8 ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRINKS TO ENJOY HEALTH AND WELLNESS

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

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.