I’ve written in great length about the health benefits of turmeric in drink form, but today I’m bringing you one of my favorite ways to enjoy it: In shots!
I got this recipe courtesy of Mary at Daily Dose of Greens so be sure to check her wonderful blog out.
Often these type of shot recipes become popular in winter as each of us has our own struggles with colds, coughs, and viruses. I first got turned on to having a regular dose of turmeric while struggling with a cold a few years ago, but I have to say that I actually enjoy these year-round!
One health benefit that I’m a little bit ashamed to mention is that they often help with me with the lingering effects of a hangover. While I know that there’s no such thing as a cure for a hangover, when I’m still struggling two or three days later, these shots do help inject a bit more zip into my system. I’m 31 now and unfortunately I do feel lethargic for a few days after having had alcohol…
In my other post on turmeric, I specifically talked about turmeric tea and its health benefits, which involves ground turmeric mixed with coconut milk, black pepper, and honey.
Well we’re stripping most of that way and having these in the form of powerful 2-ounce shots. These little beauties are highly concentrated in turmeric, and pack in a bit of a punch. Definitely follow them with quick glass of water.
They’re guaranteed to wake you up first thing in the morning, but also I can vouch for their effectiveness at fending off viruses and ominous cold symptoms.
In my other post on turmeric I wrote about the health benefits associated with turmeric. But for a quick recap, here are a few of them.
The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin.
- Detoxifies the body and liver
- Boosts immunity by improving liver function and protects liver tissue
- Cleanses and purifies the blood
- Eases symptoms of coughs and colds
- Improves skin complexion
- Reduces bad cholesterol
- Reduces inflammation
If you’re fighting a cold then I’d try to take one of these every day while your body does the hard work battling against the virus. Beyond that though, it’s probably best to limit these to every other day.
These are sold in my local store here in Manchester for about £2 ($2.50) for just a tiny shot bottle. These recipe will help you make about 6 times that for around the same price.
This recipe couldn’t be any simpler to make. It only requires a few ingredients and couple of kitchen tools.
The main ingredients are just turmeric root, ginger, and lemon. No added flavor or sugars. Just healthy ingredients in their purest form. We also added a little black pepper when served, which helps your body absorb it faster. I also like the kick that the black pepper provides… talk about a wake-up call.
Ad for equipment, all you need is a blender or juicer, and a sieve with some kitchen paper.
As for the method, you just chuck all the ingredients in a blender, then strain it in your sieve before portioning it up.
You can portion it into a large mason jar for storage, or you can serve it into small shot bottle right away. If you don’t have any then you can find some here on Amazon.
Bottles like these are often used as airplane-friendly carriers for shampoos and cosmetics, but for our purposes they suit just fine!
Finally, if you’d like to freeze them then you can simply pour them in an ice tray, then enjoy them as ice cubes later.
I’d love to know what other cold (or even hangover-induced lethargy) fighting recipes you swear by. Let me know in the comments below!
Turmeric & Ginger Health Shot
Ingredients
- 7 oz turmeric root
- 4 lemons rind removed
- 6 oz ginger root roughly chopped
- 1 apple quartered
- 1 pinch black pepper
Instructions
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Put all of the ingredients in either a blender or juicer. Blend until smooth and until all the ingredients have been incorporated as much as possible.
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Prepare a sieve with kitchen towel or paper lined in it. Place the sieve above a container. Pour the turmeric mix in the sieve, allowing it to strain through the paper and filter out any unwanted pulp.
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Pour the filtered mix into your choice of bottles or jars, or even put it in ice trays to enjoy later.
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When you do serve to enjoy, add a punch of black pepper. Drink in one go as a shot, follow with water.
Recipe Notes
- To get the full effect, these are best enjoyed first thing in the morning on an empty stomach
- Can be stored for up to 4 days in the fridge