As featured @onbetterliving
Made with citrus, ginger, turmeric, apple cider vinegar, and omega rich Udo’s Oil 3-6-9 Blend from Flora, these immune “shots” are bursting with powerful nutrients that can help support your immune system and act as a digestive aid. Plus, they only take a few minutes to prep!
Healthy, delicious, and packed with plant-based nutrients with medicinal qualities, these Ginger Turmeric Omega Immune Shots will nourish your system and help boost your immunity in time for cold and flu season.
Bursting with superfood goodness, these healthy “wellness shots” are made with a few simple, but powerful fresh ingredients, including fresh ginger, turmeric, and citrus. Udo’s Oil, a special blend of healthy plant-based oils, adds plant-based omega fatty acids in an optimal ratio to help support the immune system.*
Take these shots daily to promote healthy immunity, or double up when you need extra support. Either way, your body will love them.
The best part is these wellness shots are incredibly easy to make. For the quickest prep, let your juicer do the work. If you don’t have a juicer, we’ve included a blender/straining method that is more labor intensive but will still get the desired result.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Lemon
Fresh lemon juice is a rich source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that can help support the immune system and assist in activating immune cells. [1, 2, 3] The body can’t make vitamin C on its own, so it’s important to get lots of vitamin C-rich fruits and veggies in your daily diet. These immune shots can help!
We used half a medium lemon in this recipe, but you can use more if you like. No need to peel your lemon if it’s organic, which also contains beneficial compounds in the oils of the skin and increases the lemony flavor of the shots.
Orange
Also rich in vitamin C, orange adds natural sweetness to these immune shots to balance out the spiciness of the ginger and turmeric and the tanginess of the lemon.
We like using Mandarin oranges for their flavor, but they’re also higher in Vitamin A than regular oranges. [4] Important for healthy immunity, Vitamin A plays an important role in enhancing immune function and regulating immune cell response. [5] Any type of orange variety will do.
Fresh Ginger
Ginger is a potent immune booster with warming, digestive properties, mostly because of its main active antioxidant-acting compound called gingerol. [6, 7]
Fresh ginger is the best! A 2013 study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that fresh ginger supported immune and respiratory health, whereas dried ginger had no effect at all. [8]
You’ll only need a small 1-inch knob of ginger for this recipe. It doesn’t sound like much, but the flavor of ginger, while slightly sweet, is pungent.
Turmeric
Native to Southeast Asia, this antioxidant-rich superfood is from the same family as ginger and has a warm and spicy flavor. Turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful, immune-boosting compound responsible for its bright golden-yellow color.
Referred to as Indian Saffron, turmeric has potent immune and cell-protective properties backed by science and continues to be researched. [9, 10, 11]
We used fresh turmeric for this recipe, which you can find in well-stocked grocery stores or Asian markets. If you can’t source fresh turmeric, dried ground turmeric, unlike ginger, preserves many of its benefits, and may be used instead.
Tip: While incredibly healthy, turmeric stains fingers and anything else it touches. Be sure to use gloves and wipe off surfaces immediately.
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother)
Made of fermented apple cider, apple cider vinegar contains nourishing vitamins, trace minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids, but it also has organic acids and bioactive compounds that are believed to be responsible for its immune and digestive supportive properties [12]. It also contains gut-friendly probiotics that support gut health and improve immune function.
When using apple cider vinegar in food preparations, make sure it says “raw” and “contains the mother” on the label. The ‘mother’ is the cloudy substance inside the jar which is made of proteins, enzymes, gut-friendly bacteria, and immune-supporting compounds as opposed to more processed products.
Black Pepper
Black pepper contains a compound called piperine, which research has shown can increase the absorption and bioavailability of curcumin in the body by blocking its breakdown by the liver. One study found that it can enhance the activity of curcumin in the body by up to 2000%! [13, 14].
A pinch is all you need, but if you can’t tolerate pepper, don’t worry. The fat in the oil in this recipe will also help increase absorption. [15]
Udo’s Oil™ 3•6•9 Blend for Omega Fatty Acids
Healthy fat can improve the absorption of fat-soluble immune-boosting nutrients and compounds like vitamin A and curcumin in the gut.
Udo’s Oil is a blend of organic flax, sesame, and sunflower seed oils with a rich, nutty, and buttery taste. It’s also a rich source of plant-based essential fatty acids (EFAs) including omega-3s and 6s which are needed for healthy immune function and healthy immune response.*
While most of us get plenty of omega-6s in our diet and not nearly enough omega-3 fatty acids, our immunity can suffer. Recent research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids may play an important role in strengthening immune cells and improving immune response. [16, 17]
Udo’s Oil contains the perfect 2:1 ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6 fatty acids for optimal health that you won’t find in other plant-based oils.
One tablespoon of Udo’s Oil provides
- 6 grams of omega-3 fatty acids
- 3 grams of omega-6 fatty acids
- 2.5 grams of omega-9 fatty acids.
For these shots, start with 1 teaspoon of oil per serving (2 teaspoons total). You may increase as tolerated.
Tools You’ll Need For This Recipe
- Juicer (or blender)
- Cutting board
- Knife
How to Make the Immune Shots
Step 1: Prep your fruits and spices
As long as they’re organic, you don’t have to peel the lemon and orange if using an auger juicer. You can skip peeling the ginger and turmeric as well. In fact, the oils in the peels can add a more intense flavor and healthy plant compounds. Simply rinse them well before juicing. Cutting into smaller pieces can help the juicer extract all the nutrients.
Step 2: Extract The Juice
Juicer Method: Once you’ve prepped the lemon, orange, ginger, and turmeric, toss them in your juicer. Collect the juice and then get ready to add the rest of the ingredients.
Blender Method: Place into your blender with a little water and blend until smooth. Pour into a cheesecloth and squeeze over a bowl to extract all the juice. Wear gloves, as turmeric will stain! You can also place the mixture over a fine-mesh sieve and allow it to drain into a bowl. Expect some pulp with this method.
Step 3: Finishing The Immune Shots
Whisk in the apple cider vinegar, Udo’s Oil, and black pepper to the juice. This recipe makes about two 2-ounce servings. Divide into two small shot glasses.
Adjust for taste! There’s no right or wrong here. Want more spice? Add a little more ginger. More tang? Lemon is the way to go. If you need a touch more sweetness, add more orange or a bit of raw honey.
How to Take These Immune Shots
Enjoy right away or store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. To reap the most benefits, drink these shots within 2-3 days as the plant compounds and nutrients will break down.
For convenience, you can also make these Immune shots in batches and then freeze them in ice-cube trays. Simply defrost and drink or add to your favorite hot cup of herbal tea anytime you need a boost.
Here’s to your health! Use promo code OMEGA15 for 15% off all Udo’s Oil Blends through October 4, 2022.
