Learn four of our favorite recipes for natural medicine: juice shots so nutritionally potent we call them our tinctures for health.
Shot, Tincture, or Elixir?
Juice shots for health? Sign us up. But at PURE, we don’t always call them shots.
Shot, tincture, elixir–these terms all mean the same thing to us: a STRONG juice that is so potent with essential nutrients, you don’t need 16 ounces to receive its nutritional benefits. Rather than a soothing, tall glass of juice you might sip at the pool, these juice shots are more medicinal in taste and impact–so get ready to say “yow!” like you might after taking a shot of tequila (without the headache).
Tinctures: Less is More
Large Volumes of Juice Can Be Healthy
We often discuss how much juice someone can healthfully drink in a day. Dr. Ilene Ruhoy, MD, PhD, recommends around 32 oz of juice a day.
Gerson Therapy recommends 13 8-oz juices per day (104 oz of juice).
Potent, Medicinal Juice Requires Less Volume
When it comes to tinctures made of medicinal juices, less is more. Tinctures pack such a nutritional punch that we recommend no more than 4 oz per day. Your body will thank you.
A shot of ginger juice is a great example of this. Ginger is a powerful antioxidant, but when consumed in large amounts, it can be hard on your digestive system. In this case, 1 ounce of ginger juice per day is enough.
Same goes for beets. Even Norman Walker, the man who invented two stage juicing, suggested starting with small volumes of beets. 2 oz is enough to start with. You can build from there but ease into it.
As Dr. Gillian Ehrlich shared in last week’s post, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.
Benefits of Tincture-Grade Juice Shots:
- They take minutes to make
- They are easy to freeze. Just move them to the fridge the night before to thaw
- You can add them to other juice recipes to increase the nutrient content
- They allow you to customize juices for a family or gathering of friends. Tinctures made ahead of time are ideal to add to juices when others don’t want them (garlic and ginger aren’t everyone’s favorite)
- Even if someone does not typically like to drink juice, they almost always like juice shots, which deliver natural medicine in a single swig.
- They can be made into beautiful juice cubes for guests.
Juice Elixirs & Shot Recipes
Pro Tip: We recommend adding pineapple or orange to the recipe to soften the “bite” of certain shots (see Carrot-Ginger-Turmeric-Pineapple and Orange-Lemon-Ginger-Turmeric-Pineapple below). Remove them if you want but if you are just trying out juice shots, we encourage you to include pineapple juice first. In these cases, you can go up to 4 ounces. If you take out pineapple, go back down to 2 ounces per day.
Each recipe makes 3 (1 ounce) shots. Yield will vary depending on the size of produce. Please see our Periodic Table of Juicing for yield percentages.
Radish-Lemon-Garlic Shot
- 9 radishes
- 1 large lemon
- 3 medium clove of garlic
Carrot-Ginger-Turmeric-Pineapple Shot
- 2 carrot
- thumb of ginger
- thumb of turmeric
- 1/8th pineapple wedge
Orange-Lemon-Ginger-Turmeric-Pineapple Shot
- 1 orange
- 1 lemon
- ¼ pineapple
- thumb of ginger
- thumb of turmeric
Parsley Shot
- 3 bunches of parsley
Beet Shot
- 3 medium beets
Basil-Spinach Shot
- 1 bunch of basil leaves
- 5 cups of spinach
Turn Your Leftover Juice Shot Pulp into Fiber Powder
Don’t let that leftover juice pulp go to waste! You can dehydrate and grind the pulp from these recipes and make incredible, fiber-rich powders you can add to your favorite smoothie or glass of juice.
If you don’t have a dehydrator, simply set your oven to the lowest setting and dry the pulp on a baking sheet.
Grind the dry pulp through the PURE using stage 2 or 3. We especially like the ginger-turmeric as a powder.
Health Benefits
radish: chock full of antioxidants like catechin, pyrogallol, vanillic acid, and other phenolic compounds, and vitamin C (which acts as an antioxidant to protect your cells from damage). Radishes can potentially reduce the risk of diabetes, as well as improve liver and heart health.
lemon: high in vitamin C and citric acid, lemons aid in iron absorption and could possibly prevent kidney stones. Several plant compounds found in lemons may lower cholesterol.
garlic: garlic can boost immunity, improve blood pressure, and prevent food-borne infections.
carrots: carrots boost immunity, keep blood sugar levels under control, and keep the digestion system in check. They also keep your eyes healthy— a unique property that not many other ingredients have.
ginger: ginger contains gingerol, considered to be powerfully medicinal and anti-inflammatory, prevents nausea and can help treat chronic indigestion, and may also drastically lower blood sugar levels and heart disease risk factors.
turmeric: turmeric has been found to help prevent Alzheimer’s and cancer. It can also lessen symptoms of depression and arthritis while also being a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
pineapple: delicious and packed with antioxidants, pineapples are known for their anti-inflammatory properties that can aid in a healthy immune system. Pineapples are a rich source of Vitamin C, manganese, and the compound bromelain, a group of digestive enzymes that may help break down protein and aid with digestion and could help fight against cancer.
oranges: packed with phenolic compounds like hesperidin and naringenin, oranges are chock full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory
parsley: a nutrient dense herb, parsley is rich in antioxidants and vitamins that can support bone health, protect eyes, and may improve heart health
beets: beets are nutrient-rich, containing a little bit of every vitamin and mineral your body requires, such as folate and manganese. They also lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and improve digestive health.
basil: the many health benefits of fresh basil, such as reduced inflammation and improved mental health along with the prevention of heart disease, cancer, and oxidative stress, come from the many antioxidants it contains.
spinach: spinach boosts immunity, supports healthy cells, builds healthy bones, improves oxygen flow in your body, and promotes a healthy metabolism to help burn more fats and carbs.
Sources
Radish: Health Benefits, Nutrition, and Uses
6 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Lemons
Carrots 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits
11 Proven Health Benefits of Ginger
10 Proven Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin
Pineapple: 8 Impressive Health Benefits
Oranges: Nutrients, Benefits, Juice, and More
8 Impressive Health Benefits and Uses of Parsley
Medical Disclaimer
PURE Juicer is a juicing company. We are not doctors or medical experts. All content and information on this blog and website is for informational and educational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice, and does not establish any patient-client relationship by using this website.
Although we strive to provide accurate general information, the information presented here is not a substitute for professional advice. You should not rely solely on this information. Always consult a professional in your area for your health questions and concerns before making any professional, legal, medical, financial, or tax-related decisions.
