The 6 Best Golden Milk Powders, Ranked by a Dietitian

Years ago, I first heard about golden milk when I was discussing natural remedies with a friend from India. I learned that her grandmother would give her this bright yellow turmeric concoction when she wasn't well. As a nutritionist, I fully recognize the purported health benefits of turmeric, including its positive effects on immune response, digestion, skin health, and more. 

Today, that age-old Ayurvedic medicine is well-known across the U.S. as "golden milk," but the sheer number of brands flooding the market with innovative, ready-to-mix formulas can make it confusing to pick one.

In my quest to find the best, I tested and compared six different turmeric golden milk brands, and I wholeheartedly believe Live it Up Golden Hour is a cut above the rest, offering superior taste and nutritional content.

A Quick Look at My Golden Milk Favorites

1. Live it Up Golden Hour - Best Superfood Golden Milk Powder
   4.8 ★★★★★ - $1.33/serving
   
2. Garden of Life Organics Golden Milk - Good for Added Gut Support
   4.5 ★★★★ - $0.58/serving
   
3. Ora Good as Gold Golden Milk Turmeric Powder - Good for Mushrooms
   4 ★★★★ - $1.33/serving
4. Gaia Herbs Golden Milk - Good for Vegans
   3.5 ★★★★ - $0.55/serving
   
5. Handpick Golden Mix Powder - Good for on a Budget
   3 ★★★ - $0.18/serving
   
6. Spicewalla Golden Milk Powder - Good for Spice Lovers
   2.5 ★★★ - $0.46/serving

What Is Golden Milk?

Golden Milk—aka "turmeric milk" or "turmeric latte"—is a centuries-old Asian drink made from a combination of turmeric and milk. The golden or yellow hue is a result of the turmeric, the drink's most essential spice. This drink is celebrated for its anti-inflammatory properties and ability to support multiple wellness goals.

What are the key golden milk ingredients?

The key ingredients are just turmeric and milk, but you can customize the recipe to suit your dietary needs and preferences.

• Don't like cow's milk? Substitute with a plant-based or nut milk like oat, almond, or coconut milk.
• Many modern recipes include flavor boosters like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, or black pepper.
• Some include natural sweeteners like honey, monk fruit, or maple syrup. 

What are the benefits of golden milk?

This drink is renowned for its anti-inflammatory properties and its potential ability to support multiple wellness goals, including:

• Inflammation
• Immune system response
• Joint health
• Digestion
• Brain function and mood
• Sleep quality

Why try golden milk powder?

You may wonder, "If golden milk involves just two ingredients, why invest in a drink mix?" Here's my take: it can get tricky to always get the ratio of turmeric to milk right. Improper formulations can dilute the potency and even produce an overpowering taste. Also, you may not always have the spices or time on hand to make a delicious recipe from scratch. With a pre-mixed powder, you save time and get a balanced, nutritious drink every time. 

Top 6 Golden Milk Powders

With multiple brands cropping up in the golden milk powder market, it's not always easy to discern what the "good stuff" is. Below are my top six picks based on ingredients, quality, price, taste, and nutritional value.  

1. Live it Up Golden Hour: Best Superfood Golden Milk Powder

Price: $1.33 per serving (subscription price)

Shipping: Free shipping on ALL orders

Nutritional Facts:

• Calories: 30
• Carbohydrates: 2 grams
• Fats: 2 grams
• Total Sugar: 0 grams

Key Health Targets:

• Inflammation and longevity
• Relaxation and sleep quality
• Stress management
• Mood balance

Flavor Profile: I believe Golden Hour is by far the best-tasting golden milk powder on this list. It’s lightly sweet with cozy, warming spices, and the coconut milk lends the drink a rich and creamy flavor profile.

Live it Up Golden Hour is not just a one or two-ingredient turmeric powder. Instead, it’s a blend of 15 superfoods designed to support an extensive range of health goals like sleep, stress, inflammation, and mood.

To support sleep, Golden Hour taps into nature and features some heavy hitters like turmeric, ashwagandha, saffron, and ginger. The formula features a clinical dose of ashwagandha, an adaptogen that research associates with sleep quality and duration. A review of randomized controlled trials highlights saffron’s ability to positively influence sleep duration and perceived stress. 

Golden Hour is carefully formulated with a meaningful amount of turmeric extract standardized to an industry-leading 95% curcuminoids. This is far more concentrated than what’s found in other turmeric powders, and the blend strategically pairs turmeric with black pepper, which contains piperine. Piperine is the active ingredient that helps with curcuminoid absorption and utilization, ensuring your body actually benefits from the anti-inflammatory ingredients. 

The most appealing thing about Golden Hour is its delicious taste. Many of the turmeric mixes on this list are bitter, peppery, and earthy—Live it Up Golden Hour is nothing like that. Instead, I would describe it as “a hug in a mug!” that I genuinely look forward to every evening as I prepare my body for rest.

Customer reviews, like this one from Vicky H, show I am not the only one who feels this way. She says, “I really enjoy the flavor and it was a very comforting drink!”

Live it Up’s all-natural golden milk latte is gluten-free, vegetarian, dairy-free, and made with non-GMO superfoods. Each batch is manufactured in GMP-certified facilities and is third-party tested to ensure quality, consistency, and safety. 

Bottom Line: Live it Up Golden Hour wins for its thoughtful, plant-based formula that includes 15 superfoods, including activated turmeric and ashwagandha. The coconut milk powder offers a delicious creaminess, perfect for winding down after a long day, while supporting a wide range of potential health benefits. Live it Up’s commitment to delivering a superior experience for all customers shines through their high safety standards, free shipping, and 30-day money-back guarantee policies. 

2. Garden of Life Organics Golden Milk: Good for Added Gut Support

Price: $0.58 per serving (no subscription available)

Shipping: Free only for orders above $25

Nutritional Facts:

• Calories: 10
• Carbohydrates: 3 grams
• Fiber: 1 gram
• Sugar: 1 gram
• Fats: 2 grams

Key Health Targets:

• Inflammation
• Recovery & nourishment
• Gut Health

Flavor Profile: The flavor is warm and earthy, thanks to the turmeric and spices. Some users need to add honey, stevia, or another sweetener to make the drink palatable.

Garden of Life Organics' Golden Milk recipe does a good job of featuring organic ingredients like turmeric, ashwagandha, black pepper, and cinnamon. The mix contains 44 mg of curcumin, the most powerful component in turmeric. The product is marketed to aid digestion, bedtime recovery, and nourishment.

Standouts in their golden milk recipe include 1 billion CFUs of probiotics and tapioca dietary fiber, both of which may support digestive health. There's also coconut water powder, which adds natural hydration support. The powder is versatile, rigorously tested, and suitable for various dietary conditions. You can add a single serving to any hot beverage of your choice—your morning coffee, tea, or plain hot milk.

Speaking of sweetness, this is one of the few blends with absolutely no sweetener or sugar. This can take a bit of adjusting to, but you get complete control over the type and amount of sweetener you'd like to add.

Another drawback is their shipping policy, as you would have to purchase at least two jars of their golden milk to qualify for free shipping. 

Bottom Line: Garden of Life Organics' Golden Milk features a unique ingredient list that includes dietary fiber and probiotics for gut support, with golden milk classics you expect. However, many complain about the product's bland taste and small serving size. 

3. Ora Organic Good As Gold Golden Milk Powder: Good for Mushrooms

Price: $1.33 per serving (subscription price)

Shipping: Free only for subscription orders above $75 and regular orders of $125

Nutritional Facts:

• Calories: 60
• Carbohydrates: 8 grams
• Total fat: 2.6 grams
• Dietary fiber: < 1 gram
• Sugar: 6 grams

Key Health Targets:

• Inflammation
• Sleep quality
• Stress management

Flavor Profile: A sweet and creamy blend.

Ora has a lot going for it. The latte blend features ingredients I commonly see in other turmeric milk mixes, like black pepper, ginger, and the superstar, ashwagandha. But there are also some surprising elements like reishi mushroom and rice hull. I appreciate their use of USDA-certified organic ingredients and commitment to quality and safety, which is strengthened by the fact that they provide their lab results online.

Reishi mushrooms have been studied for their ability to manage the function of T white blood cells, which impact overall immunity. Coconut milk is another nutritional powerhouse of minerals like copper, iron, and magnesium. Ashwagandha has been researched for its ability to support cognitive function and memory.

The use of rice hulls as a bulking agent is a deterrent, as they have limited nutritional value and are largely indigestible by humans.

Bottom Line: Ora Good as Gold is a great-tasting, creamy turmeric milk recipe from a company that's obsessive about quality. But at 6 grams of sugar and a high-calorie count, the mix may not be ideal for those with weight management goals. Also, the high minimum order value for free shipping makes it one of the pricier options on the market.

4. Gaia Herbs Golden Milk: Good for Vegans

Price: $0.55 per serving (subscription price)

Shipping: Free only for orders over $64

Nutritional Facts:

• Calories: 15
• Carbohydrates: 3 grams
• Sugar: Less than 1 gram

Key Health Targets:

• Body and mind support
• Inflammation and recovery

Flavor Profile: The blend is a bit spicy, yet very earthy due to the turmeric. The date palm fruit adds a subtle sweetness.

From the makers of herbal supplements, Gaia Herbs, this Golden Milk powder contains organic turmeric, date palm fruit, black pepper, vanilla, cardamom, and a touch of ashwagandha. As the fourth ingredient in their 2,219mg blend, ashwagandha may be properly dosed, but I can’t be sure without more information.

While each Gaia product is DNA-tested by their in-house team, third-party testing is only performed on an as-needed basis. 

Many customers have pointed out this milk's strong peppery taste and difficulty in dissolving. One Amazon customer said, "I would give it 5 stars but it has a strong pepper taste. I mix it with milk and honey. It does help me relax and sleep better."

Bottom Line: A certified-organic milk powder with a subtle hint of sweetness from the vanilla and dates. However, the small serving size, limited testing, and use of artificial additives are points of concern. 

5. Handpick Golden Milk Powder: Good for on a Budget

Price: $0.18 per serving (no subscription option)

Shipping: Free on Amazon with Prime account

Nutritional Facts:

• Calories: 10
• Carbohydrates: 0 grams
• Sugar: 0 grams

Key Health Target: Overall wellness

Flavor Profile: A strong, peppery flavor that takes a while to get used to.

Handpick's Golden Milk Powder is one of the simplest recipes on the market. It has just four ingredients: turmeric powder, ginger powder, stevia extract, and black pepper powder.

The addition of ginger, a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, can further support digestive health. Research findings confirm ginger's ability to promote healthy gut bacteria. Black pepper, on top of helping with curcumin absorption, has been linked to supporting skin health and aiding pigmentation, thanks to its antioxidant properties. 

There's no company website for Handpicked, but the company states via its Amazon page that its turmeric is exclusively sourced from India, a region with a history of adulteration. I had to primarily rely on Amazon for information, and this meant that I wasn't able to dig deeper into the company's sourcing, manufacturing, and quality processes.

Bottom Line: This milk powder gets points for being accessible and easy on the pocket. But the low price comes with trade-offs in quality and taste. My main concern is the lack of third-party testing, without which I can’t be sure the nutritional label accurately reflects what’s inside. There’s also ambiguity around the company's sourcing procedures. The distinct peppery taste and use of stevia may also deter some from consistent use. 

6. Spicewalla Golden Milk Powder: Good for Spice Lovers

Price: $0.46 per serving (no subscription option)

Shipping: Free only for orders over $49

Nutritional Facts:

• Calories: 10
• Carbohydrates: 2 grams

Key Health Target: None disclosed

Flavor Profile: A nicely balanced blend of sweet and spicy with a touch of nuttiness from the nutmeg.

Spicewalla, a spice and premix company founded by chefs, is all about delivering the freshest, high-quality blends to inspire people to start cooking at home for better health and nourishment.

Their recipe has only five impressive ingredients: turmeric, ginger, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, and roasted coriander. Nutmeg is recognized for its powerful antioxidants like flavonoids, lignans, and phenolic acids. Roasted coriander contains terpinene, quercetin, and tocopherols, which may have immune effects. Coriander is also known to have a cooling effect, which can aid digestion. 

Bottom Line: I love that Spicewalla offers a fresh and affordable turmeric mix that works beautifully with both dairy and plant-based milks but needs a sweetener like honey to make it enjoyable. Also, the company doesn't use a third-party certifier or tester for its mixes, which means the product isn't officially certified as being free of dairy, nuts, or gluten.

Golden Milk Benefits

Incorporating golden milk into your routine can yield impressive results for overall health and wellness.

• Helps inflammation: Turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon are powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that work at the cellular level by inhibiting the production of inflammatory mediators and cytokines. Curcumin may also suppress the Janus kinase (JAK)-STAT inflammatory signaling pathway that governs our immune response.
• Supports digestion: Turmeric stimulates bile production in the gallbladder, which is essential for digestion. Curcumin also influences the growth of good gut bacteria, which contributes to stronger intestinal barrier functioning. Also, the warmth of the drink itself may soothe the stomach lining and may help with bloating and gas.
• May promote sound sleep: Studies suggest that curcumin may help sleep quality by scavenging free radicals and addressing underlying inflammation that disrupts sleep. A 2021 study demonstrated turmeric extract's ability to increase the duration of non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM). Ashwagandha also has potential to impact your ability to fall asleep, but further research is required to substantiate these findings. 
• May uplift mood and help stress: While supporting anxiety is one of ashwagandha’s superpowers, curcumin has been linked to boosting brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which, at low levels, has been linked to mood and cognitive conditions. Recent studies also demonstrate its role in supporting serotonin and dopamine levels.
• Can support bone and joint health: The curcumin in turmeric may ease stiffness and inflammation. A study published in BMC highlighted the component's ability to help with joint pain when compared to a placebo. Curcumin works by reducing inflammation and inhibiting enzymes that damage cartilage.

How to Choose the Best Golden Milk Powder

Here's what I recommend you look at as you evaluate brands so you find one that's absolutely delicious and beneficial.

• Quality ingredients: The foundation of any recipe is its ingredients. Look for simple, clean, ingredients with proper dosages. You should have your eyes peeled for turmeric or curcumin extract.
• Bioavailability: This alludes to the body's ability to absorb the nutrient. Curcumin, the main beneficial compound in turmeric, is hard for our bodies to digest. A little bit of black pepper (piperine) goes a long way in helping your body maximize turmeric's purported benefits.
• Sweeteners: Opt for blends that use natural sweeteners like monk fruit extract over artificial sweeteners and refined sugar, which may do more harm than good.
• Safety and Third-Party Testing: Since supplements aren't regulated by the FDA, you have to be your own advocate when it comes to quality. Look for products that are third-party tested by organizations like NSF International or Informed Choice. Lab-certified and GMP-certified qualifications assure that the product was made under strict quality procedures.
• Flavor & mixability: While flavor comes down to your personal preference, it's easier to make golden milk a part of your lifestyle when it tastes delicious and isn't a clumpy mess. If it’s a habit you want to stick with, opt for all-in-one powders that make it easy to enjoy a delicious latte with just one scoop in your liquid of choice, rather than ones that need to have their flavor masked. Online customer reviews are a great place to get people's take on taste and the drink's mixability.
• Price per serving: I always advise my clients to compare products on shipping costs + price per serving over container price, as it highlights true value or bang for your buck, so you don't overpay and can achieve health benefits while maintaining financial goals.

Why I Recommend Live it Up Golden Hour

The reality is that most of us don't have the time, ingredients, or knowledge on proportions to make your own turmeric milk from scratch. That’s where Live it Up Golden Hour shines. This all-natural premix is comfort in a cup, a perfectly balanced combination of quality ingredients and a lip-smacking, creamy taste that sets it apart from other options on the market. 

The main reason I love this supplement powder is because it isn't just turmeric and milk powder. It features a thoughtful blend of superfoods and spices like nutmeg, cardamom, black pepper, saffron, ginger, and peppermint, alongside the powerful adaptogenic herb ashwagandha, so you can relax and unwind.

Golden Hour doesn't compromise on quality or safety. Our caffeine-, gluten-, and dairy-free powder fits a variety of dietary needs and is third-party tested and produced under cGMP guidelines in certified facilities across the U.S.

Golden Hour can be ready in seconds, no matter where you are. Simply mix one scoop in your choice of plant-based milk or hot water to support better sleep and help with stress and inflammation.

FAQs on Golden Milk

Can you drink a golden milk latte every day?

It depends on the blend. Turmeric is a potent antioxidant, and too much of it can upset the digestive tract, leading to issues like bloating, acidity, and gas. In some instances, excessive intake can result in rashes and hives. Turmeric also has blood-thinning properties. However, many golden milk powder mixes like Live it Up Golden Hour are designed for daily use.

Is golden milk powder healthy?

From its antioxidant and immune-targeting properties to its role in supporting inflammation and brain health, golden drink is healthy and surely deserves a place in your routine. But it's best to have it as part of a balanced diet and not rely on this as the single source of goodness.

Can golden milk powder help with joint pain?

Yes, turmeric milk powder can support joint health. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties that may help ease swelling and discomfort. Dairy milk is a good source of both calcium and vitamin D, two micronutrients linked to bone health. If you prefer a dairy-free milk alternative, check out oat milk or almond milk. These are commonly fortified with calcium and vitamin D during the manufacturing process.

When is the best time to have turmeric golden milk?

There's no right or wrong time to have turmeric milk. You can start your day with a golden milk latte. However, if you are turning to this dietary supplement to help with stress, relaxation, and sleep, you may find it more beneficial to have this drink in the evening. Regardless of when you have this drink, with your morning meal or just before bedtime, it’s consistency that'll help you unlock its purported health advantages.

References

• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/golden-milk-turmeric
• https://www.gardenoflife.com/organics-golden-milk-powder
• https://www.gaiaherbs.com/products/golden-milk
• https://www.spicewallabrand.com/products/golden-milk
• https://www.amazon.com/Spicewalla-Golden-Milk-Powder-3-6/dp/B07YXD3G32?th=1
• https://ora.organic/products/organic-turmeric-golden-milk-powder
• https://www.amazon.com/Ora-Organic-Turmeric-Supplement-Ashwagandha/dp/B07K7TMG34
• https://www.ckbhospital.com/blogs/turmeric-milk-benefits
• https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-ashwagandha
• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Ashwagandha-HealthProfessional/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34858513/
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cardamom-benefits
• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Manganese-HealthProfessional/
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371337702
• https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/ginger-benefits
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8572027/
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3882399/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34003596/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36408594
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3344210/
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coriander-benefits
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nutmeg-benefits
• https://www.divinetaste.com/blog_posts/ayurvedic-superfoods-coriander/
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-ginger
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coconut-milk#what-it-is