3 healthy and delicious drinks to keep you warm this winter

A hot drink can make a dull, cold day seem more palatable.

As well as tasting great, these drinks have some impressive health benefits and will help keep you warm from the inside out!

Hot Turmeric Milk

Turmeric is one of the superfoods of the moment. It’s thought to help reduce our risk of cancer and alzheimers and is a wonderful anti-inflammatory.

Turmeric stimulates and supports the immune system and is great for coughs, colds and congestion; making it perfect for this comforting, warming drink.

Hot Turmeric Milk recipe

1 cup milk of your choice
Few drops vanilla extract
pinch – 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
pinch – 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
Honey to taste

Gradually warm the first four ingredients together; whisking to dissolve the spices.
Strain through a tea strainer and stir in the honey.

Masala Tea

The spices in this tea, plus the tea itself are rich in antioxidants and give a wonderfully comforting aroma. You may have come across is at Chai Tea.

Masala Tea recipe

1 standard tea bag
1 cup milk, bought just to the boil
pinch each of cloves, ground cardamom, ginger and cinnamon
Sweetener of your choice, to taste

Instead of brewing the tea in water, brew it in the warm milk, adding all the spices.
Allow to seep for a few minutes, strain, add your sweeter and drink.

Good-for-you toddy!

What can be more comforting on a cold night than a hot toddy?

This version is warming and helps digestion, so is perfect after your evening meal and works to relieve nausea or indigestion. It’s also bursting with vitamin C to keep the bugs at bay!

Non-alcoholic toddy recipe

2 cup fresh orange juice, diluted with water if you wish
Grated ginger to taste

Grate the ginger into the orange juice and gradually warm on the hob.
Strain and serve.

You can combine apple juice and cinnamon too for a variation on the theme.

What about you? What is your favourite, healthy, warming drink?