Get Cozy With This Superfood Latte

What could be better than a drink that looks and tastes incredibly lush and indulgent, but is really a health tonic in disguise? The anti-inflammatory and nausea-fighting effects of ginger are well documented, and I reach for it every time I'm feeling under the weather. Cardamom is a member of the ginger family, and as with many spices, has been demonstrated to have antioxidant properties. But when it comes to superfoods, beetroot is hard to... well... beat:

"The powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and vascular-protective effects offered by beetroot and its constituents have been clearly demonstrated by several in vitro and in vivo human and animal studies; hence its increasing popularity as a nutritional approach to help manage cardiovascular disease and cancer. In the human studies to date, beetroot supplementation has been reported to reduce blood pressure, attenuate inflammation, avert oxidative stress, preserve endothelial function and restore cerebrovascular haemodynamics." The Potential Benefits of Red Beetroot Supplementation in Health and Disease

In other words, beetroot has been proven in several human studies to have a wide range of truly awesome health benefits. If you're looking for a superfood to incorporate into a daily habit, I'd make a strong case for this one -- so much so that I've done it myself, in the form of an incredibly easy pink latte that I enjoy nightly before bed.

I'm a bit of an insomniac by nature, and have always found falling asleep easier said than done. One of my biggest lifestyle goals has been to get better sleep, so I'm starting to take my nighttime rituals very seriously. I dim the lights, queue up the scent of lavender oil with my JIA diffuser, snuggle up with my pup, and slowly sip this Cardamom Beetroot Latte -- because what's more comforting than warm milk?

I steam my milk like a traditional latte, which is easy with my DeLonghi Eletta and Bialetti milk pitcher. But if you don't have the tools, any warm milk will taste just fine. The beetroot powder makes the whole drink a lovely shade of pink (that might just make you nostalgic for the strawberry milk of childhood). You can use any milk you like -- nut milks are great, and whatever milk you normally enjoy will likely taste best for you.

I like to sip this very, very slowly, partly because I want to draw out the experience, and partly because I'm always reading a book while I drink it (part of my bedtime ritual). Thankfully, I have a very nifty bit of tech to help me out in the Ember mug. This mug connects to an app in your phone and keeps your beverage at an exact temperature -- right down to the degree -- the whole time you drink it. I love 134 degrees Fahrenheit for this one, and it stays that way from my first sip to my last, even if it's an hour later.

Just because I enjoy my pink latte before bed doesn't mean you can't indulge in one any time of day. There's no wrong time to do something so health positive, especially when it tastes this good. I throw together the mix in a matter of seconds, keep it in my cupboard, and spoon out a serving any time I'm in the mood.