If you follow any healthy-lifestyle influencer you have probably heard of Moon Milk. Starting to appear all over people’s Instagram feeds this new “magical” drink claims to induce a deeper and more restful sleep and help ease feelings of stress and anxiety.
There are many recipes and varieties of Moon Milk but they all come down to the same basic ingredients: warm milk, spices, honey, and most importantly; adaptogens. According to Spoon University, adaptogens are herbal supplements that have been shown to aid in de-stressing, lowering blood sugar, and boosting your immune system.
There are many different variations of adaptogens but the most common tend to be ashwagandha, reishi, and cordyceps. Ashwagandha being the most accessible and common out of the three.
Moon Milk comes in all colors and flavors from dreamy pink moon milk flavored with tart cherry juice to blue moon milk which is infused with butterfly-pea flower powder. However, the simplest recipe calls for:
- 1 Cup of Milk of Your Choosing (Dairy, Almond, Coconut, Soy)
- 1 Tablespoon of Sweetener of Choice (Agave, Maple Syrup, Honey)
- ¼ Teaspoon of Ground CInnamon
- Pinch of Nutmeg
- ¼ to ½ a Teaspoon of Ashwagandha Root Powder or Other Aptogen
When trying Moon Milk, I wanted to choose a recipe that would be realistic. Given that I would be having this every night, a fancy flavored recipe seemed too time consuming for my everyday nighttime routine, so I followed the simplests recipe listed above.
I ordered my organic ashwagandha root powder online and was excited for it to arrive and try what could potentially be a natural remedy for my occasional anxiety.
Nothing could’ve prepared me for the shock I encountered when the packet came in the mail. I opened up the bag and my nose was encountered with a surprising odor that I can only describe as a barn-like earthy smell. It is safe to say that it smelled terrible. Given its popularity I would’ve never imagined how unpleasant the sent would be, however, I was optimistic that it would not taste as bad as it smelled- it did.
On top of tasting like you mixed dirt into your milk, ashwagandha has a very bitter aftertaste. Drinking Moon Milk was personally not an enjoyable experience at all but I decided to continue through with it to test its effects.
I made myself a cup of Moon Milk and drank it an hour before bedtime every night for a week. I don’t believe I drank it long enough to see significant changes in my anxiety but I can attest to the fact that I had a very restful and peaceful sleep consistently throughout. I can see how taking it consistently can lead to reduced levels of stress. If I were to add ashwagandha back into my daily routine, I would do so in the capsule version to avoid enduring the bitter taste again.
I’m still willing to give Moon Milk a another shot but this time lowering the dosage from ½ to ¼ of a teaspoon and adding it to flavored milks that will hopefully taste better such as the Trader Joe’s Turmeric Ginger Coconut Beverage or their Matcha or Blueberry Lavender Almond Beverages. If you have the time, I believe making one of the most complicated recipes like this Hawaian Spice Moon Milk might even pay off.