How to Make Your Own Health Shots, Recipes

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Health shots have become very trendy, with grocery stores selling them for a pretty penny. Proponents of these shots or tonics claim that drinking them will help support immunity, inflammation, brain health, energy and more. But is this really possible by drinking a few-ounce shot?

In my new book, “Health Shots: 50 Simple Tonics to Help Improve Immunity, Ease Anxiety, Boost Energy, and More,” I explain the purpose of health shots, how to use them properly, food safety considerations when making your own and showcase two recipes you can make at home.

[READ: Using Food As Medicine]

What Are Health Shots?

Health shots or tonics are a combination of fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs and other nutrients that have been linked to certain health benefits and made into a concentrated juice. You can find these often brightly colored liquids at many grocery stores, and they come in a variety of flavors.

Health shots aren’t a magic cure, but they can help fill nutrient gaps by providing nutrients you may be lacking in your diet. Further, health shots aren’t a one-and-done beverage. Rather they are meant to take over a longer period of time (like weeks or even months). These shots are also meant to be taken in conjunction with a healthy diet. Just because you took a health shot, you still need to be mindful of the variety of foods you eat.

You can take 1 or 2 servings of a shot (unless otherwise directed on the label if it is store bought), but taking more isn’t better.

[READ: 17 Best Anti-Inflammatory Foods]

Common Health Shot Ingredients

Health shots typically contain ingredients with purported health benefits, such as:

Ginger

Turmeric

— Various medicinal mushrooms, such as cordyceps mushrooms

Probiotics

Prebiotics

Apple cider vinegar

Vitamin C

Store-Bought vs. Homemade Health Shots

While you can but health shots, there are several advantages to making your own. First, because one shot won’t do the trick. And with each shot could costing $3 or more, if you’re taking them daily, you’ll be spending some serious money to support your habit.

Making your own is more cost efficient. Each recipe for homemade health shots can make numerous servings — or you can double a recipe to prep the shots ahead of time. Plus, you choose the recipe based on your likes or dislikes and food allergies.

Homemade Tonic Techniques

There are several techniques that can be used to make them including juiced, blended, steeped and shaken:

Juiced recipes are rather simple to make: Cut your produce into chunks and toss in the juicer! The appliance separates the juice from the rest of the fruit or vegetable, leaving the pulp, seeds and skin to be discarded. You can typically juice produce with the skin on. It’s the cleanup of the juicer that takes a little time. Be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructors to ensure you’re cleaning your juicer properly.

Blended recipes use a blender to mix ingredients together. Sometimes the blender is only needed for a specific part of the tonic, so always read the instructions carefully.

Steeped recipes use a small saucepan for heating and steeping ingredients, and some recipes call to cover the saucepan while the ingredients steep. The heated ingredients are then cooled, if necessary, and strained through a sieve or strainer into a small bowl leaving the remaining tonic.

Shaken recipes don’t need to be cooked or heated. They can be made in minutes by shaking the ingredients in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid or whisked in a bowl.

All tonics can be served warm, cold or at room temperature. The temperature of the tonic itself is up to you and does not play a role on how the ingredients are digested or absorbed in the body.

Food safety and storage guidelines

It’s important to remember food safety guidelines when making tonics at home. As there will be a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables being handled, it’s important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before starting to handle ingredients. Any sliced leftover fruits or vegetables should be covered or wrapped and stored in the refrigerator immediately after use. If you make the same tonic recipe within about a week, you can use the remaining ingredients to help avoid food waste.

If you make several servings of a tonic, then cover individual servings or the entire batch tightly and refrigerated for up to four days. A Mason jar with a tight-fitting lid is good for storage. Label and date the tonic so you know which one it is, and be aware of its shelf life. Do not leave the shots at room temperature for more than two hours. And if the temperature is above 90°F, make that one hour. If you take a shot to work or on the go, store it in the refrigerator when you arrive.

[READ: Is Tea Good for You?]

2 Health Shot Recipes

Below you’ll find health shots for two recipes: one to help support digestion and one to help fight inflammation.

Digestion-boosting shot

This shot can help support your digestive system and is made with three ingredients. Pineapple is a prebiotic that feed the good bacteria in the gut. And ginger contains gingerol that has numerous gut health benefits. The last ingredient is apple cider vinegar, and although research hasn’t backed up claims to help with digestion, there are any anecdotes of it being helpful, and adding it to a shot is much tastier than taking a spoonful of it.

Makes 1½ cups (350 ml) or 6 shots One shot: ¼ cup (60 ml)

Ingredients

— 3 cups (495 g) cubed pineapple

— 2-inch (5 cm) piece ginger

— 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Place the pineapple, ginger and vinegar in a juicer and juice.

2. Pour up to three shots into a glass and serve.

To store, pour into an airtight container, cover, and place in the refrigerator for up to four days. Alternatively, pour shots into ice cube trays, cover or store in a freezer bag and freeze for up to two months. Always label and date your tonics.

Tart cherry tonic for inflammation

Too much inflammation has been linked to chronic disease like cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes

and cancer. This tart cherry tonic is made of three ingredients and can be whipped up in 5 minutes. The tart cherry juice provides anthocyanins, the ginger provides gingerol and the lime has vitamin C — all of these help fight inflammation.

Makes 1 cup (250 ml) or 4 shots One shot: ¼ cup (60 ml)

Ingredients

— 1 cup (250 ml) no-sugar-added 100% tart cherry juice

— Juice of 1 lime

— 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 g) ground ginger

Instructions

1. Place the cherry juice, lime juice and ginger in a small jar and close tightly. Shake for 30 seconds until well combined. Pour up to 2 shots into a glass and serve.

2. To serve cold, cover the jar and place in the refrigerator to chill for up to 2 hours.

To store, pour into an airtight container, cover, and place in the refrigerator for up to four days. Alternatively, pour shots into ice cube trays, cover or store in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to two months. Always label and date your tonics.

Recipes from Health Shots: 50 Simple Tonics to Help Improve Immunity, Ease Anxiety, Boost Energy, and More by Toby Amidor. Published by Workman Publishing Company. Photo courtesy of Leesa Renae. All Rights Reserved.

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How to Make Your Own Health Shots, Recipes originally appeared on usnews.com

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