Like sunshine in a mug, turmeric teas and lattes have become one of India’s most trendy exports (besides masala chai!) in recent years. Used by families in the East for centuries as a home remedy, turmeric is now a ‘superfood’ in the west. But what’s the difference between golden milk vs turmeric latte? Are they the same? Are they different? Let’s find out!
Golden Milk vs Turmeric Latte – what’s the difference?
You’re probably here because you’ve heard of Golden Milk, and you’ve heard of Turmeric Latte, but you’re not sure which one’s which. Let’s sort it straight away – they’re essentially the same thing with different names. But it’s not quite that simple! In fact, the types of golden milks on the market, their ingredients and quality, varies widely.
Golden Milk vs Turmeric Latte – What is it?
If you’re not quite sure what golden milk contains, or you’re new to turmeric latte, you might not be quite sure what’s in it, or how to make it.
Traditionally golden milk is made with fresh turmeric, honey (or raw sugar, usually jaggery) and milk. But over the years families and Ayurvedic (traditional medicine) doctors introduced other spices into the blends to maximise their healing properties. These were usually warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves. It’s not clear why milk was added, but it was probably to add to the nourishment since milk was coveted hundreds of years ago as a . It probably made the strong turmeric taste more palatable, too!
The ratios and composition of turmeric remedies vary depending on where you are in the world. Djamu, for instance, is an Indonesian tonic which is made with fresh turmeric, honey or sugar and water.
Nowadays we’re more clued up on the downsides of cow’s milk – and as a vegan company we only advocate plant-based, cruelty-free alternatives. We recommend a creamy plant-based milk alternative like oat milk, coconut milk or soy milk to beautifully complement the spices in your turmeric latte.
Spotting an authentic blend
One thing traditional recipes have in common is that they’re made with love and care – usually they take time, like all good things! Unfortunately few people nowadays have the time to cut up fresh turmeric each morning and lovingly brew their golden milk from scratch.
The good news is that there are some gorgeous made-for-you golden milk blends available for you to buy so you can still enjoy the nourishing benefits of turmeric without the hassle.
The bad news is that no two golden milk blends are created equal. Some are just low-grad turmeric powder mixed with sugar – and nobody wants that.
Luckily it’s pretty easy to spot an authentic blend once you know how – just follow these simple criteria:
1/ Only natural ingredients: Straight away you’ll be able to see that authentic blends only feature natural turmeric and spices – nothing nasty or artificial. If there’s anything on the list you don’t recognise as being a key component in a traditional turmeric latte, give it a miss. Bonus points for organic ingredients!
2/ Whole spices: You should actually be able to see the spices in authentic blends. They’ll be colourful and chunky, not uniform yellow.
3/ No sugar: To enjoy a traditional golden milk (and maximise its health benefits) you’ll want to be able to add your own sugar or sweetener to the blend when brewing. Authentic blends tend to focus only on the spices and
4/ Non-authentic blends will be a yellow powder without any other discernible spices. If you look on the ingredients list, you’ll see sugar features high (it’ll be one of the first three ingredients) and it may even include artificial sweeteners, fillers like maltodextrin or icky chemical preservatives.
Turmeric tea or turmeric chai are essentially the same – but without the milk, taken with hot water only. Again, choose a loose-leaf tea which chunks of dried turmeric or bright yellow, high-grade ground turmeric.
Golden Milk vs Turmeric Latte Health Benefits
You probably already know that golden milk/turmeric lattes are super healthy. That’s because they contain generous amounts of turmeric, which has been widely hailed as one of the most exciting plant-based medicines around. Early studies suggest that the curcumin content in turmeric (the stuff that makes it yellow) is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Of course no company making turmeric latte can claim that their product is intended to heal or treat anything – but anecdotal evidence suggests that regular consumption of high quality turmeric can be good for you.
Golden milk is a great way to enjoy the health benefits of turmeric – because it’s delicious, warming and nourishing. You can also handle a higher dose of healing turmeric thanks to the balance and creaminess milk provides.
One super important thing to note is that any health benefits you can hope to receive are directly linked to the quality of your blend. There are two ways to make sure you’re getting the most out of your turmeric latte:
1/ Make it yourself – Buy all the ingredients and brew a delicious turmeric latte using a traditional recipe. This is the best way, but it’s also the most time-consuming/fiddly way. Easier if you are opting for turmeric alone – but it gets more complicated when you need to source other spices. Not for busy people and daily consumption – more for your slow, Sunday mornings.
2/ Invest in a great quality blend. This is the best option if you want to make a regular date with a turmeric latte. Use our guidelines above to choose an authentic, traditional blend (or save yourself some time and check out our Organic Turmeric Latte blend here!)
Golden Milk vs Turmeric Latte – Bottom Line
Golden Milk and Turmeric Latte are the same thing essentially – but products vary widely in their quality and taste. However you choose to brew, golden milk is a tasty and feel-good way to enjoy the benefits of turmeric – much nicer than a supplement or tablet!