These turmeric shots with black pepper are wellness shots that boost your immunity, helping you stay healthy during cold and flu season.
A single turmeric shot each day gives your immune system a quick boost. I take this easy step whenever my body needs an extra kick or when cold and flu season begins. During this time, my kitchen becomes a wellness workshop, where I prepare these turmeric shots and other natural remedies like flu bomb, ginger shots, vitamin C smoothies or rosehip syrup.
What are Turmeric Shots?
Turmeric shots are concentrated shots made of fresh or powdered turmeric. Enhanced with black pepper and healthy fat for better absorption, these wellness boosters support your body with anti-inflammatory and immune boosting benefits helping you stay healthy during cold and flu season.
Why to make homemade?
Although turmeric shots can be found in stores, they can be quite expensive. By making your own, you can produce ten shots for the price of one store-bought version. They are easy to make with just a handful of ingredients in your pantry. Plus, homemade wellness shots allow you to adjust the flavor by adding ingredients like lemon juice or other herbs and spices.
Turmeric Wellness Shots Ingredients
Use Fresh or Powdered Turmeric
Although I suggest using fresh turmeric root, using turmeric powder is also pretty potent.
While Fresh turmeric offers a richer flavor and higher nutrient content, it requires more preparation, like peeling and chopping and is not always available. On the other hand, powdered turmeric is convenient but may have a milder taste and benefits.
Fresh turmeric requires a blender or a juicer to extract the juices. Powdered turmeric requires steeping in hot water to extract the turmeric juices.
Black Pepper
Believe it or not, ground black pepper helps boost the absorption of turmeric by up to 2,000% thanks to piperine in black pepper. (2)
Coconut Oil
Adding a small amount of oil enhances the absorption of curcumin, making it an essential component of our recipe. You can use any oil you prefer; I chose coconut oil, but any oil from your pantry will work.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a great addition to turmeric shots because it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits while enhancing the flavor with its warm, sweet notes.
Fresh lemon Juice
for a tangy kick that balances the bitterness of turmeric
How to make Turmeric Shots with fresh or dried turmeric
First step: Make turmeric juice
Using Fresh root
peel turmeric roots and cut them into small pieces that will fit into a juicer. Skip the first step if you are using a powdered turmeric.
With a juicer: juice them all in a juicer and collect the juice in a bowl.
Using a blender or grinder:
Place the turmeric in a blender and blend until finely chopped. Strain the turmeric juice using a strainer, cheesecloth or fine sieve. Discard solids
use ground turmeric.
Prepare turmeric tea by boiling water in a small pot and adding 1/2 tablespoon of ground turmeric. Let it steep for 5-10 minutes, then strain it to remove the sediment. You can use a coffee filter, fine mesh strainer or a muslin cloth.
Additional Tip:
Turmeric tea made with ground turmeric tends to be less robust than tea made with fresh turmeric. Its texture is thinner and more like water. To give it a richer consistency, I suggest mixing equal parts of lemon or orange juice, which adds body to the tea made with ground turmeric.
Second step: Mix with other ingredients and serve
Add the turmeric juice into a medium jar. Add a pinch of black pepper, a dash of cinnamon, lemon juice and a drop of oil and stir well.
Distribute the mixture into small shot glasses and enjoy!
Drink the shot each morning on an empty stomach for better absorption.
Health Benefits of Turmeric Shot Recipe
Turmeric is a member of the ginger family that contains curcumin, a compound known for its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (1). It has a long history of use in Ayurvedic medicine, where it’s been used for thousands of years to treat conditions like respiratory and digestive issues, joint pain or fatigue.
How does the turmeric shot taste?
Frankly, this is not a cocktail you would want to enjoy during a night out. However, as a wellness shot intended to boost one’s immune system, it is indeed quite potent.
The shot’s flavor profile is bitter, owing to the presence of turmeric, and has a slightly spicy kick from black pepper and a warm note from cinnamon. Despite its strong taste, I like it.
Variations of homemade turmeric shots
this simple recipe has many variations, and that is why homemade matter and allows you to experiment.
make ginger turmeric shots: Add fresh ginger and juice it along with fresh turmeric for extra benefits and enhanced flavor. If you’re using turmeric powder, steep it with fresh ginger for a boost in taste and health properties.
Add a pinch of chilli powder for a touch of heat.
Use natural sweeteners like honey, agave syrup, or maple syrup for a smoother, sweeter shot.
Can you take a turmeric wellness shot on an empty stomach?
Begin your day with a shot of this turmeric elixir for a burst of health benefits. Drinking it on an empty stomach might improve absorption and effectiveness. Turmeric’s key compound, curcumin, has anti-inflammatory properties and may support digestion and other health goals. If you’re new to turmeric shots, start with a small amount and slowly increase the dose to see how your body responds.
How long do turmeric shots last in the fridge?
This usually lasts us 4-5 days in the fridge. It may last up to 7 days in the fridge but we recommend using it within 5 days.
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Total Time
15 minutes
Instructions
Make turmeric juiceUsing Fresh rootpeel turmeric roots and cut them into small pieces that will fit into a juicer. Skip the first step if you are using a powdered turmeric.Place the turmeric in a blender and blend until finely chopped. Strain the turmeric juice using a strainer, cheesecloth or fine sieve. Discard solidsUse Ground TurmericPrepare turmeric tea by boiling water in a small pot and adding 1/2 tablespoon of ground turmeric. Let it steep for 5-10 minutes, then strain it to remove the sediment. You can use a coffee filter, fine mesh strainer or a muslin cloth.Mix with other ingredients and serveAdd the turmeric juice into a medium jar. Add a pinch of black pepper, a dash of cinnamon, lemon juice and a drop of oil and stir well. Distribute the mixture into small shot glasses and enjoy!. Drink the shot each morning on an empty stomach for better absorption.
Notes
Tip:Turmeric tea made with ground turmeric tends to be less robust than tea made with fresh turmeric. Its texture is thinner and more like water. To give it a richer consistency, I suggest mixing equal parts of lemon or orange juice, which adds body to the tea made with ground turmeric.Use the leftover pulp from ginger and turmeric to make tea or store it in an ice cube tray for later use.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 42Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 2gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
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