Moon Milk: what it is and how to prepare Ayurvedic drink against stress and insomnia

Discover all the facts and the special tips to prepare this natural remedy with sedative, digestive and calming effects at your home!

Many consider it the "coolest" drink of the year, many others say it is only a “social” thing. Anyway, Moon Milk is arriving even here to become the best drink against stress and sleepless nights. But what is Moon Milk? Which are its benefits? And how can you prepare it?

With cow's milk, or without for a version suitable also for vegans, Moon Milk is an infusion made of warm milk, honey and a series of oriental spices, which – as we know – are able to provide the body with a thousand and one benefits. A mix of natural ingredients that is easy to prepare even at home, and which seems to have a sedative, digestive and calming effect.

In Ayurvedic practice, one of the oldest natural healing systems in the world, hot milk is a common remedy for insomnia. But this recipe also contains nutmeg (a natural help for sleep) and ashwagandha, the so-called Indian ginseng used as a natural remedy especially in cases of stress, fatigue, lack of energy and difficulty in concentration.

That's why drinking this before going to bed is better than counting sheep.

Super-food mix
In general, Moon Milk is considered an "adaptogenic" drink, that is – exactly like Rooibos – capable of helping the body to cope with stress or effort, in this case thanks above all to the contribution of Indian ginseng.

This is possible thanks to the action of the individual elements and their properties: ashwagandha is rich in antioxidant properties and is one of the most calming plants in the world, while cinnamon, pepper and cardamom stimulate digestion and blood circulation and honey instead calms the nerves and stimulates sleepiness thanks to the tryptophan content.

How to prepare the Moon Milk

Ingredients

1 cup of whole milk
½ teaspoon of cinnamon powder
½ teaspoon of ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon of ground ashwagandha (or another adaptogenic substance, such as shatavari or astralagus)
2 pinches of ground cardamom
A pinch of ground ginger (optional)
A pinch of nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of virgin coconut oil
1 teaspoon of honey

Preparation

Bring the milk to a boil slowly in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add cinnamon, turmeric, ashwagandha, cardamom, ginger and, if you like, also nutmeg. Put a pinch of pepper and mix vigorously. Add coconut oil, reduce the heat to a minimum and continue at least for 5-10 minutes (the longer it boils, the "stronger" is the herbal tea). Remove from heat and let it cool a little, then mix the honey (do not cook honey to avoid losing its sedative effects). Pour into a cup and drink the hot Moon Milk.

"Vegan" version of the Moon Milk

The most popular version of Moon Milk involves the use of cow's milk, but there are also alternative moon milk with almond or coconut milk, or with hemp milk or cashew nuts milk (always pay attention to any intolerances).

For those who are determined not to consume honey, they can prepare dandelion honey at home as a vegan alternative by following this precious recipe.