The Yellow Spice with a Golden Touch: Why You Might Want to Brew Turmeric Tea in the Evening

A single teaspoon of a bright yellow spice, ten minutes on the stove and a pinch of black pepper. That's all it takes to make a drink that has been part of traditional kitchens for thousands of years, and that modern science is now studying closely. If you are looking for a calm, caffeine-free way to end your day, turmeric tea may become your new favorite evening ritual.

You are in good company. Neurosurgeon and CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has reportedly said that he enjoys a cup of turmeric tea in the evening to help him unwind. A recipe inspired by his routine has been shared widely online ever since. A reader of ours tells a similar story. A retired teacher, she started making turmeric tea after dinner "just to replace the late-evening snack." After a week she noticed that her evenings felt calmer and her stomach felt lighter at bedtime. "It's become my signal that the day is over," she says.

An Old Remedy with Modern Interest

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) has long been used in traditional medicine, particularly in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese practice. Researchers have also studied its possible role in supporting heart and brain health. More recently, turmeric tea has become popular as a gentle way to soothe occasional digestive discomfort and help the gut settle down. That is why many people like to drink it in the evening hours.

The secret lies in the antioxidant curcumin, which may become more available to the body when heated. Laboratory and clinical studies suggest that curcumin has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Researchers are also exploring its role in joint comfort, including in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Scientists are studying its effects on cancer cells as well, but this work is still mostly at the laboratory stage. Turmeric tea is not a treatment for any disease.

Why Heat and Black Pepper Matter

Curcumin has one well-known weakness: it dissolves poorly in water, and the body absorbs it poorly. Two simple kitchen tricks may help.

Heat. Researchers at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation found that boiling curcumin in water for 10 minutes increased its solubility roughly 12-fold. Their analysis showed that this did not break the compound down. This is why our recipe simmers the spices instead of just stirring them into hot water.

Black pepper. Black pepper contains piperine. In a study published in the journal Planta Medica, healthy volunteers took 20 mg of piperine together with curcumin. Their bioavailability of curcumin rose by as much as 2,000 percent. The study used much larger amounts than a pinch of pepper in your cup, but the pairing is still a smart and tasty habit.

A little fat. Curcumin is fat-soluble. A splash of plant-based milk may help in the same way, and it also makes the drink creamier.

What the Research Says

Digestion. A randomized, double-blind trial led by researchers from Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok included 206 people with functional dyspepsia (recurring indigestion). It compared curcumin capsules with omeprazole, a common acid-reducing medicine. The study was published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine in 2023, and both groups reported similar improvements in symptoms. The doses were far higher than those in a cup of tea. Even so, the results help explain why turmeric has such a long-standing reputation as a "stomach spice." If evening bloating is something you know well, you may also like our article Get Rid of Bloating and Excess Water.

Joints. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials concluded that curcumin and turmeric extracts may improve symptoms and inflammation markers in people with various forms of arthritis. This included a small pilot study in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. The authors call for larger, high-quality studies.

The honest picture. The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) notes that the evidence on turmeric is promising in some areas but still hard to compare across studies. Think of turmeric tea as a pleasant, healthy habit, not a medicine.

How to Make Turmeric Tea

First, prepare the ingredients:

• 200 ml (about 3/4 cup) water


• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric


• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• a pinch of ground cloves


• a pinch of freshly ground black pepper


• optional: 100 ml (about 1/3 cup) plant-based milk and 1 teaspoon honey

Preparation:

Bring the water to a boil, then turn the heat down by half and add all the spices. Let the mixture simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove it from the heat and let it cool for at least 10 minutes, then strain. If you like, add 100 ml of plant-based milk and a teaspoon of honey. Stir the honey in only after the tea has cooled a little, so you keep its delicate flavor. Sip slowly.

Tip: Turmeric stains easily, so use a stainless steel or enamel pot and a light-colored mug you don't mind turning golden. For more ideas on using this spice, see our article Warm Water with Turmeric Against Winter Troubles.

Why Cinnamon, Cloves and Pepper?

Each spice adds flavor and its own natural compounds. Cinnamon brings sweetness without sugar. If you drink this tea daily, choose Ceylon cinnamon, because cassia cinnamon contains more coumarin. Germany's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) advises moderation with coumarin. Cloves are among the most antioxidant-rich spices and give the tea its warm, wintery aroma. Black pepper rounds off the taste and helps with curcumin absorption, as explained above. Many of us use these spices without knowing their best pairings. Our article Foods We Use Incorrectly covers more everyday kitchen mistakes.

What Readers Say

"I was skeptical, but I've been drinking it for a month now. The biggest change? I no longer reach for chocolate at 10 p.m.," writes a reader from Austria. Another reader, who works night shifts, says she makes a smaller cup when she gets home: "It's warm, it's comforting, and it tells my body it's time to rest." A third reader admits the first sip was "too earthy." Adding plant milk and a little honey turned it into what he now calls "golden dessert in a mug."

Notice the Difference in the Morning

It can be hard to judge how a drink like this affects you. Still, many people say they notice it most in the morning, in how rested and settled they feel when they wake up. Good sleep and a well-functioning immune system go hand in hand. If you want to learn more about how rest affects your body, read When you sleep too little, your belly grows.

Try drinking it for at least three evenings in a row. That's often how long it takes for a new routine to start feeling natural. The body gets used to the bad, but also to the good!

Who Should Be Careful

Turmeric used in food and drinks is considered safe for most adults. According to the NCCIH, turmeric supplements may be unsafe during pregnancy. The U.S. National Library of Medicine's LiverTox database reports rare cases of liver injury linked to concentrated turmeric supplements. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before making turmeric tea a daily habit if any of these apply to you:

• you take blood thinners or medication for diabetes


• you have gallbladder problems or gallstones


• you have stomach ulcers or acid reflux


• you are pregnant or breastfeeding


• you are scheduled for surgery