How to make it
How to make golden milk (turmeric milk), and what a cup can do
Warm milk whisked with ground turmeric, a pinch of black pepper and ginger. A pleasant bedtime drink; the studies behind turmeric's reputation used concentrated curcumin, not a teaspoon in milk.
By the editors of Alimentotherapy Last reviewed 5 min read Not medical advice
- Makes
- 1 mug (1 cup)
- Hands-on
- 5 minutes
- Total time
- 10 minutes
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The short answer
Whisk 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric, a pinch of black pepper and a little ginger and cinnamon into a cup of milk and heat it until steaming. The evidence on our turmeric page is for curcumin extracts: a meta-analysis of 11 trials in 1,258 people with knee osteoarthritis found curcuminoids eased pain more than comparators Hsiao 2021, graded moderate, while health effects from culinary amounts are not supported. Buy turmeric from a source you trust: lead chromate adulteration has been found in turmeric sold across South AsiaForsyth 2024.
Ingredients and method
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk: dairy, or an unsweetened oat, soy or almond drink
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric (or 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh turmeric root)
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, or a few slices of fresh ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Optional: 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (no honey for babies under 12 months)
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Whisk
- Fine strainer (if using fresh root)
- Mug
Whisk the spices into cold milk
Put the milk in the pan and whisk in the turmeric, black pepper, ginger and cinnamon before you heat it, so the powder does not clump.
Heat gently
Warm over medium-low heat, whisking, until it steams and small bubbles form at the edge. Do not let it boil hard, or dairy milk can scorch and plant drinks can separate. Let it barely simmer for 2 to 3 minutes for a rounder flavor.
Strain if needed and sweeten
If you used fresh root or ginger slices, pour through a fine strainer. Sweeten to taste once it is cool enough to sip.
Clean up quickly
Turmeric stains plastic, wooden spoons, counters and clothes. Rinse the pan and whisk straight away.
Why recipes add black pepper
Curcumin, the most studied compound in turmeric, is poorly absorbed. In a classic study, healthy volunteers given 2 g of curcumin on its own had blood levels that were undetectable or very low. Adding 20 mg of piperine, the compound that makes black pepper hot, raised curcumin’s bioavailability by 2,000 percent Shoba 1998.
Two cautions. Those were supplement doses: 2 g of curcumin is far more than the curcumin in half a teaspoon of ground turmeric, and a pinch of pepper is not a measured 20 mg of piperine. And better absorption is not always better. NCCIH notes that liver damage has been reported in some people taking highly bioavailable curcumin formulations NCCIH. For a drink made with kitchen amounts, the pepper is mainly a flavor and a nod to the chemistry.
What the evidence does and does not cover
The best evidence for turmeric is for curcuminoid supplements in knee osteoarthritis. A 2021 meta-analysis of 11 randomized trials with 1,258 participants found curcuminoids lowered pain scores more than comparators, and doses of 1,000 mg a day or more did no better than lower doses Hsiao 2021. Our turmeric page grades that use moderate.
None of those trials tested golden milk. There are no trials showing a health effect from turmeric in culinary amounts, and the turmeric page grades general health from cooking with it as not supported. So enjoy the drink for what it is: a warm, mildly spiced cup of milk. For joint pain specifically, see turmeric vs ginger for joint pain and the inflammation page.
In the kitchen
The amounts in this recipe are a kitchen convention, not a tested dose. Some people like a full teaspoon of turmeric; start with half, as it turns bitter and earthy quickly.
The lead problem in turmeric
Lead chromate, a bright yellow industrial pigment, is sometimes added to turmeric as an adulterant. A Stanford-led study bought 356 samples of turmeric root and powder in 23 cities in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal; 14 percent had detectable lead above 2 micrograms per gram, and samples from some cities exceeded 1,000 micrograms per gram. The authors note that lead chromate in spices has been linked with lead poisoning in many countries, including the United States Forsyth 2024.
You cannot see or taste the difference. Buy from a retailer that tests or names its supply chain, avoid loose spice of unknown origin, and check FDA recall notices if a brand you use comes up. Single-ingredient ground turmeric and whole dried root are available from iHerb as well as supermarkets.
Who should check first
A daily cup of golden milk is a food amount. The cautions apply to supplements. NCCIH says conventional turmeric or curcumin is likely safe in recommended amounts for up to 2 or 3 months, that turmeric supplements may be unsafe in pregnancy, and that little is known about amounts above food levels while breastfeeding NCCIH. If you take a blood thinner, read turmeric and anticoagulants before moving from the spice jar to capsules.
Food safety
- Buy ground turmeric from an established brand or retailer. Lead chromate, a yellow pigment, has been found added to turmeric in parts of South Asia, and lead-contaminated spices have reached the US.
- Turmeric in food amounts is fine in pregnancy, but NCCIH says turmeric supplements may be unsafe in pregnancy; do not swap the spoonful for capsules without asking your clinician.
- If you take a blood thinner, ask your prescriber before using curcumin or turmeric supplements; a cup of golden milk is a food amount.
- High-absorption curcumin supplements have been linked to liver injury. Stop any turmeric product and see a clinician if you notice dark urine, yellowing skin or eyes, nausea or unusual tiredness.
- Do not give golden milk sweetened with honey to a baby under 12 months old.
- Let hot milk cool before drinking or serving to children.
Common questions
Why put black pepper in golden milk?
Piperine from black pepper improves curcumin absorption. In volunteers given 2 g of curcumin, adding 20 mg of piperine raised its bioavailability by 2,000 percent. A pinch of pepper in a cup of milk is a far smaller amount, so think of it mainly as flavor.
Does golden milk reduce inflammation?
No trial has tested golden milk. The evidence is for curcumin supplements: a meta-analysis of 11 trials found curcuminoids eased knee osteoarthritis pain. Health effects from turmeric in cooking amounts are not supported.
Is turmeric safe to drink every day?
In food amounts, yes for most people. NCCIH warns that turmeric supplements may be unsafe in pregnancy and that high-absorption curcumin products have been linked to liver damage. Buy turmeric from a trusted source because of lead adulteration found in some supplies.
Sources
Primary research and government sources, each checked on the date this page was reviewed.
- PubMedHsiao AF, et al. The efficacy of high- and low-dose curcumin in knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Complement Ther Med. 2021. PMID 34537344.
- PubMedShoba G, et al. Influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteers. Planta Med. 1998. PMID 9619120.
- PubMedForsyth JE, et al. Evidence of turmeric adulteration with lead chromate across South Asia. Sci Total Environ. 2024. PMID 39053552.
- NCCIHNational Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Turmeric: Usefulness and Safety.
Keep reading
- RemedyTurmericCurcumin capsules have eased knee osteoarthritis pain in trials, but cooking with turmeric delivers very little curcumin, and some high-absorption products have been linked to liver injury.
- RemedyGingerThe best-studied kitchen remedy for nausea. Trials support it for pregnancy and after surgery; the evidence for joint and period pain is thinner.
- GoalFood and inflammation: what CRP is and what diets actually changeWhole dietary patterns, not single foods, have shown measurable drops in inflammation markers. Most 'anti-inflammatory food' lists rest on lab studies.
- ComparisonTurmeric vs ginger for joint painBoth have been tested as supplements for osteoarthritis pain. Curcumin has more and larger trials; ginger's effect was small and more people stopped taking it. Neither is a reason to sprinkle more spice on dinner.
- InteractionTurmeric and curcumin supplements and warfarin, clopidogrel and other blood thinnersTurmeric supplements are often said to add to bleeding risk with blood thinners. The evidence is thin: in a rat study curcumin changed warfarin and clopidogrel levels without changing clotting, and good human data are lacking.