DREAM POTIONS
Meet moon milk, the newest wellbeing trend
It might sound like a mystical storybook potion, but moon milk is actually the latest food and wellness trend to take over the Instaworld. Based on Ayurvedic tradition, it’s a combination of milk (dairy or nut), natural sweeteners, spices and adaptogenic herbs, usually drunk before bed in an effort to boost mood, aid relaxation and improve sleep. ‘Ayurveda understands that mind, body and spirit are inextricably linked,’ says Jasmine Hemsley, chef and author of East By West. ‘It’s a holistic health system, so if we are experiencing an imbalance in one area, like sleep, it will have consequences on other areas, like energy. In order to maintain balance, Ayurveda looks to nature’s medicine cabinet by using adaptogenic herbs, for example.’ But what exactly are adaptogens? According to nutritionist Pandora Paloma, founder of the holistic and wellness coaching concept Rooted, they are herbs that adapt to what your body needs, enhancing its ability to cope with stress – both physically and emotionally. ‘This is why they are becoming so important,’ she says, ‘because we’re more stressed and anxious than ever before.’
One of the most-used adaptogens in moon milk recipes is ashwagandha, an Indian herb that is used in Ayurveda to lower the stress hormone cortisol, balance thyroid hormones and enhance mood.
‘It’s also packed with antioxidants and polyphenols, which are known to be great for aiding memory,’ says Paloma.
Hemsley is a fan of using antioxidantrich turmeric in her concoctions (including her signature recipe, Golden Milk, now available in Leon), as well as CBD oil, ‘which helps to reduce anxiety and improve relaxation,’ she says.
There are countless other popular adaptogens to add to the pastel-hued moon milk mix. Blogger Taylor Harbin of allpurposeflourchild.com advocates tocos, which are made of rice bran solubles and are believed to help promote healthy skin and remove toxins from the body, as well as reishi – ‘a mushroom powder to encourage calmness,’ Taylor explains.
And moon milk is the perfect way to introduce these herbs into your diet, as ‘the natural fats in both dairy and nut milks help us to absorb the fat-soluble active ingredients from the adaptogens, and hot drinks are soothing and calming on the digestive system,’ Hemsley says.
We’re not saying that moon milk is a miracle cure for anxiety or insomnia, and research needs to be done on the benefits of adaptogens, especially in low quantities, but if a hot, milky bedtime drink sent you to sleep beautifully as a child, maybe it’s time to bring it back.