stain in my blender jar. Any hints or tips to remove it? Thanks!
ReplyHey Shawna, This is going to sound a bit crazy, but leave it out in the sun :) The UV rays will zap it away! Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Can I replace coconut I'm allergic
ReplyHey Antoinette, Definitely! Almond milk or hemp milk would work as well, it just may not be as creamy as the coconut! Rachel - Joyous Health Team
How often can I detox
ReplyHey Antoinette, You are detoxing every single day at every single moment, believe it or not (your organs do this for you!)! Joy's whole philosophy around detoxing is not saving it for the New Year or a specific occasion, but doing little things every single day to promote your body's natural detoxification systems. You can learn more about this in her book, Joyous Detox: https://www.joyoushealth.com/5-books-joyous-detox Rachel - Joyous Health Team
It stained my VITAMIX 😭
ReplyHey Kelly, No worries at all! A baking soda rinse should do the trick. Or you can try putting it outside and exposing it to UV Rays. It sounds silly, but it actually zaps them away! :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
How does the tea come out of your blender all creamy looking, as if you already put the coconut milk? Mine comes out a muddy mess. I tried this this morning with fresh tumeric and ginger..then another batch with powdered. Fresh is definitely better.
ReplyHey Kelly! Did you use the required 2 cups of boiling water and strain it? I wonder if that might be the issue for you? Rachel - Joyous Health Team
I made this this morning, it’s delicious for this chilly morning! Any tips on how to get the turmeric stain out of the vitamix?
ReplyPut half a lemon in it with hot water and blend. I also put it in my dishwasher from time to time (the vitamix that is) and it really cleans it. In the summer, leave it in the sun, it will burn off the staining. Hope that helps!
Is it okay to have this tea every day? It's awesome! It also seems to have helped with PMS symptoms! :)
ReplyHey Kelly, That's amazing! So happy to hear that. You can definitely have it every day :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
It’s lovely, thank you!
ReplyHey Jodie! So glad you enjoyed it :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Hi Joy, I have heard that you need to use a bit of pepper whenever using turmeric in order to activate the curcumin. Can you advise. Thanks!
ReplyHi Samantha, you don't need to add black pepper when you're using turmeric. That is a myth. The turmerones (phytonutrients in turmeric) aid in the absorption of curcumin. I talk all about this at the end of this video: https://www.joyoushealth.com/27186-blog-lazy-lady-turmeric-latte
If usingfresh turmeric and ginger root do you peel it first?
ReplyHey Ellen, If it's organic, you don't have to but we typically like to as it makes it less gritty :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
This was an amazing tea. I have tried several different tumeric teas and this is simply the best. I am hooked.
ReplyYay! Glad you love it Keeley!
Hi Joy This is swarna from India. Well I have a query for you. I have been having a variation of this tea for several weeks to aid werght and detox the liver. Just wondering if o ne has to give a break in between.
ReplyIt's always good to take a break now and again. So yes, if you've been drinking it daily for several weeks I would recommend taking a break for a few weeks and then starting up again. Glad you're enjoying it Swarna -- such a pretty name!
Joy
Can we add lemon to this tea?
ReplyFor sure!
I have a question, I absolutely do not like anything coconut and already saw that I may substitute the coconut milk for any other nut milk but I was wondering if for the coconut oil/coconut butter for ghee butter or any thing else? Can’t wait to try this out! Thank you for the great recipe!! Xo
ReplyYou can definitely sub ghee instead of the coconut butter. Enjoy!
This tea is a must try for my arthritis. Unfortunately, it calls for coconut but I’m allergic. Can I just leave it out or replace it with something else? I love following you.
ReplyYou can definitely remove it. The coconut does make it creamy so as long as you swap it for something else, you'll still have a nice creamy texture.
I use ginger turmeric root in my chai. I grate both the roots in hot water and boil/steep them until the kitchen has the aroma. Then, add tea leaves (black tea) and raw honey. I will try this recipe tomorrow am.
ReplyU r lovely. I tried it, I like it
ReplyDo you need black pepper for organic ground turmeric and ground ginger? Thanks
ReplyNo, you don't. If you want more information, you can watch this video: https://www.joyoushealth.com/27186-blog-lazy-lady-turmeric-latte and at 6:05 I talk about why. Hope that helps!
Dear Joy, I recently bought the Navitas brand of turmeric powder and have been in adding a teaspoon of it to my smoothies every morning.... would you recommend that I continue to do this? I was also wondering if turmeric is okay for kids to consume? Thanks! -Gracie
ReplyTurmeric is a whole food so it's definitely okay for children to consume in recipes! My daughter LOVES this tea latte :)
This looks like a place for me! So beautiful!
ReplyHi there. I have always heard turmeric doesn't absorb without pepper?
ReplyThat's only if you're consuming a supplement that only has curcumin which is a phytonutrient within turmeric. I explain it in further detail in this video at 6:05: https://www.joyoushealth.com/25454-blog-iced-turmeric-ginger-latte
Everything looks super, only one comments! If you add row honey to boiling water you immediately loosing honey benefits. Honey in temp. over 40C become only sweeter nothing else. So, my suggestion is add honey after blending and tea is cool off enough to add honey. I like your presentation . Krzysztof. G.
ReplyThanks for your thoughts!
I’m a 54year old female, I am on a lot of medication. Can you tell me if there are any drug related reactions?
ReplyIt's best to speak with your natural healthcare practitioner or doctor to find out if there are any interactions with drugs that you may be taking.
Personal preference for the other Lazy Lady Turmeric Latte recipe which tastes stronger and richer. This is very diluted in comparison and the colour of the drink is a dull brown rather than bright yellow.
ReplyUnfortunately I did not have organic. I had McCormick ground tumeric tea, Stonemill ginger paste and 100% pure refined coconut oil and skim milk. I will get those organic ingredients when I go to the market on Tuesday. Do you think it'll have a negative effect? God bless and sending PEACENLOVE from Philadelphia
ReplyThat should work! Coconut butter is best though for a nice creamy consistency!
I’m surprised by how little turmeric is used here given that I’ve seen another recipe which has 3 heaped teaspoonfuls in a recipe to result in 2 cupfuls.
ReplyYou can definitely increase it! Enjoy!
I tried this recipe but it looks all muddy and I used two cups of water
ReplyHmm, not sure why that would be. Assume the turmeric you're using is a beautiful rich yellow colour? Did you use coconut oil or coconut butter? I always use coconut butter which will definitely make it a more yellow creamy colour like you see in my photos. However, as long as it tastes good, who cares what it looks like ;)