It all turns to gold: Turmeric’s trendy takeover

As you’ve probably read in the news, everything is golden these days … even your lattes. Take a quick look through the #TurmericLatte hashtag on Instagram, and you’re greeted by thousands of beautiful photos of these bright, creamy beverages whose yellow color is derived from their key ingredient: turmeric. Long used in Indian curry dishes, turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, is so popular for its healthy, anti-inflammatory benefits that it’s just as common to find it in hipster cafes as it is in Indian restaurants. Want to try the golden beverage? Here’s a few Boston area hot spots serving them up.

Liquid life

At Watertown’s Branch Line (321 Arsenal St., Watertown) a thriving coffee program features a rotating seasonal latte, and the first is the Turmeric Ginger Latte, a bold and bright mix created from Rishi Turmeric Ginger tea. A longtime favorite in Cambridge, Life Alive Urban Oasis and Organic Cafe (765 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge) serves up a hot or iced Golden Spice Latte, which blends ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, honey and cayenne ($4.25).

If cozying up at home is more of your way to relax, head to Government Center to Cocobeet (100 City Hall Plaza), where turmeric is featured in a variety of drinks, like their popular Turmeric Mylk: a blend of cashew milk, turmeric, clove, cardamom, all spice, cinnamon and sea salt, which can be heated up at home to make your own latte. The appropriately named Dr. Turmeric MD is another option, which blends turmeric root, orange, lime and cayenne.

Meanwhile, at Juice Press (500 Boylston St.; 33 Boylston St. at The Street Chestnut Hill) the Turmeric Power Blend ($7) is known as “Liquid Gold” for a reason. The tangy mixture is a bright, orange juice perfect for anyone who wants the sweetness of pineapple and grapefruit with the traditional anti-inflammatory benefits of turmeric. Nectar & Green, which delivers small-batch almond milks to your home, added their Turmeric Almond Milk ($14 per quart) to their permanent menu after demand became so high. And of course, if you want something a little stronger, Somerville darlingJuliet (257 Washington St., Somerville) serves up a spin on the Beehive Cocktail by ditching the vodka and instead combining Citadel gin, lemon juice, Old Friends Farm turmeric honey and cava ($11) for a herbal effect that picks up the spice.

Solid style

If you want all the benefits of Turmeric but don’t like the idea of drinking it, there are plenty of delicious options. The Beehive (541 Tremont St.) serves a Glazed Carrot & Turmeric-Spiced Salsify Salad ($13) with hydroponic greens and lemon vinaigrette. A more traditional taste is the Kafta at Moona Restaurant (243 Hampshire St., Cambridge), a lamb dish served with harissa hummus.

You’ll also find plenty of Turmeric on the menu at classic Indian mainstays like Punjab Palace (109 Brighton Ave.) in Allston, and at prime date night locale Tangierino (83 Main St.) in Charlestown, where the Tagine Djaj is a slow-cooked chicken with preserved lemon and green olives, seasoned with turmeric.