- Last year I did a video on anti inflammatory foods
that I eat every week
and with over two and a half million views now,
I'd say it's been quite popular.
So today I thought I would follow that video up
with one on anti inflammatory drinks that I enjoy drinking
and I think you will too.
These drinks deliver a variety of nutrients, antioxidants
and free radical fighting compounds
to keep inflammation at bay
and give our immune systems a little boost.
And I think that we could all use that,
especially this year.
I've got a vibrant assortment of drinks today,
but you'll certainly notice several orange colored drinks
and that's because turmeric
is the star ingredient in several of them
from warm teas to cooling smoothies.
Now before someone mentions that I forgot golden milk
in today's video,
I've purposefully left it off
because I've already done a separate video on it
and I thought I would give you some new fresh recipes today
but it is absolutely a classic anti inflammatory drink.
One last thing and that's a quick reminder
that you can find the printable versions
of all of these recipes and more over on my website.
So without further ado, let's get started.
The first drink we're gonna make
is this deep and dark elderberry tea.
You've likely heard of elderberry before
because it's the immune boosting fruit
that's used in many over the counter cold and flu treatments
like lozenges and syrups.
But today we'll avoid any added sugars, colorings
and other ingredients with a simple three ingredient tea
and get those health benefits directly from the source.
So add two cups of water to a pot
along with two tablespoons of dried elderberries.
And you'll notice the berries
instantly start releasing their inky color.
Then add one cinnamon stick
which not only infuses a lovely flavor
but is also anti inflammatory.
Bring the pot to a boil then reduce the heat to low
and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
Once the tea has finished simmering, turn off the heat
and let it rest for five minutes then strain it.
I usually strain it into a larger measuring cup first
because I'm prone to spilling
then I'll pour it into a cup.
This quick and easy tea is warming on a cold day
but if it's hot where you live,
just chill this tea once you've made it and pour it over ice
for a refreshing iced tea option.
(gentle music)
Next on our list is a drink I learned how to make
when I spent two months in Indonesia
and that's jamu.
Unfortunately, I was accidentally glutened in Bali
and had a horrible autoimmune flare
and this traditional jamu drink was definitely my savior.
While there are variations to jamu,
the key ingredient is usually turmeric
and for this I do recommend purchasing fresh turmeric root
if you can get it.
Turmeric root is similar in size and shape to ginger root
but if you break it open, it's a vibrant orange color
whereas ginger is a light yellow color.
And both of these together
make for one powerhouse anti inflammatory drink.
To make it you'll need approximately
one cup of roughly chopped turmeric
and one finger sized piece of ginger.
Because we're going to strain this at the end
you can actually skip the step of peeling
if you prefer not to stain your fingers,
just give your turmeric and ginger a good scrub.
I fluctuate and sometimes I peel it and sometimes I don't.
Slice it into pieces about a quarter inch thick or so
and measure that out and then add it to your blender.
To that sprinkle a little black pepper
as black pepper can help to increase the absorption
of curcumin from the turmeric.
Pour in four cups of coconut water
which has antioxidants and electrolytes
and then blend it up on high speed for about a minute
or until it's fairly smooth.
(gentle music)
Pour that into a pot and bring it to a boil
then reduce the heat to low
and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
After it's done simmering, turn off the heat
and add the juice from one lemon
and two tablespoons of honey and give it a stir.
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer
or a nut milk bag,
but just be aware that it will be definitely stain
your nut milk bag along with your clothes, countertop
and anything else that comes into contact with
so do be careful.
Again I strain it into a much larger measuring bowl
with a pour spout for less spills
and then pour that into a glass jar
that I keep in the fridge.
You can enjoy jamu, chilled or warm
and it will last for about a week in the fridge,
just give it a good shake before serving.
And I'll usually enjoy about a half a cup at a time.
(gentle music)
For the next drink,
it's sort of a combination of the first two
because it's a turmeric tea and it's really easy to make.
Just add two cups of water to a pot
and this time we'll use ground turmeric
rather than fresh turmeric just to provide some options.
So add a half a teaspoon of ground turmeric
along with a quarter teaspoon of black pepper
and two tablespoons of lemon juice,
which is about the amount you'll get from one lemon.
Bring that to a boil and once it's boiling,
turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Once the tea has finished simmering, turn off the heat,
add a little honey if you'd like, give it a stir
and let the tea cool for a minute or two.
Pour the tea into a mug through a strainer
to remove the black pepper
and again try not to spill because of the turmeric.
If you do have any spills
just make sure to wipe them up right away.
For a little extra lemon flair,
I always like to add a few fresh lemon slices.
And I will say that this tea while delicious
was still piping hot so I took a very little sip.
You guys have been asking for this next recipe
for the last year and that's ginger shots.
Store bought ginger shots are crazy expensive
and this tastes exactly like core brand wellness shots.
So now you can make them at home.
For this recipe you'll need
a quarter cup of roughly chopped ginger root
and again you can peel or not peel the ginger.
You'll also need a third cup of lemon juice
which is about three to four lemons depending on their size.
Add the ginger and lemon juice to a high powered blender
along with a quarter cup of coconut water
and a pinch or a little sprinkle of cayenne pepper.
Then add the lid, blend for about a minute or so on high
or until the mixture is smooth.
(gentle music)
Once it's blended,
strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer.
You also wanna press on the solids with the back of a spoon
to extract as much juice as possible.
Pour the strain liquid into a shot glass
and drink all at once.
And yes, these are just as intensely flavored and spicy
as the store bought ones.
(gentle music)
Next on our list is a cool and refreshing
pineapple turmeric smoothie,
that's perfect for when the weather is hot outside.
For this recipe I'll grate
about a tablespoon of fresh turmeric
and one teaspoon of fresh ginger.
And for this drink because we're not straining it at the end
you do wanna peal both the turmeric and ginger.
In your high powered blender add one cup of dairy free milk,
two cups of frozen pineapple chunks
which are loaded with enzymes and antioxidants,
one banana that's high in potassium
and will help to make this smoothie creamy
and the grated turmeric and ginger.
Then blend that until it's nice and smooth.
(gentle music)
If you want a mild turmeric drink
with a sweet tropical flair
that will have you feeling good from the inside out
this is the drink for you.
For an anti inflammatory smoothie
that doesn't include turmeric,
but it's still loaded with nutrients and antioxidants,
I've got this luscious blueberry smoothie.
Add two cups of coconut water to your blender
along with two cups of frozen blueberries,
one frozen banana, half a cup of yogurt or kefir
for beneficial probiotics
and you can use dairy free as well.
And one tablespoon of flax seeds
which are high in healthy omega three fats
and will help to thicken the smoothie.
Then add the lid, blend that together
for about 30 seconds or so
or until it's beautifully creamy and beautifully purple.
(gentle music)
Pour the smoothie into a glass,
pop in a straw if you'd like
and sip on this deliciously sweet and power-packed drink.
You know I love green smoothies
and I have several recipes on my website
but today I wanted to show you how to make green juice
and this is a copycat of one that I used to buy
at Pressed Juicery.
To make this you'll need two tablespoons of lime juice
which will usually get from one juice lime,
one cucumber that sliced and we'll add some natural liquid
to our green juice,
three stalks of celery that you've roughly chopped,
and one apple that you've cored and sliced into pieces
and you can use any variety of apple that you'd like.
Pour the lime juice into a blender
along with the cucumber, apple,
a small chunk of fresh ginger, celery, three kale leaves
and you can just tear the leaves from the stems
and one cup of spinach.
Your blender will be pretty full at this point
and because we're not adding any water to this recipe,
you'll need to use your tamper to push the ingredients
into the blades.
And to make things easier on your blender
make sure to add the ingredients that contain more water
like the cucumber and apple to the blender first.
But after a minute or so this should blend on its own
just like any other green smoothie.
(gentle music)
Of course you can drink it thick and full of fiber
but I know some people have a hard time digesting fiber
so to turn this into a green juice,
pour it into a nut milk bag and bring it out over a bowl,
then pour it into a glass.
This is one nutrient packed green juice
with a hint of natural sweetness from the apple.
And if you've ever wondered how to make green juice
without a juicer, well this is how you do it.
The last anti inflammatory drink on our list today
is this apple carrot beet smoothie.
And you can tell it's brimming with antioxidants
from its vibrant red color.
I always say this smoothie
is the equivalent of drinking your veggies
and it starts with three carrots that you've peeled, trimmed
and cut into two inch chunks.
You'll also add one medium beet,
and to peel or not peel the carrot and beet is up to you.
I tend to do just a rough peel on both of these
and then slice the beet into large chunks.
For natural sweetness core slice one apple,
whichever variety you'd like
and then juice one large orange.
Add the orange juice to your high powered blender
along with one cup of water,
the sliced apple, carrots,
beet and a small chunk of fresh ginger.
Add the lid, blend it on high for about a minute
or until the veggies are broken down and smooth.
(gentle music)
There's so many vitamins and nutrients
loaded in this smoothie and it's nice and thick.
But now that you know how to make juice from a smoothie,
you could always strain this one as well if you'd like.
We all have different tastes and texture preferences
and I am all about giving you options.
(gentle music)
I hope you guys enjoyed all of those drink recipes
and as a reminder, moderation and variety are key.
So have fun switching up all of the different healthy foods
and drinks that you enjoy weekly.
If you like this video, let me know by giving it a thumbs up
and feel free to share in the comments below
your favorite anti inflammatory drinks.
Bye, that's it for me this week.
I will see you again in the next video.
(gentle music)