What will you need to make the shots?
A slow or regular juicer will come in handy. Put all the ingredients into the device, except for the spices. These you can grind in a grinder or smash by hand. However, if you don’t have such equipment, another solution is to blend the ingredients with water using a hand or cup blender. As a last resort, you can also crush them very thoroughly in a mortar.
What is worth remembering when preparing shots?
The most important rules in this case include:
– freshness – it is best to consume them immediately after preparation to preserve as many vitamins as possible, do not store them for the future;
– optimal quantity – portions should be small, to be drunk in one breath (no more than 200 ml);
– temperature – try to keep the ingredients at room temperature;
– a bit of fat – add a tablespoon of mild flavoured oil (grape seed, sunflower, rapeseed, rice) or a piece of avocado to the finished shot to increase the absorption of vitamins due to the fat content.
Here are some shot recipes that will boost your immunity and more!
1. Shot with turmeric and ginger
Let’s start with a true vitamin bomb that will really set you up. Don’t skip the black pepper! The piperine it contains increases the absorption of curcumin by as much as 2,000%! [1]
Ingredients:
- piece of ginger (the size of half a thumb – follow this rule in every recipe),
- piece of fresh turmeric root,
- half an orange,
- 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon,
- a little black pepper (1-2 balls),
- to taste: natural honey or your favourite sweetener.
Read also: “Healthy alternatives to sugar, or substances that will make your diet sweeter without ruining your health”.
Nutritional values worth knowing:
- Ginger – has many active compounds that protect the body, support immunity and prevent diseases. First of all, ginger root has anti-oxidant (protects cells from free radicals), anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. It also exhibits anti-bacterial activity [2]. In addition, it protects the liver and has anti-emetic effects. Its distinct, hot flavour stimulates and warms.
- Turmeric root – a real treasure trove of health! Turmeric is a so-called adaptogen – a plant with unique and scientifically proven medicinal properties (see HERE for more details). It has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, has the potential to prevent nerve inflammation, protects the liver and has a positive impact on heart function [3].
2. Shot with celery and parsley
Healthy, refreshing and tasty. This recipe will provide your body with plenty of vitamins in one dose.
Ingredients:
- half a lemon,
- 2 stalks of celery,
- a handful of leaf parsley,
- half an apple,
- to taste: natural honey or your favourite sweetener.
Nutritional values worth knowing:
- Leaf parsley – has a great deal of vitamin C. In 100 grams of leaf parsley there is as much as 178 mg of it, so you can completely meet the daily requirement for this vitamin (for women it is 60 mg/day, for men 70 mg/day). Vitamin C builds our immunity (but does not cure a cold!) and increases the absorption of calcium and iron. Parsley leaves are also rich in polyphenols and exhibit anti-microbial activity [4].
- Celery – is rich in vitamin A and C, as well as polyphenols, and the oils it contains have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties [5].
3. Ginger shot with pineapple
Sweet, distinctive and rich in vitamin C. Something for those who love exotic flavours.
Ingredients:
- piece of ginger,
- 2 slices of fresh pineapple,
- 1 stalk of celery.
Nutritional values worth knowing:
- Pineapple – rich in fibre, has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, is beneficial to the nervous system, and is also a treasure trove of vitamin C and manganese [6].
Check also: “7 healthiest exotic fruits”.
4. Shot with spirulina
Something for those who want to enrich their diet with spirulina, but don’t know where to start!
Ingredients:
- half an orange (or other citrus fruit),
- half an apple,
- piece of ginger,
- half a teaspoon of powdered spirulina,
- honey or sweetener to taste.
Nutritional values worth knowing:
- Spirulina – is famous for its anti-oxidant properties. It’s a valuable ingredient for athletes, because spirulina consumption has a preventive effect against skeletal damage caused by exercise-induced oxidative stress. In addition, spirulina has anti-inflammatory effects and protects against atherosclerosis, diabetes and cancer [7].
- Honey – good quality honey has anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour and anti-proliferative effects [8].
5. Shot with carrot and kiwi
Kiwi is an exotic fruit that is a treasure trove of vitamins and minerals in the winter. It is worth consuming them as often as possible!
Ingredients:
- 1 kiwi,
- 1 small carrot,
- 2 stalks of celery.
Nutritional values worth knowing:
- Kiwi – like parsley, it has a high vitamin C content. It is also a source of vitamin E and polyphenols. It has anti-inflammatory and protective effects on the body. It’s also a great option for those suffering from gastrointestinal disorders and those who are concerned about a slender figure, as it boosts metabolism [8].
- Carrot – in some countries it is used to treat stomach ulcers and muscle pain. It contains natural prebiotics (which boost immunity) and vitamin A, derived from β-carotene, which is particularly valuable for the immune system [9].
Enjoy these recipes and add your favourite extras!
Cheers!
………
References:
[1] Adaptogenic herbs: A natural way to improve athletic performance, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772632023000181.
[2] Rahmani AH, Shabrmi FM, Aly SM. Active ingredients of ginger as potential candidates in the prevention and treatment of diseases via modulation of biological activities. Int J Physiol Pathophysiol Pharmacol. 2014 Jul 12;6(2):125-36. PMID: 25057339; PMCID: PMC4106649.
[3] Sharifi-Rad J, Rayess YE, Rizk AA, Sadaka C, Zgheib R, Zam W, Sestito S, Rapposelli S, Neffe-Skocińska K, Zielińska D, Salehi B, Setzer WN, Dosoky NS, Taheri Y, El Beyrouthy M, Martorell M, Ostrander EA, Suleria HAR, Cho WC, Maroyi A, Martins N. Turmeric and Its Major Compound Curcumin on Health: Bioactive Effects and Safety Profiles for Food, Pharmaceutical, Biotechnological and Medicinal Applications. Front Pharmacol. 2020 Sep 15;11:01021. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2020.01021. PMID: 33041781; PMCID: PMC7522354.
[4] Staropoli A, Vassetti A, Salvatore MM, Andolfi A, Prigigallo MI, Bubici G, Scagliola M, Salerno P, Vinale F. Improvement of Nutraceutical Value of Parsley Leaves (Petroselinum crispum) upon Field Applications of Beneficial Microorganisms. Horticulturae. 2021; 7(9):281. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7090281.
[5] Kooti W, Daraei N. A Review of the Antioxidant Activity of Celery ( Apium graveolens L). J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 2017 Oct;22(4):1029-1034. doi: 10.1177/2156587217717415. Epub 2017 Jul 13. PMID: 28701046; PMCID: PMC5871295.
[6] Mohd Ali M, Hashim N, Abd Aziz S, Lasekan O. Pineapple (Ananas comosus): A comprehensive review of nutritional values, volatile compounds, health benefits, and potential food products. Food Res Int. 2020 Nov;137:109675. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109675. Epub 2020 Sep 17. PMID: 33233252.
[7] Chu WL, Lim YW, Radhakrishnan AK, Lim PE. Protective effect of aqueous extract from Spirulina platensis against cell death induced by free radicals. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2010 Sep 21;10:53. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-10-53. PMID: 20858231; PMCID: PMC2954939.
[8] Samarghandian S, Farkhondeh T, Samini F. Honey and Health: A Review of Recent Clinical Research. Pharmacognosy Res. 2017 Apr-Jun;9(2):121-127. doi: 10.4103/0974-8490.204647. PMID: 28539734; PMCID: PMC5424551.
[9] Richardson DP, Ansell J, Drummond LN. The nutritional and health attributes of kiwifruit: a review. Eur J Nutr. 2018 Dec;57(8):2659-2676. doi: 10.1007/s00394-018-1627-z. Epub 2018 Feb 22. PMID: 29470689; PMCID: PMC6267416.
[10] Mandrich L, Esposito AV, Costa S, Caputo E. Chemical Composition, Functional and Anticancer Properties of Carrot. Molecules. 2023; 28(20):7161. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28207161.