chamomile honey bedtime latte
For improved sleep, reduced inflammation & a relaxed nervous system
I have mixed feelings about routines. Sometimes I find them limiting and as a type A person, they can trap me in a cycle of needing to have control over every aspect of my life. Other times, especially when they are habits that I know are beneficial, they keep me grounded and make starting a new habit much easier!
Luckily, this habit is definitely the latter. If you have seen my blog on tips to improve your sleep quality, you know that one of my favorite things is to enjoy my evening chamomile “latte.” I have enjoyed this evening latte off and on for about 6 months now and I can tell you on the few nights I missed, I definitely noticed a difference - which my Oura ring picked up on it too!
Not only does it drastically improve my sleep and give me a routine I actually look forward to, it legitimately tastes like the lovechild of a churro and cinnamon toast crunch.
For hundreds of years, chamomile has been the go-to when it comes to needing sleep and it’s not just some old wives’ tale! Studies show that there is an antioxidant called apigen in chamomile that plays a role in its relaxing effects. It has been shown to bind to specific receptors in your brain that decrease anxiety and increase sleep. It has also been shown to have anti-inflammatory (specifically in the skin) and anti-migraine properties.
The key to this recipe is to invest in quality ingredients. Items like tea, extracts, honey and canned goods vary DRAMATICALLY in quality and testing. To ensure you aren’t ingesting unnecessary gums, fillers, heavy metals, pesticides etc. I have listed out my favorite quality brands and what to look for if you can’t find them in your area.
Tea
Teas are often full of heavy metals and pesticides which can end up doing more harm than good when you are trying to enjoy a nourishing beverage. Tea bags are also notorious for containing plastic, glues, bleach and dyes that leach into your tea.
I opt for local organic loose leaf when possible and I use this reusable stainless steel infuser for steeping. In this recipe if not using loose leaf (Rishi has some great chamomile), I will get Pukka or Traditional Medicinals chamomile tea bags.
organic Coconut milk (applies to all milks too)
Make sure there are no gums or fillers. These wreck havoc on your gut and digestive system and are really just unnecessary. I do not recommend any coconut milks in a carton, the ones in the fridge are often too runny/watery and full of additives.
Ingredients in a common “organic coconut milk” :
Organic Coconut milk (Filtered Water, Organic Coconut Cream), Organic Guar Gum, Vitamin and Mineral Blend (Calcium Phosphate, Magnesium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, L-selenomethionine [Selenium], Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D2, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin B12), Xanthan Gum
I love Trader Joe’s Organic Full Fat Coconut Milk in the yellow can :
Ingredients: Organic coconut milk (filtered water, organic coconut extracts 48%)
If you aren’t near a Trader Joe’s, my recommendation would be to either make your own using a young coconut or get coconut butter and blend it up with some water!
Coconut butter milk: Blend 1/3 cup of coconut butter with 2 cups of water and strain through a nut milk bag for a nice creamy texture.
Vanilla
Make sure it’s actually vanilla extract, not vanilla flavoring! Vanilla flavor is made with propylene glycol or glycerine, not alcohol.
As always, check to see there are no additives, syrups or colorings.
In this case, Trader Joe’s isn’t my choice since their vanilla extract is alcohol free. I use this organic vanilla in all my recipes.
Honey
Make sure it’s organic! Local is often better than store bought (you can always ask about a farms use of pesticides) but if that isn’t an option, I use and love Beekeeper’s Naturals Superfood Honey or their Wildflower Honey. Wederspoon Manuka honey is another great option. They are pricier than the honey in a teddy bear but you use so little, it’s full of benefits, and you are paying for quality. Let’s be honest, the teddy bear honey isn’t really honey anyways. I think the superfood honey gives this latte a deeply rich delicious taste as well!
CHECK THE BACK!! The only ingredient should be honey, unless it has other bee products in it. No sugar syrup, corn syrup, or rice syrup.
Look for honey that comes in glass instead of plastic. It shows they are more concerned with quality and it will keep it much longer as it’s not very shelf stable in plastic.
Phew, I know that was kind of a lot but I hope it was helpful! Refer back to it as many times as you need. Retraining ourselves to read labels and screen products for quality TAKES TIME.
Ok ok, now that you are updated on the ingredients… let’s make this tasty bedtime latte!
CHAMOMILE HONEY LATTE Recipe
Time: 8 minutes
Serving: 1 mug
INGREDIENTS:
Organic full fat coconut milk or any milk of choice
Filtered water
Chamomile tea bag
1 tsp of organic honey
Dash of organic cinnamon ~ 1/4 tsp
Splash of quality vanilla extract ~ little less than 1 tsp
DIRECTIONS
Choose the mug you will be using - since this makes 1 mug worth, the measurements depend on mug size
Fill half the mug with coconut milk, the other half will be the steeped tea - if you are using a traditional mug, this should be about 4-6 oz - put coconut milk into a pot but do not turn stove on yet!
Boil water and fill your mug halfway to let the tea steep while you warm up the coconut milk
To the measured coconut milk, add honey, cinnamon, and vanilla in the pot
Heat on medium, do not boil the milk. As the milk warms, start to whisk consistently it so it becomes nice and frothy - should take about 5 minutes
Once tea is steeped and milk is frothy and warm, add the coconut milk to the mug of tea and allow to steep another 3-4 minutes to fully infuse the chamomile flavor. If you love a deep cinnamon flavor, you can add another dash on top but I prefer mine with the lighter coconut/honey notes.
Dim your lights, do your evening journaling, listen to some solfeggio frequencies and prepare for a great night’s sleep!