Turmeric Latte With Pistachios

Warm up with this anti-inflammatory turmeric latte

Written by

8fit Team @ 8fit

Written by

8fit Team @ 8fit

The color yellow is associated with sunshine, warmth, energy and expansiveness. Typically, when we see the color yellow, we feel happy, hopeful and rejuvenated. As winter approaches and we see less of the warm, inspirational sunshine, we can create brightness with yellow foods like this turmeric latte.

Turmeric is the spice that gives curry powder its yellowness. On its own, turmeric is widely used for its medicinal benefits coming from the active antioxidant, curcumin. Curcumin helps the body reduce inflammation, fight infection, improve digestion and can help prevent some cancers.

But, having turmeric by the spoonful isn’t enough to experience its full benefits. To get the most out of the spice, it’s best to increase the bioavailability (i.e. how well your body absorbs nutrients) of the curcumin. Here’s how:

Eat the root: Fresh turmeric from the root has natural oils that increase curcumin’s absorption by seven to eight fold when consumed. These oils are not present in processed versions of turmeric.
Consume with a healthy fat: Turmeric is fat-soluble, meaning it must dissolve in fat in order for the body to be able to absorb it. That’s why we add pistachios to this recipe, but you could also add one tablespoon of coconut or or ghee.
Add heat: Heat helps increase turmeric’s solubility, leading to enhanced absorption and antioxidant availability. Adding turmeric to soups, roasted veggies or scrambled eggs is a great way to absorb curcumin better.
Add black pepper: Even a pinch of black pepper can help boost bioavailability by more than 2000%.

With the turmeric latte recipe, absorption is boosted by healthy fats and heat. But, if you want to go for the gold, add a pinch of black pepper. That extra spice will be oh so nice.