Moon Milk: The Bedtime Drink to Help You Fall Asleep
| 2 min read
For many of us, a warm cup of milk at bedtime was a childhood ritual. Well, now the tradition is back with a twist. Moon Milk is warm milk with spices, herbs and nutrients to help balance your hormones. Begin your bedtime ritual by cozying up with a warm glass of Moon Milk to help you doze off faster.
Moon Milk, which can also be called Golden Milk, comes from the Indian drink Haldi doodh that translates to “turmeric milk” in Hindi. The Ayurveda, a natural healing practice, tradition uses the drink as a common remedy for insomnia.
Milk naturally contains a combination of carbs and protein to help induce calming hormones that help you sleep. In addition to the milk, the nutrients you add can also provide sleep benefits. Ashwaghanda is one of the key ingredients in Moon Milk that is good for relieving stress and strengthening the immune system. You can find ashwaghanda in powder form online or at health food stores.
No need to scour Michigan for a trendy café serving Moon Milk—it’s super easy to make at home. All you need to do is grab your favorite mug, fill it with hot milk, then add your own special blend of powders and spices for an aesthetically pleasing drink that is the perfect nightcap.
Try this simple recipe for a basic Moon Milk. You can also change up your ingredients for different effects.
- 1 cup whole milk or unsweetened nut milk (such as hemp, almond or cashew)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground ashwagandha (or another adaptogen, like shatavari or astralagus)
- 2 pinches of ground cardamom
- Pinch of ground ginger (optional)
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Freshly ground black pepper (important because it allows the body to absorb the curcumin found in turmeric)
- 1 teaspoon virgin coconut oil or ghee
- 1 teaspoon honey, preferably raw
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