I don't know about you, but once it's September, to me, it's fall! This week the weather has started to cool down. It feels like it's actually transitioning to the new season.
Something I love doing when the weather cools down is drinking warm drinks. I am usually an iced tea kind of girl in the spring and summer. Once it gets cool, though, I'm all about holding and sipping something warm and delicious.
Unfortunately, for some of us, drinking warm beverages in the fall and winter take our daily consumption of sugar and empty calories up a notch and set the tone for less nutritious choices until the turn of the new year. But what if there was a delicious warm beverage that offered significant health benefits?!
Well, it just so happens that this turmeric tea is just that!
Let's talk about the benefits this drink can offer your body in addition to it's delicious fall taste.
Turmeric has a compound in it called curcumin. Curcumin reduces inflammation in your body (joint pain, digestive issues, high cholesterol), and it's been researched as both a cancer preventative and treatment.
Turmeric's anti-inflammatory effect in the body has also been associated with lowering depression, managing arthritis, lowering cholesterol, and reducing pain in the body.
All that benefit in a tasty fall beverage? Hard to believe when compared to the typical holiday latte we find at certain coffee shops.
The crazy thing is, it's SOoo easy to make, and it will cost you half of what it costs to get a Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Usana, the company we've partnered with, actually has an incredible nutritional that has a concentrated dose of curcumin in it. Ryan attributes the reduction in his post-football aches and pains to taking that supplement. You can see more about it here.
Anyways, here's how you make the tea!
Ingredients:
1 cup of coconut milk (I use the canned stuff!)
1 cup of water
2 tsp of honey (way less sugar than the typical latte)
1 tsp of turmeric (powder or grated)
1 tsp of cinnamon or pumpkin spice
1 tbs of pumpkin puree (optional)
Instructions:
Heat coconut milk and water for 2 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients. Heat for another 2 minutes.
Pour into your favorite mug, and enjoy!