Have you ever heard of moon milk before? This popular drink trend is sweeping Instagram and Pinterest by storm. I mean, anyone can see why—it’s beautiful and unique, like Lady Gaga! (If Lady Gaga was a beverage, she would definitely be moon milk!) There’s just something about it that makes it so intriguing! If you think that moon milk is one of those drinks that’s popular purely for vanity purposes, you’re wrong. In fact, moon milk has some pretty incredible health benefits that contribute to its growing popularity!
So, today, I’m going to explain what moon milk is, the health benefits you can expect when you drink it, and how to make it at home.
What Is Moon Milk?
If this is the first time you’re hearing about this one-of-a-kind concoction, you’re probably asking yourself, “Alright, I’m intrigued… but what is moon milk?” Moon milk is actually a nighttime elixir that helps put you to sleep.
When you were a kid, did your mom ever give you a glass of milk when you couldn’t sleep? Mine did. She’d pour me a glass, tell me that it would put me to sleep in no time, and then she’d usher me back to my bedroom. At the time, I thought it was just something my parents made up so they could watch Law & Order in peace. But, little did I know that milk actually contains an amino acid called tryptophan—an essential amino acid that plays an important role in your body’s sleep patterns. Hence, the name, moon milk.🌛
When your body digests tryptophan, it activates a neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger in the brain called serotonin. Serotonin is believed to act as a mood stabilizer and produce good quality sleep. [1] You know that groggy feeling you get after eating a big Thanksgiving meal? This sleepy reaction is a side effect often caused by the tryptophan found in turkey—the same amino-acid that is found in dairy products, like milk. So, this Thanksgiving when you think you ate yourself to sleep, think again.
What’s In Moon Milk?
Now that you know what moon milk is, I’m sure your next question is, what’s in it? There a few different varieties of moon milk and you can tell by their wide range of colors. There’s pink moon milk, yellow moon milk, and even green moon milk. But, this particular moon milk recipe is actually blue moon milk. Curious about what creates its beautiful blue color? Here are the key ingredients in this blue moon milk recipe.
Moon Milk Ingredients
- Milk—for this recipe, it’s important to use dairy milk. Dairy milk is what contains tryptophan, the amino acid needed in order to activate the neurotransmitter, serotonin. Milk also contains a small amount of casein protein that can help your body recover from any physical activity you experience throughout the day. [2]
- Butterfly pea flower powder—this bright indigo tea is actually made from the flower petals of, you guessed it, the butterfly pea flower and it’s packed with health-promoting antioxidants and flavonoids. Studies suggest that it’s brain-boosting effects and wide spectrum of neurological benefits can help with depression and reduce anxiety.
- SkinnyFit ZzzTox tea—ZzzTox contains a blend of 8 stress-fighting superfoods known for being the best teas to improve sleep quality. This unique blend helps your body and mind relax, improves rest and digestion, and improves your overall health.
- Honey—you know what they say about milk and honey right? This dynamic duo is commonly known for being a natural sleep remedy. When it comes to creating the perfect moon milk recipe, you can’t have milk without honey! If you’re looking for another delicious night time elixir, try this soothing milk and honey recipe.
- SkinnyFit Super Youth—collagen has a wide range of health benefits from improving the appearance of your skin, hair, and nails, to healing gut issues, and easing joint pain. Super Youth Collagen is actually one of the easiest and most convenient ways to slow the physical signs of aging and comes in a variety of flavors to choose from. Thankfully, the unflavored collagen powder can be mixed with anything so it’s always great to have on hand if you ever want to boost the health benefits of your favorite foods or beverages. Adding it to this moon milk recipe was a no-brainer! Not only will this night time potion send you off to dreamland, but it will actually help improve your overall health, all while you sleep.
Moon Milk Benefits
Moon milk provides a ton of health benefits due to its impressive ingredient line up. These are the most impactful benefits you can expect when you drink moon milk before bed:
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Strengthens your immune system
- Relaxes your mind and body
- Promotes better quality sleep
- Boosts brain and cognitive function
- Reduces inflammation
Blue Moon Milk Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup SkinnyFit ZzzTox tea, brewed
- 1 tsp butterfly pea flower powder
- 1 scoop SkinnyFit Super Youth collagen, unflavored
- 1 Tbsp honey
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
Steps
- Brew one tea bag of SkinnyFit ZzzTox with one cup of hot water for 5-7 minutes. You will only need ½ cup for this recipe.
- In a small saucepan set over medium-low heat, whisk together milk, honey, ZzzTox, butterfly pea flower powder, Super Youth collagen powder, and spices until powder until everything is dissolved and the milk is warm but not yet simmering.
- Use a small hand frother to whisk the elixir until it reaches a foamy, latte-like finish. If you don’t have hand frother, whisk vigorously to create a fine froth.
- Pour into a warm mug, top with cinnamon, and enjoy.