在繁忙的生活中，大多數人都有輕重不一的失眠問題，當長時間沒有穩定的睡眠品質，將會影響情緒，導致低落、憂鬱與焦慮。每晚在該睡覺的時間闔上眼睛滿腦子都塞滿五花八門的資訊嗎？還是在快睡著時，又出現了惱人的蚊子、鄰居、電子設備的聲音，打擾到你欲睡的狀態？
相信在飽受失眠之苦後，你也開始成為保健養身一族，那麼你聽過月亮牛奶嗎？或是我更願意稱之為「月光拿鐵」更浪漫一些。
在西方保健的世界裡，Moon Milk 已經不是一個陌生的食品了，如果你還不認識他，不妨花時間來了解這個能夠幫助減壓與改善失眠的神奇儀式吧！
Moon Milk 月亮牛奶
又是來自阿育吠陀的想法
來自古印度的傳統醫學體系阿育吠陀 (Ayurveda)，強調人類身心靈與環境的運行，衍伸出的一套養生法則。（之後 WhaleKnows 小鯨魚將特別推出說明阿育吠陀 Ayurveda 的故事！）
在阿育吠陀中記載到，在睡前飲用熱牛奶有助於睡眠。基於這個想法，在西方的世界裡，盛行用溫牛奶、肉桂、薑黃以及肉豆蔻等香料，並另外添加有助於減壓與助眠的適應原成分，其中包含了靈芝、菌菇、茶胺酸、南非醉茄、枸杞等等。
牛奶本身就含有平緩身心的色胺酸以及褪黑激素，再加上一系列有著相似的功效，如舒緩情緒、平衡身心、平靜思緒等天然成分。當思緒平緩，不再有雜訊紛擾時，你的身體就也準備好就寢了。
多數適應原成分都萃取自天然草本，他們本身就帶有自然的色彩，因此這也在歐美社交媒體上為之盛行，因爲不同的成分將調配出不同色調的牛奶，也讓睡前時光多了分趣味與浪漫。但值得注意的是，在調配 Moon Milk 時，要考量到成分的功效，避免添加酒精與咖啡因，否則月光牛奶就變成提神拿鐵，那今夜你也別想好眠！
我願稱它為「月光拿鐵」
超級適合打卡的網美飲品
除了飲料本身有著助眠效果外，真正導致月光拿鐵在網路上爆紅的原因則是因為他能夠譜出一系列溫柔色彩，也讓社交媒體盛行的現代社會，有更多值得拍照上傳的打卡作品！
所有做法都是把食材成分混合在一起後攪拌，並且用低溫小火加熱 15 分鐘，切記不要使牛奶煮沸，因爲會導致混合物起泡，有可能使營養流失！以下我們就來淺看4種不同色調的月光拿鐵配方吧！
粉紅拿鐵
食材：
1 杯牛奶 / 1 湯匙椰子油或可可脂 / 1⁄4 杯新鮮覆盆莓或草莓 / 1 茶匙南非醉茄 ashwagandha 粉 / 1 茶匙玫瑰水
1 茶匙蜂蜜或楓糖漿 / 一撮海鹽
使用粉色的覆盆莓為熱牛奶增添少女的色彩，同時加入能緩解壓力與助眠的南非醉茄 ashwagandha 粉、輕柔香甜的玫瑰水與蜂蜜糖漿，讓夜晚溫柔動人，舒適又充滿柔情氛圍。
在這邊小鯨魚簡單介紹一下南非醉茄 ashwagandha：
又稱印度人參、睡茄、冬櫻桃，是一種適應原。在印度阿育吠陀醫學三千年來常見的藥用植物，被作為滋補品“rasayana”。南非醉茄／印度人參含有多種植物活性成分，包括醉茄內酯（withanolides）、皂苷、生物鹼及胺基酸等，一般而言它以緩解壓力、幫助睡眠、改善體能、有益於焦慮症等功效稱著。
但要特別注意的是，它也有一些禁忌及副作用，如：孕婦、哺乳期女性、孩童、肝腎功能障礙者勿使用，可能具有降血壓及降血糖效果（服用相關血降壓或降血糖藥物者請留意）等。因此，在食用此類適應原藥草成分前，請先評估自身狀態並且諮詢專業醫療單位，確認是否可以食用哦！
藍色拿鐵
食材：
1 杯牛奶 / 1茶匙蜂蜜 / 1茶匙薑泥 / 1/4 茶匙肉桂粉 / 少許蝶豆花 / 少許乾燥薰衣草
藍色蝶豆花讓熱牛奶散發出慵懶的水藍色氣息，夢幻感十足。薑泥、肉桂粉與蜂蜜的結合，讓睡前時光溫暖舒適。
因為生薑具有改善血液循環的功效，在寒冬時能夠使身體溫暖，並且幫助吸收牛奶中的營養成分，如鈣質與少量的色胺酸。色胺酸是牛奶中的少量氨基酸，能夠使人神經舒緩平靜，因此睡前一杯薑汁牛奶，不只能幫助入眠，更能減緩焦慮與壓力。
黃金拿鐵
食材：
1 杯牛奶 / 1/2茶匙黑胡椒 / 1茶匙肉桂粉 / 2茶匙蜂蜜或糖漿 / 1 茶匙薑黃粉 / 2茶匙椰子油 / 1/4茶匙薑粉
可搭配百里香葉、新鮮杏仁或肉桂棒作為點綴。
金黃色的色澤讓人感到溫暖而柔和，薑黃有助於防止氧化傷害睡眠剝奪，而將薑黃加入睡前儀式中，有助於放鬆、改善情緒、降低憂鬱與焦慮程度。因此在睡前引用，除了暖身暖心外，更能優化睡眠品質！
小鯨魚再來講解一下關於薑黃這個成分！
根據美國國家衛生研究院（National Institute of Health, NIH）國家補充和綜合健康中心（National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, NCCIH）資料，薑黃（turmeric）是薑科薑黃屬植物，原生於東南亞，目前也於印度等地商業化種植，而一般我們所提到或吃到的薑黃，是將地下莖乾燥之後製成。
薑黃粉的功效以減緩身體發炎、對抗自由基、對抗憂鬱、預防神經退化等稱著。薑黃素為脂溶性營養素，搭配脂肪一起吃吸收率更佳，另外是否覺得詫異黃金拿鐵食材裡有黑胡椒？則是因為薑黃搭配黑胡椒一起吃，生物可利用率更高。美國全科醫師、美國生活型態醫療學會會士Michael Greger（M.D. FACLM）在部落格《食物真相》中撰文分享，黑胡椒中的胡椒鹼能夠抑制肝臟代謝外來物質的機制，而有研究指出將黑胡椒搭配薑黃食用，能夠將薑黃素的生物可利用率（bioavailability）提高至2000%。
衛生福利部食品藥物管理署刊出文章中建議，每個人每天攝取的薑黃素，可以用每公斤體重0~3毫克為基礎來計算，而每天薑黃素攝取總量最多在200毫克以內。
森林拿鐵
食材：
1 杯牛奶 / 1茶匙抹茶粉 / 1茶匙肉桂粉 / 2茶匙蜂蜜或糖漿
1 茶匙南非醉茄 ashwagandha 粉 / 些許香草香精
還有什麼色彩比綠色看請來更健康又自然呢？在森林拿鐵中，抹茶成分不僅扮演著調色的角色，更含有大量的 L-茶胺酸，可幫助腦內讓人專注平靜的 α 波增生，使人身體放鬆。另外再加上大家都熟悉的南非醉茄 ashwagandha 粉，讓人精神達到舒緩平靜的狀態。
推薦喜歡抹茶口味的大家試試，在睡前來杯甜甜牛奶，看看會不會一夜好眠！
目前我們知道歐美已經有一些品牌在生產 Moon Milk 月亮牛奶的盒裝成品！期待未來在台灣也可以見到類似的產品給大家嚐鮮！
五彩繽紛的飲品總是讓人心情愉悅，喜歡自己在家動手做嗎？快來試試多樣化的月光拿鐵！也可以跟我們分享你的獨特配方唷！
資料參考：
https://rusticfamilyrecipes.com/moon-milk/
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/moon-milk-meaning-benefits-wellness-trend-sleeping-instagram-dairy-a8399136.html
Sleep Well Tonight: 4 Ancient Adaptogenic Moon Milk Recipes for Stress Relief and Better Sleep
In our busy lives, most people experience varying degrees of insomnia. When sleep quality remains unstable for long periods, it affects our emotions, leading to depression, melancholy, and anxiety. Do you find your mind packed with various information when you close your eyes at bedtime? Or just as you're about to fall asleep, are you disturbed by annoying mosquitoes, neighbors, or electronic device sounds?
After suffering from insomnia, you've probably become interested in health and wellness. Have you heard of Moon Milk? Or as I prefer to call it more romantically, "Moonlight Latte".
In the Western wellness world, Moon Milk is no longer an unfamiliar product. If you haven't encountered it yet, take some time to learn about this magical ritual that can help reduce stress and improve sleep!
Moon Milk:
Another Concept from Ayurveda
Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medical system, emphasizes the connection between human body-mind-spirit and the environment, developing into a set of wellness principles. (WhaleKnows will later feature a special story about Ayurveda!)
Ayurvedic texts mention that drinking warm milk before bed aids sleep. Based on this idea, the Western world popularized combining warm milk with cinnamon, turmeric, and nutmeg, along with adaptogenic ingredients that help reduce stress and promote sleep, including reishi mushroom, fungi, L-theanine, ashwagandha, and goji berries.
Milk naturally contains tryptophan and melatonin that calm both body and mind, plus a series of natural ingredients with similar effects like soothing emotions, balancing body-mind, and calming thoughts. When your thoughts are peaceful and undisturbed, your body is ready for sleep.
Most adaptogenic ingredients are extracted from natural herbs, carrying their natural colors. This has made them popular on Western social media, as different ingredients create different colored milk, adding interest and romance to bedtime. However, it's important to note when preparing Moon Milk to consider the effects of ingredients and avoid alcohol and caffeine, otherwise your moonlight latte might become an energizing latte, and you won't sleep well tonight!
I Prefer to Call it "Moonlight Latte"
An Instagram-Worthy Wellness Drink
Beyond its sleep-promoting effects, what really made Moon Milk go viral online is its ability to create a series of gentle colors, providing social media users with more photo-worthy content to share!
All recipes involve mixing ingredients together and heating on low heat for 15 minutes. Remember not to boil the milk, as this can cause the mixture to foam and potentially lose nutrients! Let's look at 4 different colored moonlight latte recipes!
Pink Latte
Ingredients:
1 cup milk / 1 tablespoon coconut oil or cocoa butter / 1⁄4 cup fresh raspberries or strawberries / 1 teaspoon ashwagandha powder / 1 teaspoon rose water / 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup / a pinch of sea salt
Using pink raspberries adds a feminine color to warm milk, while incorporating stress-relieving and sleep-promoting ashwagandha powder, gentle and sweet rose water, and honey syrup makes the night tender, comfortable, and full of gentle ambiance.
Let's briefly introduce ashwagandha:
Also known as Indian ginseng, winter cherry, or Withania somnifera, it's an adaptogen. It's been a common medicinal plant in Indian Ayurvedic medicine for 3,000 years, used as a "rasayana" tonic. Ashwagandha contains various bioactive compounds, including withanolides, saponins, alkaloids, and amino acids. Generally, it's known for its effects in stress relief, sleep improvement, physical enhancement, and anxiety reduction.
However, special attention should be paid to its contraindications and side effects: pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and those with liver or kidney dysfunction should not use it. It may have blood pressure and blood sugar lowering effects (those taking related medications should be cautious). Therefore, before consuming such adaptogenic herbal ingredients, please evaluate your condition and consult healthcare professionals to confirm if consumption is appropriate!
Blue Latte
Ingredients:
1 cup milk / 1 teaspoon honey / 1 teaspoon ginger paste / 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder / a small amount of butterfly pea flower / a sprinkle of dried lavender
Blue butterfly pea flower gives warm milk a lazy blue hue, creating a dreamlike quality. The combination of ginger paste, cinnamon powder, and honey makes bedtime warm and comfortable.
Since ginger improves blood circulation, it can warm the body in winter and help absorb milk's nutrients like calcium and small amounts of tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid in milk that helps soothe nerves and calm the mind, so a cup of ginger milk before bed not only aids sleep but also reduces anxiety and stress.
Golden Latte
Ingredients:
1 cup milk / 1/2 teaspoon black pepper / 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder / 2 teaspoons honey or syrup / 1 teaspoon turmeric powder / 2 teaspoons coconut oil / 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
Can be garnished with thyme leaves, fresh almonds, or cinnamon sticks.
The golden color creates a warm and gentle feeling. Turmeric helps prevent oxidative damage from sleep deprivation, and incorporating it into bedtime rituals helps with relaxation, mood improvement, and reduction of depression and anxiety levels. Therefore, drinking it before bed not only warms the body and heart but also optimizes sleep quality!
Let's explain more about turmeric!
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) of the National Institute of Health (NIH), turmeric is a plant belonging to the ginger family, native to Southeast Asia and now commercially cultivated in places like India. What we typically refer to or consume as turmeric is made from its dried rhizomes.
Turmeric powder is known for reducing body inflammation, fighting free radicals, combating depression, and preventing neurodegeneration. Curcumin is a fat-soluble nutrient, better absorbed when consumed with fats. Wondering why there's black pepper in the Golden Latte recipe? It's because turmeric's bioavailability increases when paired with black pepper. Dr. Michael Greger (M.D. FACLM), an American general practitioner and fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, shared in his blog 'Nutrition Facts' that piperine in black pepper inhibits the liver's mechanism for metabolizing foreign substances, and research indicates that consuming black pepper with turmeric can increase curcumin's bioavailability by 2000%.
The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration recommends calculating daily curcumin intake based on 0-3mg per kilogram of body weight, with total daily curcumin intake not exceeding 200mg.
Forest Latte
Ingredients:
1 cup milk / 1 teaspoon matcha powder / 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder / 2 teaspoons honey or syrup / 1 teaspoon ashwagandha powder / a dash of vanilla extract
What color looks healthier and more natural than green? In Forest Latte, matcha not only plays a coloring role but also contains abundant L-theanine, which helps increase alpha waves in the brain that promote focus and calmness, helping the body relax. Adding the familiar ashwagandha powder helps achieve a soothing and peaceful mental state.
Recommended for matcha lovers - try this sweet milk drink before bed and see if it helps you sleep better!
Currently, we know some Western brands are producing ready-made Moon Milk products! We look forward to seeing similar products available in Taiwan for everyone to try!
Colorful drinks always lift our spirits - do you enjoy making them at home? Try these various moonlight lattes! Feel free to share your unique recipes with us!
References:
https://rusticfamilyrecipes.com/moon-milk/
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/moon-milk-meaning-benefits-wellness-trend-sleeping-instagram-dairy-a8399136.html
