Try these ginger-turmeric shots for a delicious way to get a daily dose of turmeric and ginger. They are packed with Curcumin, Gingerols, and vitamin C, they can be made in only a couple of minutes and promote good health.
A Healthy Combination
Ginger and turmeric are closely related foods with deep importance in Ayurvedic medicine. Indians incorporate them into their diet in many different ways, from pickles to dals.
My family has always used turmeric to help fight off infections, to help when we were not feeling well, and ginger for when we had colds or congestion.
Turmeric
Turmeric is valued in Ayurvedic medicine as an antioxidant and for its ability to fight inflammation. Turmeric gives a lot of Indian dishes a characteristic yellow color and is an essential ingredient in so many things, such as moong dal soup with turmeric and shallots or this Gujarati turmeric pickle.
Ginger
Ginger comes from the same plant family, Zingiberaceae (the ginger family). Ginger and turmeric are both rhizomes. Ginger is known for its ability to help cholesterol levels and fight nausea and headaches.
Black Pepper
Another ingredient in this recipe is black pepper, which is yet another native plant of India. Indians add black pepper to many healthy concoctions. It is an appropriate ingredient here. I love the flavor accent that it adds to this drink, more importantly, it helps to activate the curcumin in the turmeric.
Turmeric offers tremendous health benefit but is notoriously difficult for the body to absorb. According to this article, black pepper can increase curcumin absorption by 2000%. Curcumin is fat soluble, which is why in addition to the black pepper, these shots include a small amount of healthy oil.
Finally, tangerine and lemon provide some sweetness and acidity, mainly for a pleasant taste, but they also contribute a healthy amount of vitamin C.
History
“Health shots” like this are a recent phenomenon, common in modern juice bars. However, this idea of a healthy concoction or a healthy drink has long existed in Indian tradition.
Ayurveda is a holistic form of medicine that emphasizes day-to-day health over cures. This stands in contrast to Western medicine. Growing up, my mom frequently prepared turmeric milk for our sore throats and ginger tea for our upset stomachs.
There are many food and drinks that aim to restore balance to the body. In today’s terms, these might be described as “inflammation-fighting” or “immune system-boosting” foods. Mostly, we tend to talk about including various spices to boost the healthfulness of a dish.
Making the Shots
This recipe doesn’t require much more work than simply juicing a few ingredients. The juicer I have is a pretty average juice and gets a lot of juice out of turmeric and ginger. The fresher your ingredients, the more juice you will get from them.
I have tried adding the peppercorns to the juicer thinking the juicer would crack them open and flavor the drinks, but the juice just separates it out. So the pepper has to be added later. It’s a matter of choice if you would like to sift out the pepper or just include it in the drink.
If you don’t have a juicer, you can make this in a blender. You will have to add a little water to get it going, use as little as you can. If you use a blender, you will have to sift out the pulp from the ginger and turmeric.
Recipe
Ginger Turmeric Shots
Ingredients
- 75 g turmeric
- 1 medium lemon
- 25 g ginger
- 1 tangerine 75g
- ½ tsp freshly ground black peppercorns 2g
- ½ tsp olive oil avocado oil or ghee
Instructions
- Wash turmeric and ginger well. No need to peel.
- Juice and allow to combine the turmeric, ginger, tangerine and lemon.
- Add the peppercorns and oil, and stir well.
- Optionally, remove the peppercorns for a smoother texture by running through a sieve.
Video
Nutrition
Variations
- Leave the citrus out, or add more depending on your preference
- Add a pinch of salt
- Add a carrot for sweetness and vitamin A