7 Homemade Wellness Shots With Bioavailability Enhancer

These simple yet powerful ginger, lemon, turmeric wellness shots will keep you going during the winter season and are an excellent start for the day any time of the year!

Ginger and turmeric (Curcuma longa) intake alone is one of the quickest ways to give your body a boost. Humans have been consuming these roots since ancient times. People used these spices in cuisine and as an effective and powerful remedy for various ailments.

ginger and turmeric root and powder

I assume that you are already familiar with all the fantastic benefits these spices and herbs have to offer and now looking for the most potent combos and effective wellness shot recipes to try out.

If so, then you have come to the right place. Below I have gathered some of the best cold-pressed wellness shot recipes to naturally boost your immunity, reduce bloat, rev your metabolism, and give you a jolt of plant-based energy.

These invigorating tonics pack a ton of powerful nutrients and bioactive compounds in a small volume of liquid and will surely put some zing into your day.

Few Important Things Before We Get Into The Recipes

Most of the recipes below are made with raw turmeric and ginger root. However, if you are struggling to find these ingredients in a raw form, you can substitute them with the powder.

Ground ginger and especially turmeric powder are more easily found in many grocery stores and in food markets.


Organic Ginger Powder | 8 oz (226g) | USDA Organics and Non-GMO Verified Project Approved | Product of India | 100% Raw and Natural | Resealable Kraft Bag by SHOPOSR
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If you decide to use powder, get good quality organic one. It will still give you delightful zing and pungency along with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.


Organic Turmeric Powder w/Curcumin | 35.27 Ounce / 2.2 lbs | USDA Organics and Non-GMO | Lab Tested for Heavy Metal and Purity | 100% Raw and Natural by OSR
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Here is how to substitute fresh root for the powder:

Equivalents

  • 1 inch of fresh root = about 1 teaspoon of ground spice
  • 1 oz (28g) of fresh root = about 3 teaspoons of powder
  • 1 tablespoon of chopped root = about teaspoon of ground spice

But let’s not get bogged down with the accuracy of all the ingredients, whether fresh or dry. Unlike baking recipes, the volume of ingredients can be off quite a bit, and your wellness shot will still turn out ok. 

You can customize and experiment with the proportions and intensity of the ingredients to suit your taste and needs. 

How To Get The Most Benefits Out Of Your Wellness Shot

piperine and curcumin

Most of the recipes recommend adding a pinch of black pepper to your wellness shot, which is for a good reason. Black pepper contains an active substance called piperine that can increase and enhance the absorption of various nutrients, especially curcumin found in turmeric.

As you can see, adding black pepper to your recipe is rater essential, in theory at least. But in reality, you really need to ingest a lot of black pepper to get enough piperin to significantly boost the bioavailability of curcumin. I am talking about more than 5 teaspoons of black pepper for each and every shot.

Now, I don’t think that anyone can actually do that or if it is even safe to consume that much black pepper, but the good news is that you don’t have to.

You can get a Black Pepper Extract, called Bioperine, like the one below, that contains 95% concentrated piperine. So all you need to do is just take one capsule along with your wellness shot.


Carlyle Bioperine 10mg | 120 Capsules | Non-GMO & Gluten Free | Sourced from Black Pepper Extract | Supports Curcumin Powder Absorption
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You can still add a bit of black pepper to the shot, just for the taste if that is what you like.

Here is my full article about piperineWhy Are Curcumin And Black Pepper Extract Such A Powerful Combination?

Tips For Preparation Your Homemade Wellness Shot

 fresh turmeric root

Don’t peel ginger and turmeric root as most nutrients and essential oils are right under the peel. Therefore I always try to buy organic products and just carefully wash them using my homemade vegetable wash and a brush. 

Turmeric leaves yellow stains everywhere, except on your teeth. Protect your kitchen countertops, your skin, and your nails from staining, and wear rubber gloves. 

Your blender jar and grater can also become stained from the fresh turmeric. In that case, baking soda and water paste will work great to get your appliances clean again. 

There is also a simple trick that works to remove turmeric stains. Simply place your stained appliances in direct sunlight. The sunlight will help oxidize the curcumin, make the stains disappear, or at least make cleaning easier.

However, if you plan to make these wellness shots quite often, I would not bother with stains or get a separate dedicated blender cup for the job.

Equipment And Appliances Needed

making wellness shots at home

Although these wellness shots seem relatively simple to make, they do require some work and preparation.

A good juicer, blender, or food processor will certainly make the whole process a lot easier. But you can still successfully complete any of these recipes using just a hand grater, fine mesh strainer/sieve, or cheesecloth.

making wellness shots without a juicer or blender

In theory, a coffee filter should also work great to separate the pulp from the juice, but I have not tried it myself. 

However, if you decide to use a blender or a food processor, then a powerful appliance (600 watts +) with sharp blades will be the most effective as ginger root is notoriously hard to blend.

How To Store Your Wellness Shots

Suppose you have time and willingness and you want to take advantage of the optimal nutrition of the fresh tonic. In that case, you can make single-serve portions each morning.

However, for most people, that would be just too time-consuming. The better option is to make enough sots for 4-5 days in one go, pour them into little individual portion glass vials for each day, and store them in the fridge.


12 Pack, 2 oz Small Clear Glass Bottles w/ Lid & 3 Stainless Steel Funnels - 60ml Boston Sample Bottles - Mini Travel Essential or Decorative Bottles for Potion, Juice, Wellness, Ginger Shots, Whiskey
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As homemade wellness shots don’t contain any preservatives, I would recommend storing them in the fridge for no longer than 5 days. However, if you want to keep them longer, you can pour the juice into an ice-cube tray and freeze for up to 5 months.

You can then melt a few juice cubes each day and drink it as a shot or just add them into your morning smoothie for extra oomph. Do not freeze them in glass bottles because the liquid will expand as it freezes, which breaks the bottle.

Now, if you are brave enough, let’s make some wellness shots…

1. The Generic Ginger Lemon Turmeric Wellness Shot

turmeric ginger lemon shot

This one calls for a juicer!

  • Preparation time without cleaning: 5 minutes
  • Makes: 2 shots

Ingredients: 

  • 4 oz (115 g) of raw turmeric root
  • 4 oz (115 g) of raw ginger root
  • 2 large peeled lemons
  •  ⅛ tsp ground black pepper

How to make:

  1. Prep your produce. Thoroughly wash your ginger and turmeric with a course brush such as a vegetable brush.
  2. Juice it, baby! Slice the turmeric and ginger into small pieces, just big enough to fit through the mouth of the juicer. Juice them along with the lemon.
  3. The key—a hint of black pepper. Once juiced, add the black pepper and stir to blend.

Two servings

This recipe creates two shots. Divide the juice into two measured shots and store in glass bottles with lids in your fridge. Your ginger lemon turmeric shots are ready to sip at any time! I like to have one in the morning and the other one later on during the day. 

You can find the full recipe here: foodieandwine.com

Top Tip: Use one tsp of apple cider vinegar in your shot for a myriad of extra benefits!

2. Spicy Ginger Lemon Cayenne Turmeric Shot Without Juicer

Blend and enjoy the burn! (As seen in the video above).

  • Preparation time without cleaning: 5-10 minutes
  • Makes: 2 shot

Ingredients: 

  • 2 small peeled lemon
  • 2 shots of spring water
  • ⅓  thumb of raw ginger root
  • ⅓  thumb of raw turmeric root
  • ⅛ tsp pepper
  • ⅛ tsp cayenne

If your recipe calls for a thumb of ginger. In that case, it usually means a piece that is about 2 inches (5 cm) long, 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) in diameter.

How to make:

  1. Clean before ingesting. Wash and peel the lemon and cut it in half. Put halves into your blender.
  2.  Blend on high for one minute.
  3. Bioactive boost. Cut a piece of turmeric and ginger. Add turmeric and ginger to your blender.
  4. Add the burn! Add cayenne and water into your blender. Blend away!
  5. You’re almost there! Removing residue pulp from the shot, strain juice into a cup as you can see in the video above.
  6. Burn baby burn! It’s not actually that bad. Add pepper into the shot and mix thoroughly.

If you wish to make many shots in advance, place the rest into your fridge in an airtight container. Shake well before consuming. For an enhanced experience, freeze the shots into ice cubes. 

3. Sweet Apple Ginger Turmeric Lemon Health Shot

Top Tip: Don’t throw away the fibrous pulp leftover from the juice. You can pop one teaspoon of this pulp into a reusable tea infuser and make a fragrant and spicy cup of hot tea.

This tea is hot, tangy, and so full of fruity flavor from apple and turmeric. This tea has such a lovely color, and it’s good for you too.

Check out the video below on how I make the wellness shot and then use the leftover pulp to make this lovely tea.

Apples are rich in plant compounds, mainly polyphenols, and will impart a sweet apple flavor throughout the tonic. So, this recipe includes a sweet apple in your daily dose of nourishment! 

  • Preparation time without cleaning: 10 minutes
  • Makes: 2-3 shots

Ingredients: 

  • 1 thumb of turmeric root
  • 1 thumb of ginger root
  • 1 lemon, rinds removed
  • 1 apple
  • Pinch of black pepper

How to make:

  1. Your produce needs some love. Wash your turmeric, ginger, lemons, and apple. It’s best to use a coarse brush like a vegetable brush or toothbrush.
  2. Juice! Juice all your ingredients using a juicer. If you prefer to use a blender, go ahead. Give them a whir. You’ll need to pour the liquid through a fine sieve or squeeze it with a cheesecloth to separate the pulp.

You’re done! Pour the juice into individual bottles, jars, or into an ice cube tray—whatever you’d like to use to store it. 

Indulge

It’s time to take in the benefits of this powerful health mixture! Pour one or two ounces into a small glass and add a pinch of black pepper to enhance the effectiveness of the turmeric. Drink it and “chase” with water if required—you’ll know best!

Your juice can be stored in an airtight container in your fridge for up to four days.

Read Also: How To Eat Ginger Root (6 Ways To Get The Most Benefits)

4. Lemon Ginger And Oil Of Oregano Remedy Shot

ginger lemon turmeric and oregano oil

Get your juicer ready!

  • Preparation time without cleaning: 5-10 minutes
  • Makes: 1 shot

Ingredients:

  • 2.5 oz (70 g) of raw turmeric root
  • 2.5 oz (70 g) of raw ginger root
  • 1 peeled lemons

Optional: (but well worth it)

Top Tip: Omega-3s, most commonly found in plant oils and fish oil, boast numerous beneficial properties, among them an ability to increase curcumin’s bioavailability.

How to make:

  1. Chop it up. Chop the unpeeled roots against the grain into small slices.
  2. Juice it up! Juice your ginger and turmeric in a juicer. Once juiced, pour the liquid into a glass.
  3. Zest. Add lemon juice and optional spices of your choice.
  4. That’s it! Consume the single shot immediately or store it in the fridge.

If it’s high on the spice level, I suggest “chasing” it with some water or orange juice.

You can find the full recipe here: longmontleader.com

Top Tip: Add a pinch of cinnamon to your shot for extra spice and a plethora of other impressive benefits.

5. Honey Lemon Ginger Turmeric Shot (Without Juicer)

coconut water ginger lemon honey drink

Perhaps you’d like to mix it up a bit. This time, try it with coconut water. No juicer? No problem! A blender will do the trick.

  • Preparation time without cleaning: 5-10 minutes
  • Makes: 1 shot

Ingredients: 

  • 2 cups of coconut water
  • 1 oz (28 g) of raw turmeric root
  • ½ oz (14 g) of raw ginger root
  • 1-2 tbsp raw honey
  • 1 peeled lemon
  • ¼ tsp unrefined sea salt

Optional: a pinch of black pepper

Top Tip: Due to its dense nutrient and mineral profile, adding a pinch of natural unrefined sea salt to your wellness shot will give it an extra boost and subtly sweet flavor.

How to make:

  1. Prep your produce. Wash your turmeric, ginger, and lemon.
  2. Combine in a blender. Add coconut water, turmeric, and ginger to your blender.
  3. Blend on high for 2-3 minutes, until turmeric and ginger are finely blended.
  4. Extract. Strain liquid through a mesh filter or cheesecloth into a jar or glass.
  5. Add the citrus. Mix in lemon juice by squeezing the lemon. Add sea salt and honey to taste.
  6. To increase nutrient absorption, add a small pinch of black pepper and consume.

You can find the full recipe here: mommypotamus.com

6. Orange Ginger Lemon Turmeric Wellness Drink

orange lemon and ginger juice

You don’t need any juicer or other electrical kitchen appliances for this recipe.

Option 1: Using ginger and turmeric powder. 

Option 2: Wait approximately 6 hours for the shots to “soak” on a strainer in your fridge, or you can squeeze it with a cheesecloth to quickly extract every drop of liquid.

Option 3: Immediately drink a shot of the newly mixed contents (without straining) if you don’t mind the texture of the grated ginger and turmeric.

  • Preparation time without cleaning: 5 minutes
  • Makes: 10 shots

Ingredients: 

  • 1.4 oz (40 g) of raw ginger root
  • 1.4 oz (40 g) of raw turmeric root
  • Fresh lemon juice equivalent of 6 lemons
  • Fresh orange juice equivalent of 4 oranges
  • Pinch of black pepper

How to make:

  1. Hands-on. Finely grate your ginger and turmeric.
  2. Let it soak on a fine mesh strainer for 5-6 hours in your fridge, or squeeze it with a cheesecloth to quickly extract every drop of liquid.
  3. Add the citrus. Pour the lemon and orange juice into the glass jar. Mix well.
  4. Now you can divide the juice into 10 separate shot bottles or keep it in the glass jar with a lid in your fridge. 

Congratulations! You’re done!

You can find the full recipe here: heavenlynnhealthy.com

7. Turmeric Ginger Lemon Superfood Shot With Healthy Fats

olive oil and turmeric wellness drink

This one is the last wellness shot on the list. Like the shots above, this one is also anti-inflammatory and has a mega-dose of vitamin C in it.

  • Preparation time without cleaning: 10 minutes
  • Makes: 2 shots

Ingredients: 

  • 1 small peeled orange
  • 2 small peeled lemons
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped turmeric
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped ginger
  • ⅛ tsp fresh black pepper
  • ¼ tsp extra virgin olive oil

How to make:

  1. It’s juicy work! Juice your orange and lemon.
  2. Blend. Add turmeric and ginger to your blender. Add your freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice. Blend on high for one minute.
  3. If you don’t like the pits in your juice, then you need to squeeze the blended mixture with cheesecloth or pour the liquid through a fine sieve, or separate the pulp.
  4. Reap all the benefits! After pouring the freshly blended liquid evenly into two glasses, add black pepper and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil. The olive oil contains healthy fat that helps with turmeric absorption.

While it’s best when consumed fresh, any leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

You can find the full recipe here: minimalistbaker.com

Ready-Made Wellness Shots 

If you don’t have a blender or a juicer, or you just can’t bother to make your own shots, then you can always buy some online. However, unlike homemade wellness shots, ready-made ones would cost quite a lot more.


Greenhouse Juice Organic Variety Pack Wellness Shots 12-Count 60ml Glass Bottles | Includes: 2 Fiery Ginger, 2 Farma-C+, 2 Inside Job, 2 Pick-Me-Up, 2 Lullaby & 2 Glow | Vegan & Gluten-Free
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With the ready-made boost shots, all you have to do when you wake up is take one spicy, intense juice shot, no mess, and no cleaning, and you are ready to go.

Summary

Whether or not you make your own wellness shots or spend your hard-earned cash to buy some, a lot of people swear by these cold-pressed tonics. So, brace yourself and try out these mighty splashes of fire and tang for a few weeks to see if you can notice any difference.

Read Also: 11 Best Superfood Powders To Super-Charge Your Diet This Year

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About Jen Evansy

Nutritionist, researcher, avid home cook, and writer interested in everything nutrition and food-related. Striving to inform, encourage, and inspire all the readers to make healthy and informed choices when it comes to cooking, food, diet, and nutrition.