I love the strong taste of turmeric! Is that weird? Even if you said yes, that wouldn’t stop me from finding new ways to ingest it (smile). It is one of the most amazing ingredients in my kitchen. My mom and I even made facial masks with turmeric as the main ingredient. I don’t think my skin ever felt softer.
Turmeric is a root, in the same family of plants as ginger. It has a gorgeous, bright, orange color when you peel or cut into it. The main compound in turmeric is curcumin, which is responsible for the many health benefits for which turmeric is known. Curcumin has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also amazing for the skin, brain, and heart!
Ginger has some pretty wonderful benefits of its own. It has a long history of being used for medicinal purposes. When I, myself was a child, my mother would frequently make us ginger tea whenever we had an upset stomach. It remains to be one of my favorite food flavors.
So, a few months ago, my mom shared a video with me that she told me was her inspiration to start making this turmeric ginger drink. She knew that I would be just as excited about it as she was. After a quick conversation, we agreed that I’d keep supplying her with ingredients so that she could make enough for my family too!
After drinking this tonic daily since then, I can honestly say that it makes me feel great. I love to share things that I am enjoying, so I thought I’d share this too. I hope you give it a try. Let me know if you do!
Recipe
- 1/2 cup fresh cut turmeric
- 1 finger length fresh cut ginger
- 4 cups coconut water
- Pinch of black pepper
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon honey
Wash the roots but do not remove the skin. Cut the turmeric and ginger into small pieces. Add the cut pieces to a blender with 4 cups of coconut water and blend. Transfer the mixture to a pot and let it simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Add a pinch of black pepper and the juice of a lemon. Stir together. Strain everything through a sieve, then add a tablespoon of honey. Store the tonic in glass bottles in the refrigerator, shaking it well every time you serve. Drink a shot of it daily (about 1.5 ounces).
Instructions for Drinking
Studies have shown that the body more readily absorbs curcumin along with piperine, a natural substance contained in black pepper. That is why it is included in this, and many other recipes that have turmeric as a main ingredient.
It might be helpful to consume turmeric along with healthy fats, which also can increase absorption. I like to drink this tonic in the morning, chilled, along with breakfast. Sometimes during the day, I choose the turmeric tea described here, which you’ll notice includes coconut oil (a healthy fay) as an ingredient.
