Ginger Turmeric Wellness Shot

In desi households, ginger and turmeric are touted as a "cure all" for just about any ailment. Sick? Haldi doodh (turmeric milk) and ginger honey tea. Bloated? Ginger tea. Bad skin? Turmeric face mask. It's something I've come to deeply appreciate. Overall wellness from natural ingredients is embedded in Indian cuisine, culture, and medicinal remedies.

This Ginger Turmeric Shot uses ingredients like fresh turmeric and ginger root, the unsuspecting black pepper, the "elixir" apple cider vinegar, local honey, and more to boost your overall wellness. It's not necessarily tasty for most people, but a quick shot will have you feeling ready to take on the day!

This anti-inflammatory shot works as a digestive aid with additional bloating relief, staving off disease, nausea relief, maintaining appetite, aids weight loss, and more.

If you have a lot fresh ginger root, be sure to check out these recipes for Ginger Garlic Paste and Adrak Chai (Ginger Tea).

So... maybe you went to Costco and grabbed the 2 pounds of ginger root and you're wondering what to do with it. That's what I did and I started making these ginger shots to boost my immune system. Here's why I love this recipe:

• No juicer necessary! Toss everything into a blender, food processor, or immersion blender and then strain to extract the juice.
• A juicer will extract all the pulp and therefore a majority of the nutritional benefits. A blender retains some of the pulp while giving a juice-like consistency.
• Add as many of the ingredients as you want - you only need a base of ginger root, turmeric root or ground turmeric, lemon juice, and black pepper to reap a ton of health benefits with just 2-3 fluid ounces.
• You can make these shots in bulk and have enough to last you a week!

Yikes, I was hoping you wouldn't come looking for this information... Just kidding!

Ginger, turmeric, and apple cider vinegar are all strong flavors that aren't palatable on their own. In fact, the gingerol in a ginger root can actually be quite spicy. Admittedly, my flavor palate is not a fan of the combination and I look like I'm in pain after taking one.

Luckily, they're taken in one big gulp and that's why they're designed as a shot. Down the hatchet it goes! And you won't have to think about it for the rest of the day. Feel free to adjust the shot with more lemon juice or honey to make it more palatable.

• Ginger Root - Use fresh ginger root, not ground ginger. You can keep the peel and wash it thoroughly or peel it.
• Turmeric Root - Ideally, use fresh turmeric root which can be found at major grocery stores and farmers markets. Otherwise, substitute with ¼ - ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric.
• Lemon - Fresh lemon juice balances the strong ginger root. Feel free to add more than ½ lemon according to preference.
• Apple Cider Vinegar - Use raw, unfiltered organic apple cider vinegar from a brand like Braggs.
• Black Pepper - Freshly cracked black peppercorn enhances the benefits of curcumin in turmeric.
• Honey - Use honey or maple syrup as natural sweeteners to an otherwise potent wellness shot. Preferably use raw, local honey.
• Cayenne - This is optional. The ginger root and black peppercorn already make the ginger shot spicy. Use with caution, as this can make the shot too spicy. I'd recommend taste testing your ginger shot first. If it has the capacity for extra spice, then add a pinch of cayenne afterwards.

If you don't like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, I recommend substituting with something you do like! For example, I'd use orange juice or apple juice instead.

Optionally, if you want to peel the ginger root you can! It's better to use a metal spoon than a knife to prevent taking off excess from the root. To do this, break the ginger into smaller, manageable chunks - typically where it sprouts into another lobe.

Then, firmly hold the top and bottom of the ginger chunk in one hand. With the other hand, brace your forefinger against the back of the spoon and your thumb at the bottom of the chunk.

Scrape the edge of the spoon downwards, applying slight pressure. The peel will come right off. Once you get the hang of this, you'll have all the ginger peeled in no time.

However, note that peeling the ginger root is not entirely necessary and is actually considered the most potent part of the ginger! The peel is completely edible and actually contains more fiber and antioxidant activity than the rest of the root (Source).

Add all of the ingredients into a powerful blender, like a Vitamix. Add about a cup of water or coconut water for electrolytes. Run the blender for a minute or two, or until it runs smooth. The mixture may be pulpy and chunky, and that's okay!

While the blender is running, you'll want to prep a large fine mesh strainer or a cheese cloth over a bowl with a spout to catch all of the pulp.

Use a small funnel to pour about 2 ounces of juice into small mason jars that'll act as your shot glasses. They are perfect for storing the shots in your refrigerator!

Give the jar a shake before consuming in case of separation.

There are so many proven benefits to adding a ginger shot into your regimen. It improves wellness starting from bloating relief all the way to cancer prevention. Each of the ingredients in this recipe has some added benefit that encourages adding them to your daily food intake.

Read about lemon's health benefits on WebMD, honey's health benefits on Healthline, and cayenne's health benefits on Medical News Today.

Let's walk through some of the main benefits of using the ginger, turmeric with black pepper, and apple cider vinegar in this recipe.

Ginger has a long history of usage in alternative medicine due to the antioxidants. Gingerol is the main bioactive compound in ginger and gives nausea relief, bloating and gas, wear and tear on cells, is anti-inflammatory, and so much more (John Hopkins Medicine).

Read more on Healthline for 11 Proven Health Benefits of Ginger.

Turmeric is a bright orange root that's often seen dried and grounded into a powder. It's used in a lot of Indian curries, like Dahi wali Arbi Sabji and Whole Masoor Dal, in very small amounts of about ¼ - ½ teaspoon.

This anti-inflammatory is revered for it's ability to increase the antioxidant capacity of our bodies with curcumin, the main disease-fighting active compound in turmeric.

Our bodies don't do a great job absorbing curcumin in the bloodstream. Piperine, the active ingredient in black pepper, boosts the absorption of curcumin into the bloodstream (Healthline). This is why you'll frequently see black pepper and turmeric used together.

This combination offers some of the following health benefits: reduces and fights inflammation, reduces joint pain, aids digestion, combats type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and can even help prevent the growth of cancerous cells.

Read more on Well and Good.

Most Apple Cider Vinegar is made with organic apples. Some possible health benefits include maintaining appetite and weight gain, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels.

Read more on WebMD.

Use small mason jars or small jars with lids to store your Ginger Turmeric Shots. Keep them in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Give the mason jar a shake before consuming, as the ingredients may separate. This is completely normal and fine to still consume.

The juice can also be frozen in an ice cube tray and then transferred to a freezer bag for up to six months. Add a cube your morning smoothie and you won't taste it as much.