Before
we get to the turmeric tea recipes, let’s find out a bit more about
turmeric itself. (If you want to skip this part, the turmeric tea
recipes are further down the page.)
For
centuries, turmeric has been widely used as a spice, medicine, food,
and coloring agent across large parts of Asia. In India, it has been
considered holy and auspicious for hundreds of thousands of years, not
only due to its eye-catching color and unique flavor, but also because
of the extensive range of health benefits that are associated with it.
In fact, it is often referred to as the ‘Queen of Spices’!
Recent
research has seen it promoted in the eyes of western science and it has
been deemed as highly effective for treating osteoarthritis and various
other health issues such as Crohn’s disease, stomach ulcers, skin
wounds, kidney inflammation, and many, many more. It is also full of
plenty of healthy nutrients such as protein, dietary fiber, niacin,
Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, potassium, calcium, copper, iron,
magnesium, and zinc.
A member of the
ginger family, turmeric is a root that usually comes in a powdered form,
although it is also available in capsules, tincture, fluid extracts,
and tea.
Turmeric Root
Turmeric
is used in many recipes, especially in curries and other Asian dishes
but it’s earthy, spicy, and often bitter taste can be an acquired taste
for some (although once they’ve acquired the taste, many people become
addicted!). Additionally turmeric can be consumed as a drink – turmeric
tea!
What is Turmeric Tea?
Turmeric
tea is a light and refreshing tea made with water, warming aromatic
spices, honey, and, of course, turmeric. The tea has a slightly sweet,
earthy flavor with just a hint of spice, making it especially perfect
for warming up on a colder day. Tasting very similar to chai tea,
turmeric tea is a delicious way to heal, cleanse, and detoxify your
body.
Turmeric Tea Benefits
Turmeric
tea is renowned for the multiple health benefits it offers,
particularly when it comes to inflammation and pain – helping to treat
health issues such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and
ulcerative colitis. It can also help patients with cancer, multiple
sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, and high cholesterol, to name but a few.
Turmeric
can also help to prevent the blood from clotting and reduces the
often-painful inflammation caused by wounds, acne, and various other
skin conditions.
Anti-inflammatory
When
it comes to pain relief, so many people across the globe call upon
anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and aspirin, to relieve the
symptoms of everything from headaches, backaches, and other muscular
aches and pains. Whilst these medicines are really effective at
relieving the pain and inflammation caused by a whole range of
conditions, they can cause many adverse side effects, especially with
long-term use.
In fact, the side effects of the long-term use of
anti-inflammatory drugs include, but are by no means limited to, nausea,
diarrhea, gastrointestinal bleeding, hypertension (high blood
pressure), increased risk of heart attack, increased risk of kidney
cancer, and erectile dysfunction.
But the truth is, natural home
remedies such as turmeric can often deliver the same effects as these
medications, without many of the potential side effects.
Turmeric powder Used for the Tea
So, how does Turmeric it work?
Well,
in exactly the same way as anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen.
These drugs work by inhibiting an enzyme, COX-2 (Cyclooxygenase 2),
which causes inflamed areas of the body to become painful and more
inflamed. By blocking this enzyme, the medication blocks the pain and
reduces the
inflammation.
Turmeric works
so well because it contains high levels of a compound called curcumin,
which is a COX-2 inhibitor too. However, whilst turmeric has the same
positive effects as the anti-inflammatory drugs, it rarely causes side
effects. After all, it has been eaten and drunk across most of South
East Asia for thousands of years without causing any problems.
Liver cleansing
As
well as being a great anti-inflammatory, turmeric is also a powerful
liver cleansing spice. In today’s toxin and chemical filled world, it’s
easy for your liver to become stressed and overworked. Think about it,
there are toxins all around us, in our air, our food, and our water. If
your liver can’t keep up with the level of toxins feeding into it, they
start to accumulate in the body and can have a serious effect on your
health.
As well as avoiding processed foods and using lots of
natural personal care and cleaning products, you can also help your
liver out by incorporating herbs and spices into your diet to support
your body’s detox pathways. As well as being a great anti-inflammatory,
turmeric is also a powerful liver cleansing spice. So, if you’re looking
to give your liver a boost, then turmeric tea could offer the perfect
solution.
Prevents Cancer
It is
believed that turmeric can help to prevent prostate cancer, slow or even
stop the growth of existing prostate cancer, and even destroy
cancer
cells. Research has also shown that the active components in turmeric
make it one of the best protectors against radiation-induced tumors, and
it is also has preventive effect against
Relieves Arthritis
Turmeric has also been linked to
arthritis,
providing an effective form of pain relief to those who suffer from
osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as many other forms of
the disease. This is because the anti-inflammatory properties that can
be found in turmeric work to destroy the free radicals in the body that
are renowned for damaging body cells. In fact, case studies have proven
that those suffering from arthritis who consume turmeric on a daily or
regular basis, experienced far more relief from symptoms such as joint
pain and inflammation, compared to those who didn’t consume turmeric.
Controls Diabetes
Turmeric
is also regularly used to treat diabetes. It works by helping to
moderate and control insulin levels in the body. But not only does it
assist in the moderation of insulin levels, it is also renowned for
improving glucose control, whilst increasing the effect of the
medications that are used to treat diabetes.
Another significant
benefit of using turmeric to treat diabetes is that it is able to reduce
insulin resistance in the body, and it’s also been suggested that it
could even prevent the onset of Type-2 diabetes! It’s important to note
though that, if combined with other strong medications, turmeric can
cause low blood sugar, so it’s always best to check with your doctor
before using it alongside any other medications.
Reduces Cholesterol Levels
It’s
highly likely that, at some point in your lifetime, you will suffer
from high cholesterol, especially as you grow older. However, research
has proven that, by regularly using turmeric as a food seasoning, it can
significantly decrease cholesterol levels. Maintaining a healthy
cholesterol level is paramount, as it is a well known fact that high
cholesterol notoriously leads to a whole host of serious health problems
such heart disease and stroke.
Immunity Booster
Also
known as lipopolysaccharide, turmeric can help to stimulate and
strengthen your body’s immune system. This is because it is full of
antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agents that work together to
fight against colds, flu and coughs, ensuring that your immune system is
strong.
However, if you do find yourself suffering from cold or
flu like symptoms, simply mix one teaspoon of turmeric powder into a
glass of warm milk, and drink daily until you feel better.
Heals Wounds
It’s
inevitable that, from time to time, we all find ourselves nursing a cut
or graze caused by a silly accident. However, even the smallest cuts or
grazes can cause infection or take a long time to heal.
Both a
natural antiseptic and anti-bacterial agent, turmeric can also be used
as a highly effective disinfectant, protecting your skin or graze
against infection whilst speeding up the healing process. All you need
to do is sprinkle a small amount of turmeric powder onto the affected
areas and you will instantly be protected. But that’s not all, turmeric
can also be used to help to repair damaged skin, treat burns and even be
used to effectively treat psoriasis along with a whole host of other
common inflammatory skin conditions.
Other benefits include:
- Detoxifies body and liver
- Boosts immunity by improving liver function
- Protects liver tissue
- Cleanses and purifies the blood
- Eases symptoms of coughs and colds
- Improves circulation in the body
- Improves skin complexion
- Prevents internal blood clotting
- Reduces inflammation – all types of arthritis and other inflammation
- Stimulates secretion of bile which helps break down fat
***Please
note that, despite its benefits, you shouldn't drink turmeric tea
whilst you are pregnant or breastfeeding. If in doubt please contact
your doctor first.***
Turmeric Tea Recipes
Making
turmeric tea is nice and simple, and there are all sorts of variations
and adaptations of the recipe, allowing you to customize it to suit your
personal tastes. Whichever recipe you use (or even if you get creative
and make up your own version of turmeric tea!), it’s important that you
only use good quality turmeric powder, or alternatively, you can use
grated fresh turmeric root for a stronger flavor.
Turmeric should
be easy to find in your local grocery store or supermarket. Additionally
Amazon probably has the most extensive range or
turmeric powder and supplements available.
Recipe 1: Basic Turmeric Tea
Ingredients
- 4 cups of water
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- Lemon or honey (or both!) to serve
Directions
- Heat 4 cups of water, bringing it to the boil.
- Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric.
- Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for around 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and strain using a fine sieve.
- Pour into serving cups and add lemon or honey to taste.
Recipe 2: Turmeric Tea with a Twist
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 inch fresh ginger root, minced
- 2-teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1-teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 lemongrass tea bag
- 6 peppercorns (you can leave these out if you prefer!)
- Pinch of sea salt
Directions
- Bring the water to the boil in a small saucepan.
- Add
the peeled, minced ginger root, turmeric, cinnamon, peppercorns
(remember, these are optional!), sliced oranges, and sea-salt.
- Allow the mixture to simmer on a medium low heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Add the lemongrass teabag and allow to steep for around 3 minutes.
- Remove the teabag and pour the mixture into a mug.
Recipe 3: Creamy Turmeric Tea
Why not give your turmeric tea a creamy twist?
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut or almond milk
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- A pinch cayenne pepper
- ½ inch finely chopped ginger root
- 1 ½ teaspoon of honey (or an alternative sweetener)
Directions
- In a pan, gently warm the cup of coconut or almond milk.
- Mix together the turmeric, cayenne pepper, finely chopped ginger root, and the honey.
- Add a small amount of the warmed milk and stir it into the mixture.
- Mix well until all of the lumps have disappeared.
- Add the rest of the milk and mix.
- Strain and then serve.
Recipe 4: Sweet Turmeric Black Pepper Tea
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
- Lemon
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Mash
the turmeric and honey into a paste (you can then store this in a jar
to ensure you have it on hand whenever the need arises).
- For each cup of sweet turmeric black pepper tea, take a heaped teaspoon of the turmeric and honey paste.
- Top with boiling water.
- Add a squeeze of lemon and a few generous twists of freshly ground black pepper.
- Stir and enjoy!
Recipe 5: Turmeric Lemon Tea
Turmeric lemon tea combines the sweet, tangy flavours of lemon and ginger, with a gentle kick from the cayenne pepper.
Ingredients
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/8 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1/8 tablespoon turmeric
- Cayenne
- Honey to taste
Directions
- In a mug, mix together the lemon juice, turmeric, ginger and cayenne.
- Top with boiling water.
- Stir well.
- Add honey to sweeten to your personal taste.
Turmeric Tea Serving Suggestions
There are numerous ways to serve your turmeric tea, here are a few of our favorites…
- Add a slice of orange, a dash of honey, the juice of 1 lemon, and 1 teaspoon of coconut oil.
- Turmeric also works perfectly with a slice of apple or cucumber.
- If you want a milder taste why not add extra water.
- Serve chilled in the summer for a refreshing and healthy drink.