POSH SPICE
Turmeric is currying flavor in summer lattes
S UMMER’S hottest sip can be found at cool Brooklyn cafes — or simmering on the stoves of many Indian grandmas.
Though they’ve been consumed for centuries, turmeric lattes, also known as “golden milk,” have lately become the drink du jour for trend-setting hipsters. Known in Southeast Asia as “haldi doodh,” the spicy milk is referenced in ayurvedic texts dating back nearly 4,000 years. The potion, which can be consumed iced or hot, is a combination of a nondairy milk (usually almond or coconut ) and juiced turmeric root.
One sign the ancient beverage is about to go mainstream? A search for the term “turmeric” spiked 56 percent from December 2015 to February 2016. Plus, it has Gwyneth Paltrow’s stamp of approval, with a recipe recently shared on the actress’ lifestyle Web site Goop. But fans swear they’re not drinking them because they want to appear A-list — they live by the eggnog-like beverage’s medicinal properties.
“I always drink it when I feel a sore throat coming on,” says Julia Kravets, proprietor of Little Choc Apothecary cafe in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, who has seen a huge increase in customers requesting the beverage in the past few months. “It absolutely seems to nip it in the bud, and also tastes really great.”
While the “golden milk” moniker refers to its buttery-yellow hue, it also hints at just how big a nutrition punch it packs.
“Turmeric is known as the ‘gold’ of the plant kingdom because of its multiple actions to reduce inflammation and support liver detoxification,” says Josh Axe, a naturopath and author of “Eat Dirt.” Studies have shown curcumin (one of the compounds in turmeric) has anti-cancer effects, is an anti-inflammatory and acts as a natural painkiller.
Right now, turmeric lattes aren’t on the menu at your usual froth factories. The best places to find them are holistic-minded independent coffee, tea and juice shops, like Gather in Park Slope, Little Skips in Bushwick and Grass Roots Juicery in Williamsburg.
But if you’re in desperate need of a lift, these lattes are worth seeking out. The spice serves as a natural energy booster that won’t give you the same jitters as a double-shot cappuccino. “Even one dose of turmeric, like the amount found in a latte, can boost your attention and retention levels,” says Dr. Kelly Brogan, author of “A Mind of Your Own” and a holistic psychiatrist in Manhattan.
In other words, it’s time to go for the gold.