Mood-Boosting Turmeric Mocha Latte Recipe

Today’s simple turmeric mocha latte recipe is inspired by this Bedtime Lavender Chamomile Vanilla Milk Drink, a very popular post on SomeTyme Place. If you are curious you can read more about it here. Given its popularity I created another herbal beverage using another sought-after herb, turmeric. Turmeric is an ancient herb that has a warm and spicy flavor which pairs well with the dark chocolate of this creamy beverage. It is a comforting beverage and right now a lot of people need comfort. Filling our body with healthy comfort is a better way to go than bringing out the chips and soda. (Argh! Heaven save me from chips during this quarantine!) Finding recipes you can feel good about both inside and out is much more beneficial to your well-being and your body will thank you.

Turmeric is extremely popular as a supplement and is certainly worthy as a spice for cooking. There are also many claims about its purported benefits as an anti-inflammatory, disease prevention, and antidepressant to name a few. However, like many herbs and spices the studies are mixed and lacking in solidarity to back these claims up. This doesn’t mean the claims aren’t true. People have been using herbs and spices for thousands of years because they work. Over time tried and true remedies have developed, and science is starting to slowly back up those claims. My own personal view on herbs and spices is to incorporate lots of them because they are beneficial, and they are good- period. Turmeric is one I have used in cooking over the years, and given its potential to aid depression I decided to incorporate it in a comforting turmeric mocha latte.

And speaking of depression, how about some mood-boosting chocolate to go with it? While the studies on chocolate aren’t any more solid than turmeric it is still showing evidence of being a natural mood booster. The problem with chocolate is when you add all the sugar it kind of defeats the point in this drink. I really like these stevia-sweetened dark chocolate baking chips for this reason. They provide the benefits of chocolate without the sugar, plus it blends into the drink better than cacao powder does. Although, I do put a sprinkle of dark chocolate cacao powder on top, but more because it looks good. This latte is yummy and simple to make. It is also clean with no sugar.

Mood-boosting turmeric mocha latte recipe

Makes 1 serving

1 cup of unsweetened almond milk (coconut milk is also good)

1 tsp. turmeric ginger powder or just turmeric powder

A tiny pinch of black pepper (black pepper helps to release the benefits of the turmeric and adds a fun kick to the mocha; no need to go heavy on this)

1 heaping tbsp. of dark chocolate chips sweetened with stevia, not sugar (I used Lily’s brand for this)

A few drops of vanilla extract

A few drops of stevia (I prefer liquid stevia for this drink, but feel free to use honey as a sweetener if desired)

Dark chocolate cacao powder for top (optional)

Bring to a simmer the almond milk, turmeric, and pepper. Turn off heat and add dark chocolate and vanilla. Stir until chocolate is melted and combined in drink. A tiny, battery-operated whisk blender is great for this. If desired, add extra stevia and top latte with a sprinkle of dark cacao powder. Enjoy your comfort drink!