Let's show our immune systems some love! This immune boosting wellness drink is made with fresh lemon, ginger, turmeric and orange for a sip that helps protect you from anything icky going around. Ready in just 5 minutes!
When colds and viruses are going around (especially during flu season!), I love to keep a couple of these lemon ginger turmeric shots in the refrigerator to give my immune system a boost first thing in the morning. Made with just a handful of ingredients, these shots are simple to make and ready in minutes.
Health and wellness are my biggest passions (I have a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree and 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 recipes to help boost your immunity, be sure to see my article "Best Immunity Boosting Recipes."
Making your own wellness shots is such an easy way to keep the whole family healthier. While many recipes call for a nut milk bag or fine mesh sieve (which often leads to pesky turmeric stains), this one requires just the use of a blender. Mess-free and easy cleanup!
Wellness Shot Ingredients
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full instructions.
- Navel Orange (Valencia also works): The sweet orange balances the ginger and pepper, plus gives a vitamin C boost!
- Lemon: Lemon offers an additional boost of vitamin C and detoxifying health benefits.
- Fresh turmeric root (peeled): This looks similar to fresh ginger root and can be peeled with the back of a spoon and stored in the freezer to use whenever you want to reap the incredible health benefits of turmeric (more on this below).
- Fresh ginger root (peeled): Prepare and store ginger root just like your turmeric root. Both ginger root and turmeric root are found in the produce section of most grocery stores.
- Unrefined coconut oil and a pinch of black pepper: Both of these ingredients aid in the absorption of turmeric. You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper for added benefits.
Instructions
1. Blend all ingredients. Add turmeric root, ginger root, peeled orange, peeled lemon, black pepper, coconut oil and ice to a high-speed blender and blend on the highest speed for 60 seconds until completely smooth.
2. Serve immediately. Pour into shot glasses to enjoy as wellness shots, or serve in regular glasses to enjoy as a drink. Store in your refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two days.
Recipe Notes
- Using a strainer - 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!
- Adding ice - 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.
How to Make it More Kid-Friendly
- Add sweetness. Blend in a couple splashes of coconut water or orange juice, which will also give the drink a thinner consistency and dilute some of the stronger flavors.
- Dilute the flavor. To thin it out and dilute the flavor without adding sweetness, simply add filtered water.
- Replace lemon with more orange. I often leave the leave out the lemon entirely when making for my kids, and I also reduce the ginger root to 1-inch.
Citrus Juice for Immunity
As we all know, oranges provide loads of immune-boosting vitamin C, and we can all use more of that! The lemon juice in this drink is also high in vitamin C which acts as a powerful antioxidant. Evidence suggests that for some people, high doses of vitamin C might actually shorten a cold by 10 percent (source).
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 (source).
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 (source). Incredible, right?!
Health Benefits of Turmeric
Turmeric is a plant that has a very long history of medicinal use, dating back nearly 4,000 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 chronic inflammation, arthritis (joint pain), and other conditions including stomach, skin, liver, and gallbladder problems (source). Turmeric has antioxidant properties as well as antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal activity (source).
Curcumin, the orange-yellow component found in turmeric that gives it its bright yellow color, 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).
Health Benefits of Ginger
Ginger root is really good for calming an upset stomach and is 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).
Try a shot of fresh ginger juice for a quick cleansing feeling!
More Easy Recipes for Healthy Drinks
- ABC Juice (apple, beetroot and carrot juice)
- Easy detox smoothie
- Green juice in a blender
- Our favorite fresh homemade juices
- Easy vegan turmeric golden milk latte
- Beets & greens detox smoothie
- Tropical mango protein smoothie
- Green aid
I hope you enjoy this lemon ginger turmeric shot recipe! The anti-inflammatory benefits and immune-boosting vitamins these shots have to offer, combined with their delicious taste, keeps me coming back to this recipe time and time again.
Please comment below or share photos of your creations @eatingbyelaine so I can see!
Print
5-Minute Lemon Ginger Turmeric Shots (Wellness Drink)
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 shots 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Let's show our immune systems some love! This immune boosting wellness drink is made with fresh lemon, ginger, turmeric and orange for a sip that helps protect you from anything icky going around. Ready in just 5 minutes!
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)
- Optional: splash of coconut water, orange juice or filtered water as needed to achieve desired consistency and flavor
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients. Add turmeric root, ginger root, peeled orange, peeled lemon, black pepper, coconut oil and ice to a high-speed blender and blend on the highest speed for 60 seconds until completely smooth.
- Serve immediately. Pour into shot glasses to enjoy as wellness shots, or enjoy as a drink. Store in your refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two days.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
You can 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!