Recently, ginger shots have become really popular. Not only within the wellness community or at your local organic food store – the shelves of ordinary grocery stores are full of ginger shots in different variations. Although it may seem like a recent trend, ginger elixirs have been used since ancient times to treat a variety of ailments.
The powerful ginger root is loaded with nutrients and bioactive compounds that have powerful benefits for your body and brain. Only to name a few:
Ginger appears to be highly effective against nausea and may soothe digestive issues and is therefore a common natural treatment for stomach issues, such as bloating and indigestion. It boasts many potent anti-inflammatory compounds and due to its strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, ginger may boost immune health.
Ginger shot variations
In general, a ginger shot is a concentrated beverage made of fresh ginger. The additional ingredients can vary depending on your taste and preferences. Hardliners would drink shots containing only fresh ginger juice, while others mix the ginger extract with lemon juice, chili, pepper, honey/agave nectar or other additions. As an inspiration, I will show you my ginger pomegranate beetroot variation at the end of this article.
Buying the shots ready-to-drink at a supermarket may sound promising, but why spend a lot of money (I recently found a 50ml shot for €3.99) when you can prepare fresh ginger shots without any additives yourself?
How to make ginger shots at home?
The only thing you need – besides the ingredients of course – is a juicer or high-powered blender*.
To juice ginger using a blender, add the peeled and roughly chopped ginger with the chosen ingredients or a few tablespoons of water in your blender. Blend everything until the ginger root is broken down, you may need to stop a few times and scrape down the sides. Then simply pour the juice through a fine strainer to separate the juice from the pulp.
There’s no need to put out your blender every morning as the ginger shots can be prepared ahead. Although the juice is best enjoyed soon after processing, you can easily keep it for two or three days in the fridge stored in a glass, airtight container. I use Ball Mason Jars* for example.
Due to their high concentration of this powerful root, some may find ginger shots too spicy and unpleasant to drink. Thus, they’re made in small quantities and typically consumed in one or two swigs and if it’s too spicy for you, try to find out the right mixture of ginger and water or additional juices to make it easier for you to drink.
Ginger pomegranate shot
One of my favorite ginger based shots is this one:
It consists of peeled ginger, pomegranate juice, beet root juice, chili flakes and agave nectar- and yes, its spicy.
I won’t give you exact measurements here as it really depends on how spicy you like your shot to be, so please feel free to try for yourself and find the right mixture. Just be careful with the beetroot juice as its intense taste may overlay everything and that’s definitively not for everyone. Also don’t overdue it with the agave nectar to keep an eye on your sugar intake.
As always, use ginger/ginger shots in moderation and if you have allergies or taking medicine which might not be combined with ginger make sure to consult with your therapist or doctor.
