Let's show our immune systems some love! This Immune Boosting Wellness Drink is made with fresh turmeric, ginger, orange, and lemon for a sip that helps protect you from anything icky going around.
This recipe makes two full glasses of wellness juice, or you can pour it into smaller containers and have 3-4 wellness "shot" style drinks. Making them at home is so much less expensive than buying them at the store! When colds and viruses are going around, I love to keep a couple of these in the refrigerator to give my immune system a boost first thing in the morning. To encourage my kids to drink this Immune Boosting Wellness Drink, I'll add more orange juice or coconut milk to sweeten the flavors and make them a bit more mild.
Health and wellness are my biggest passions (I have a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree and I am a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) as well), so I'm all about evidence-based nutrition and the science behind the foods we eat. For more information on the immune system and for more recipes to help boost your immunity, be sure to see my article "Best Immunity Boosting Recipes."
Wellness Shot Ingredients
- Navel Orange (Valencia also works): The sweet orange balances the ginger and pepper, plus a vitamin C boost!
- Lemon: Lemon offers an additional boost of vitamin C and detoxifying health benefits.
- Turmeric root: This looks similar to fresh ginger and can be peeled with the back of a spoon and stored in the freezer to use whenever you want the incredible health benefits of fresh turmeric.
- Ginger root: Use fresh ginger root and prepare and store it just like your turmeric root!
- Unrefined coconut oil and freshly ground black pepper: Both of these ingredients aid in the absorption of the turmeric!
Citrus for Immunity
As we all know, oranges provide loads of immune-boosting vitamin C, and we can all use more of that! The lemon in this drink is also high in vitamin C. Evidence suggests that for some people, high doses of vitamin C might actually shorten a cold by as much as one and a half days. In addition, vitamin C fights free radicals to prevent or delay certain cancers and heart disease. It is essential for the growth and repair of bodily tissues, helps heal wounds, and repairs and maintains healthy cartilage, bones, teeth and skin.
In terms of immunity, vitamin C stimulates the formation of antibodies, which is vital in fighting sickness. It also protects from organ infection due to its important role in immune health (source).
Deficiency of this vitamin makes your system more prone to various types of infections. Vitamin C supports the function of various immune cells and increases their ability to protect against infections. It is also necessary for cellular death which helps to keep the immune system healthy by flushing out old cells and replacing with new ones. Isn't that incredible?! Vitamin C also acts as a powerful antioxidant (source).
All About Turmeric
Turmeric is a plant that has a very long history of medicinal use, dating back nearly 4000 years. Turmeric urmeric, in particular, has a very long history of medicinal use (dating back nearly 4000 years!). In ancient cultures, medical practitioners focused on herbs for promoting the body’s immune system. Turmeric has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for many conditions, including breathing problems, rheumatism, serious pain, and fatigue.
Modern medicine has begun to recognize its importance, mostly as a dietary supplement for inflammation, arthritis, and other conditions including stomach, skin, liver, and gallbladder problems (source). Curcumin (the orange-yellow component found in turmeric) has been shown to enhance antibody responses. This suggests that curcumin's reported beneficial effects in arthritis, allergy, asthma, atherosclerosis, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and cancer might be due in part to its ability to modulate the immune system (source). Turmeric is rich in antioxidants and has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal activity (source).
To increase the bioavailability of turmeric, add a dash of black pepper to the latte. Why? Piperine in black pepper helps inhibit drug metabolism. The liver gets rid of foreign substances by making them water-soluble so that they can be excreted, and piperine can inhibit this process so that the curcumin in turmeric is not excreted. With just 1/20 teaspoon or more of black pepper, the bioavailability of turmeric is greatly improved, and turmeric’s benefits are further enhanced.
Another way to increase the absorption of turmeric is to add a source of fat (such as avocado, nut or seed butter, coconut milk or coconut oil), When you add a fat, the curcumin in turmeric will directly be absorbed into the bloodstream and bypass the liver.Ginger Immune Boosting Wellness Drink
Ginger root is really good for calming an upset stomach and often used to calm nausea, so it's great first thing in the morning. It also aids in digestion, so it helps your body absorb all of the other wonderful ingredients and nutrients in this immunity-boosting wellness drink!
In many countries ginger is used to raise the immune system. The health-promoting perspectives of ginger are well known. It can treat a wide range of diseases via immunonutrition and anti-inflammatory responses (source).
More Nutritious Drinks
Easy Detox Smoothie (that actually tastes good!)
Green Juice in a Blender
Our Favorite Fresh Homemade Juices
Easy Vegan Turmeric Golden Milk Latte
Beets & Greens Detox Smoothie
Tropical Green Protein Smoothie
Green Aid
Easy Blender Turmeric Ginger Immune Boosting Wellness Drink (that actually tastes good!)
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 large wellness drink or 3-4 wellness "shots" 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Immune Boosting Wellness Drink is made with turmeric, ginger, and citrus for a sip that boosts your immune system.
Ingredients
- 4 inches turmeric root, peeled
- 2 inches ginger root, peeled
- 1 large Navel or Valencia orange, peeled and seeds removed
- 1 small lemon, peeled and seeds removed (for kids replace with another orange)
- ½ teaspoon unrefined coconut oil (to aid in turmeric's absorption)
- 1/16 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (to aid in turmeric's absorption)
- 1.5-2 cups ice cubes (so that it is cold and ready to drink immediately after blending)
- splash of coconut water, orange juice or filtered water as needed to achieve desired consistency and flavor
Instructions
- Add turmeric root, ginger root, peeled orange, peeled lemon (or additional orange), black pepper, coconut oil and ice to a high-speed blender and blend on the highest speed for 60 seconds until completely smooth.
- You can blend in a couple splashes of coconut water, orange juice or filtered water for a thinner consistency and a more diluted flavor. Coconut water and orange juice also adds a sweeter flavor to the drink (I sometimes do this when I make it for my kids). Filtered water will provide a thinner consistency and dilute the drink but will not make the drink sweeter.
- Pour into 1-2 large glasses and enjoy immediately. Alternatively, you can portion the wellness drink out into 4 ounce wellness shots and store in your refrigerator in an airtight container for a couple of days. I typically enjoy the the wellness drink immediately and drink the entire thing myself!
Notes
You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper for added benefits.
When I make this for my kids I leave the lemon out and replace with another orange. I also reduce the ginger root to 1-inch.
You can choose to leave the turmeric and ginger peel on and strain the drink through a fine mesh strainer after. In general you may want to strain the drink anyways after blending but I typically do not. I do not mind the slightly fibrous consistency. If you add enough liquid/ice and blend for long enough it really goes down easy!
If your drink is warm from the blending process, just toss in a couple extra ice cubes and blend again to chill. Then enjoy immediately.
- Prep Time: 5
- Category: Drink
- Method: Blender
J says
Does adding a little bit of honey negate the healthfulness of the other ingredients?
Elaine Gordon says
Hi - Adding honey will not negate any health benefits of the other ingredients. Best, Elaine
Kiara B. says
Love this recipe. My mom and I have started drinking this for the past few days since being sick. I didn’t have lemon but I added a handful of frozen pineapple and some honey to the mix as well. The drink is really refreshing and I will add this to our daily routine!
Kiara B. says
Love this recipe. My mom and I have started drinking this for the past few days since being sick. I didn’t have lemon but I added a handful of frozen pineapple and some honey to the mix as well. The drink is really refreshing. My child is back at school and I will add this to our daily routine from now on.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Kiara! I'm so happy you and your mom are enjoying this one. I love the swap of the pineapple for the lemon - I bet that is delicious! I hope it helps and you both feel better soon! Happy back to school season too! Best Regards, Elaine
Kriya Bahn says
Delish!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Kriya!
Bobby Gordon says