Add This Heart-Healthy Ingredient To Your Cup Of Coffee For A Major Flavor Boost

For many, the day doesn't start until there's a warm cup of coffee in hand. It's a wonderful ritual, but the same old cup can get repetitive after a while. Sure, you could swap a flat white for a macchiato, or ask for your latte iced instead of hot. To really shake things up, try adding another ingredient — one that could seriously boost the flavor of your coffee while also bringing some potentially heart-healthy compounds along for the ride: turmeric.

There are plenty of reasons to ask your barista if they've got any turmeric on hand. For starters, this golden root has an earthy, mildly spicy flavor, and it's particularly warming on a frigid morning. Beyond enhancing the taste of your cup of java, a turmeric coffee in the morning might offer some wider benefits. Turmeric contains an active compound called curcumin, which (according to a 2017 study for Current Pharmaceutical Design) is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and has been linked to better endothelial function (the health of the thin lining of your blood vessels). That research is mostly concentrated on curcumin supplements, which contain far more curcumin than turmeric itself. Still, it's never a bad idea to give turmeric a spot in your mug. Think of it as a caffeine fix and a turmeric shot, all in one.

There's just one catch. Curcumin is notoriously hard for the body to absorb on its own, so how you make it matters. Add a pinch of black pepper, which contains a compound called piperine that helps your body take in curcumin, and a splash of whole milk or a little coconut oil, since curcumin is fat-soluble.

You'll find turmeric in two forms at the grocery store: fresh and powdered. For convenience, we'd suggest sticking with powdered. Using fresh turmeric root is a time-consuming, labor-intensive process. You'll need to scrub or peel the skin, grate the root into your hot brewed coffee, wait for it to infuse, then strain out the pulp with a fine-mesh strainer, all while trying not to stain your hands and countertop. Don't get us wrong, it's perfectly possible, but powdered turmeric saves a lot of time, lasts far longer (a year or more in the pantry, versus a couple of weeks for the root in the fridge), and it's more concentrated; since it's been dried, a little goes a long way. 

When working with powdered turmeric, you don't want to stir it straight into brewed coffee; it can leave the drink clumpy and unevenly mixed. The best way to fully incorporate it is to add a small spoonful to your milk and steam (or warm) them together. An added bonus is that it leaves your coffee a beautiful golden-orange color. If you don't have a steamer, a handheld milk frother will do the job. You can also microwave your milk and emulsify the turmeric (and black pepper) in some hot water and olive oil to make a spicy syrup.

While turmeric and coffee on their own are certainly delicious, you can take things even further. Drawing inspiration from India, where turmeric is a pantry staple, try haldi doodh, also known as golden milk, a warm, comforting drink made by simmering milk with turmeric and aromatic spices. To make it at home, simply warm a cup of milk with turmeric and a pinch of black pepper, then add whatever else you like, such as cinnamon, ginger, or ground cardamom. Let it simmer, then add it to a shot of espresso.