Moon Cocoa: An Herbal Infused Golden Milk Hot Chocolate with Turmeric and Maca

Finally, it’s here: a hot chocolate that supports a healthy moon cycle! I’ve been meaning to post a recipe like this for a while, something that whips together in a flash, sips like a dream and offers some low key herbal support for the ol’ uterus (and hey if you’re a dude and you read this blog, pass this recipe on to some ladies who need some moon cycle love!). With an herbal tea-base, lots of luscious cocoa, dates, creamy cashew butter, coconut cream and enough turmeric and maca to give it some va-va-voom, this recipe kicks ass!

So my main jam here is that I wanted to make a rich, chocolatey drink that you can sip before, during and after your cycle for support and relief. When I make this cocoa I usually use a tea with a base of raspberry leaf or chaste tree berry (vitex berry), both of which are important herbs for menstrual health, hormonal balance and overall women’s health. Here’s the down low on both:

Red Raspberry Leaf is commonly called “the women’s herb” as it provides a bevy of benefits for women’s health! Raspberry leaf is deeply nourishing, providing vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C and E, niacin, manganese, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron and selenium. It tones and relaxes the uterine and pelvic muscles, and can provide relief from painful cramps. It’s also great for improving fertility.

Chaste Berry (Vitex Berry) is beloved for its ability to improve PMS symptoms. It’s known to reduce water retention, breast pain / tenderness, PMS related depression and irritability, constipation and migraines. Chaste berry stimulates opioid receptors, so it may provide pain relief both for cramps and radiating menstrual pain. Chaste berry increases dopamine activity in the brain, which effectively reduces the production of prolactin in the body; an excess of prolactin can cause estrogen deficiency, which can cause disturbed or irregular menstrual cycles. Consuming chaste berry has been shown to restore estrogen production and decrease progesterone production, bringing the two hormones into balance, which can significantly improve PMS symptoms.

For this recipe I will often use just plain raspberry leaf tea, Traditional Medicinals Healthy Cycle Tea or Yogi Tea’s Womens Moon Cycle Tea. Healthy Cycle contains raspberry leaf, nettle, licorice, dandelion, spearmint, rosehip, lemon verbena, lemongrass, ginger and chamomile. Yogi’s Moon Cycle Tea contains raspberry leaf, chaste berry, cinnamon, fennel, dong quai root extract, juniper berry, ginger, chamomile, anise and parsley. The blends are both really affordable, nutritious and intentionally-crafted for moon cycle improvement and symptom relief.

When I’m not feeling the need to use cycle supportive teas, I’ll often make this with a spicy herbal chai blend.

In this golden cocoa I’ve also included turmeric, which reduces inflammation and improves stress response; and maca, which improves reproductive health and improves the body’s receptivity to anandamide, the bliss chemical found in in cocoa. So maca gives you a little extra bang for your chocolate buck!

To experience the most benefits, you could sip this regularly over a period of a few weeks (“twist my arm, Renee, geez!”). I like to drink this once daily during my moon times, honestly just because it’s delicious, but also because I really feel better when I drink it regularly! This is all to say, I hope this cocoa provides relief and bliss during your next moon cycle. xoxo — Renee

Moon Cocoa

Active prep time: 1 mins - Inactive prep time: 5-10 mins - Cook time: 0 mins - Makes 1 serving - PRINT THIS RECIPE

Tips: 1. For this recipe I usually use teas especially formulated for the moon cycle, like Traditional Medicinals Healthy Cycle Tea or Yogi Tea’s Womens Moon Cycle Tea. I usually look out for raspberry leaf and/or chaste berry in formulations, both of which are great for cramp relief and reproductive health. You could also use plain raspberry leaf tea, or any moon cycle supportive herbal blend. I also really like this recipe with rooibos chai when I don’t need the extra herbal support, as the turmeric and maca are still great for reducing inflammation, supporting hormones and relieving stress. 2. For a deeper chocolate flavor, add up to 1 tbsp finely chopped chocolate.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups boiling water

• 2 tea bags Healthy Cycle Tea or Womens Moon Cycle Tea or Raspberry Leaf Tea

• 1 tbsp cashew butter

• 2 tbsp coconut cream

• 1 tbsp cocoa powder

• 1 tsp turmeric powder

• 1/8 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp maca powder

• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper

• 2 medjool dates, pitted

Directions

1. In a tea kettle that holds heat, pour the hot water over the tea and steep the tea for 5-10 minutes.

2. To the bowl of an upright blender, add the hot tea, cashew butter, coconut cream, cocoa powder, turmeric powder, cinnamon, maca, black pepper and dates.

3. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes.

4. Pour and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I’m not a clinical herbalist or a medical professional, just a person who loves herbal remedies and finds them beneficial. All of the suggested herbs are non-toxic and generally considered safe, with few negative side effects for most users. Please consult with a holistic nutritionist or professional herbalist for personal recommendations!