Mmmmm. So yummy!
I started drinking turmeric lattes late last summer. While they were a big trend earlier in 2017, they seem to just make sense for SIBO.
The bright orange turmeric root is a powerful anti-inflammatory as well as antimicrobial. While cinnamon has both antimicrobial and analgesic properties. Cardamom, the sweet aromatic spice, is a natural analgesic. Antimicrobials help breakdown SIBO bacteria and anti-inflammatories reduce swelling and bloating. But analgesics don’t often get a lot of attention in the SIBO world. I think this is a bit of a shame because analgesic means “pain reducing” and SIBO can be SO painful.
I never felt like my SIBO really began to stop hurting until I began to consistently incorporate analgesic foods in my diet and some analgesic essential oils in my baths and in lotions I rubbed on my belling. Because of the damage the SIBO left, I even experienced crazy pain when my SIBO results showed my overgrowth was knocked down. It took a long time for my digestive system to heal and even now I take time to intentionally build my intestinal lining and microbiome. But with analgesic foods, I discovered intense shooting pain could be knocked down by meals I ate instead of meals causing more problems. Starting and ending the day with soothing beverages and foods can make the difference between a successful week and a week of sheer agony.
So, the simple act of making and drinking a Turmeric Latte means this little morning beverage can help you start your day feeling great and help you to have a successful week full of the work and activities you want.
There must be hundreds of different recipes for Turmeric Lattes. I taste tested dozens of recipes before deciding this was by far the best. Coconut oil is known to have antimicrobial properties so using coconut milk could up the anti but please use a milk that you tolerate well. Some recipes have a peppercorn or two added to help the body absorb the turmeric. Peppercorn can be very irritating so feel free to make the decision as to what is best for your body. And of course swapping the vanilla bean for a tolerated vanilla extract is totally do-able, but it does take away the luxury a rich vanilla bean adds.
Turmeric Latte
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond milk (or 1 cup coconut milk, 1 cup water)
- 1 inch fresh turmeric root (peeled)
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 4 pods cardamom
- 1/2 vanilla bean
Instructions
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Place the milk into a medium sauce pan and heat over medium heat.
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Slice the fresh turmeric root into thin slices. Add to the milk.
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Add the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean to the milk.
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Crush the cardamom pods and add them to the milk.
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Bring the milk and spices to a gentle simmer and let cook for 15 minutes.
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Remove from the heat and strain the milk to remove the turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, and vanilla bean.
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Pour the milk into a blender and blend on low for 20 seconds to make a small amount of froth.
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Pour into a glass and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.
Can you use ground turmeric in place of the root as I am unable to find it here. If so how much would I use?
Absolutely! Start with 1/2 tsp of ground turmeric and see how you like it. You can always add a little bit more if desired.
I have never worked with cardamom before. Does it work to replace the pods with ground cardamom? And if so, do you have any idea how much I should use?
Hi Lisa!
Absolutely! Try a pinch of cardamom and see if you like it. (About 1/8 of a teaspoon.) You can always add another pinch if you want more.
Elena