These anti-inflammatory drinks are an easy, delicious, and natural way to fight inflammation. Not only are they packed with antioxidants and nutrients, but they come in an array of vibrant colors and flavors that will give your immune system the boost it needs.
From teas (including turmeric tea and elderberry tea), to smoothies (blueberry smoothie, turmeric smoothie, and carrot beet smoothie), juices (green juice), and tonics (jamu and ginger shot!), there's something for everyone. I promise you'll love these immune-boosting drinks, and not only do they taste great, but they make you feel great! Who doesn't love that?
Enjoy these drinks along with my previously recommended anti-inflammatory foods as part of a healthy diet. Create a foundation of health and wellness for your body! source:Downshiftology
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 going to 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. 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'd 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. 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 nut milk bag but just be aware that it will 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. 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. Once it's blended
strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer. You also want to press on the solids with the
back of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Pour the strained 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. Next on our list is a cool and refreshing pineapple turmeric smoothie that's perfect for
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
want to peel 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.
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 is 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-3 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.
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 Press Juicery. To make this you'll need two tablespoons of lime juice which you'll usually get
from one juice lime, one cucumber that's 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.
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 wring 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 and 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. 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 taste and texture preferences and I am all about giving
you options. 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. All right that's it for me this week I
will see you again in the next video.