Soda. Pop. Coke. We all have some term for this fizzy drink that brings back memories of sitting with our family around a dinner table. Or maybe it was a summer night on the porch, and you popped open a can in the company of friends. For some, it’s a daily ritual as we sit in front of our computer screens attempting to stay awake.
As science advances more and more, we have slowly begun to understand the bad effects that a regular can of soda can bring. The sugar in one 12 oz. can of pop alone exceeds the daily recommendation by the American Heart Association for both men and women. The bad part about this is that sugar is incredibly processed and more often than not, artificial (think of all of the “diet” drinks we consume).
The natural sugars that we want to consume—coming from whole foods (think whole grains, fruits, dairy), are completely missing. The next culprit is the caffeine. Caffeine is not beneficial for us in general. Add up all of the caffeinated beverages we consume in one day, and, well, it’s just not looking too hot.
Why Make Your Own Carbonated Drinks?
In comes the carbonated water. This has been a successful substitute for many people! They get the same fizzle feel of a cup of soda, without all of the junk that comes along with it. Which really is great!
Ayurveda, a sister healing science of Yoga which originated 10,000 years ago in India has a few cautions on soda which I would like to mention really quick. In a fast summary, Ayurveda looks at the ratios of 5 elements (ether, air, fire, water, and earth) in each from a perspective of your perfect baseline to what is imbalanced.
Carbonation in general increases the ether and air elements in our bodies, along with all of the qualities that come with it. So, if you, in general, take a longer time digesting food, experience hard stools, have dry skin or exhibit any qualities in some shape, way, or form of dry, cold, or rough, limit your intake of carbonated drinks.
Turmeric Drink Recipe
The great thing about this turmeric tonic recipe that I’m about to share is that you can make it in carbonated or still water. So, if you are prone to those items listed above, just make it in some room-temperature still water! Just a few of the benefits of making your own drinks at home—they are totally customizable!
Turmeric Benefits
Turmeric tonic includes key ingredients such as turmeric (of course), ginger, and chia seeds! Three amazing foods to definitely incorporate into our daily diets. Turmeric is a natural antibiotic, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-everything you can think of. Again, from an Ayurvedic perspective, turmeric is great for healthy skin, for allergies, cleansing the blood, and assisting our digestion.
Benefits of Ginger
Ginger has very similar properties as well. Fresh ginger, surprisingly from an Ayurvedic standpoint, is great for inflammation (contrary to the heat that you may feel from ingesting). Ginger also does a great job assisting in melting toxins from our body to allow them to pass. And of course, ginger is great for our metabolism and digestion. All super pluses!
Chia Seed Benefits
And finally, the beauty of chia seeds. Packed with your omega-3 and six fatty acids and good proteins, these tiny little seeds are some of the best things you can eat. These healthy fatty acids are important to hydrate the little cilia that line your entire digestive tract. When the cilia are nice and hydrated, the ability for your body to absorb more nutrients from the foods you eat increases.
Food is truly amazing, and a huge ally to our bodies! Try this turmeric tonic recipe and enjoy the benefits your body is about to receive!
Turmeric Tonic
Serves: 1
Prep Time: 7-10 minutes
Turmeric Tonic Ingredients:
- 1.5 teaspoons of freshly grated ginger (be sure to peel off the skin)
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated turmeric
- If you can’t find fresh turmeric at your grocery store, use ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder (you can easily find the powder at any Indian grocery store, or online via various vendors)
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- ½ lime squeezed
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup water
- Club soda or seltzer water for preparation
Turmeric Tonic Instructions:
- Pour the water into a tall glass
- Mix in the ginger, turmeric, lime juice, and pepper—stir really well
- Let all of the spices and lime juice steep for 9 minutes. Strain out the grated ginger and turmeric with a sieve.
- Add in the chia seeds, and let them swell up ~2-3 minutes
- Stir in your sweetener, and top off with the club soda or seltzer water
Want to take it up a notch? Try a fermented version!
Fermenting turmeric provides extra benefits including:
- doubles the bioavailability of curcumin even without black pepper
- dramatically increases the number of other antioxidants
- concentrates the active constituents of turmeric
- improves its anti-inflammatory properties
Ingredients:
- about 1 cup of fresh turmeric, chopped finely
- 3-5 tablespoons of sweetener of your choice (examples: dark maple syrup, raw honey, date paste, or beet crystals)
- 1 teaspoon ginger, ground
- Dash black pepper
- A few slices of lemon or lime
- Dash cayenne
- Filtered water
Directions:
Mix ingredients well and place in a warm environment for 3-5 days, adding in an extra tablespoon of water and turmeric each day).
Once fermentation process is done, you can stir in chia seeds before drinking.
Quick note: it’s important to not use ice or really cold water. The cold quality will douse your digestive fire, making the benefits of the ingredients counter-productive.
Enjoy this delicious beverage!