Turmeric Ginger Smoothie

This turmeric ginger smoothie is a blend of fresh turmeric, ginger, lemon, coconut water and water. Both turmeric and ginger are knowns for their restorative and anti-inflammatory properties. You can serve it chilled or warmed up to help boost immunity and reduce inflammation in your body.

What Are the Benefits of Turmeric and Ginger?

Turmeric and ginger have been getting a lot of good press over the past few years – for good reason! Both turmeric and ginger have been consumed for thousands of years as a medicine. There are many turmeric and ginger supplements on the market but you can also make this inexpensive turmeric ginger smoothie at home to reap the benefits of incorporating these anti-inflammatory all-stars into your diet.

Turmeric

Turmeric is most known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Turmeric contains a compound curcumin which has been scientifically shown to help relieve the symptoms of chronic inflammatory disease. In fact, one study found that taking turmeric extract three times daily was comparable to taking a 1,200-milligram dose of ibuprofen daily. This root also has been shown to help boost immunity to viruses, protect your heart, has been linked to weight loss, and also has health benefits for your skin, including assisting with visible signs of aging.

Ginger

Ginger has been used for centuries for its medicinal properties and has been shown to boost immunity, help relieve pain and is well-known for helping to soothe your digestive system. Ginger has a compound called gingerol which reduces inflammation, pain for chronic conditions, and so much more.

Fresh vs. Dried Turmeric

Fresh turmeric can be found in the produce section of large, well-stocked grocery stores. Look for firm roots (not shriveled). Raw turmeric roots look similar to ginger but smaller. The flesh is orange with a slightly bitter and peppery flavor. Its is more pungent compared to dried turmeric. I typically use raw turmeric in my smoothies or with sautéing.

Dried turmeric loses some of its pungency, but still retains its strong coloring (and can still stain! See FAQ). Dried turmeric is great for turmeric tea, sprinkling into smoothies or sautés.

Fresh vs. Dried Ginger

Fresh ginger can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores. Fresh ginger is more sweet and complex than dried ginger. Fresh ginger also will retain more of its anti-inflammatory compound gingerol.

Dried ginger has a slightly different flavor and is a little more pungent and concentrated. Dried ginger is often used in baking. I like to keep dried ginger as a back-up but prefer to use fresh ginger when possible due to its higher concentration of gingerol.

How to Make This Turmeric Ginger Smoothie

First, I refer to this as a smoothie because there is no juicer or straining involved. I prefer smoothies to juices in order to get the full benefit of the roots and all the nutrients that come with them. You will see that the recipe call for a lot of fresh turmeric. I find using turmeric powder can make the juice very chalky tasting so instead I use fresh.

Step 1: Measure and peel the turmeric and ginger. I use a food scale and measure in grams but also provide measurements in cups. Peel the spices since you will be consuming the whole spice.

Step 2: Don’t forget the pepper! You will need to add a dash of pepper to the mixture to unlock the full benefits of the cur cumin. Don’t worry, you will not taste the pepper.

Step 3: Blend. Combine all spices, lemon juice, coconut water and water into a high-speed blender and blend for at least a minute. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you may need to blend a little longer.

Step 4: Heat or Drink. The recipe makes four cups. You can heat up the juice if you’d prefer a warm beverage or drink cold. Shake the container before you drink.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Healthy Drinks to Try

• Lemon Ginger Anti-Inflammatory Tea
• Lavender Moon Milk with Ashwaganda

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