Homemade Ginger Juice – Refreshingly tangy, minty, and sweet with a satisfying zing, homemade ginger juice is a natural drink with only five simple ingredients. Replace sugar with honey, and you have a wholesome detoxifying drink to serve either hot or cold!
When I was young, ginger juice was my aunt’s favorite home remedy. When I had a cold or a stomachache, Auntie would whip up a batch of her famous ginger juice and nurse me back to health. And really, its health benefits are staggering!
But no rules say you can only enjoy this tasty beverage when you’re sick! I love to serve it hot for a cozy afternoon tea. But it’s also super delicious served cold over ice for a refreshing summer cool-down. This fragrant, zippy concoction will absolutely brighten up your day!
What Are Ginger Juice Health Benefits?
I’m no doctor, but Medical News Today has a lot of good information.
- Relieves Cold and Congestion: My aunt knew best! It can relieve the congestion that comes with a cold. Many believe ginger supports the immune system, which may help protect against illnesses like the common cold.
- Improves Digestion: Unlike sodas that make you bloated, ginger juice aids in proper digestion. It stimulates the production of saliva, which helps moisten our food intake, thus properly breaking it down.
- Pain Reliever: You might have heard this one already. It’s well-known for its anti-inflammatory properties that also act as a pain reliever. You can even massage your skin with ginger juice and olive oil as a remedy for back pain.
- Controls High Blood Pressure: Many health articles and experts claim ginger’s chemical compounds help reduce hypertension. They also say it can lower the bad cholesterol in your body, which causes heart disease.
Recipe Ingredients
- Ginger – The key player in this recipe, ginger is both delicious and healthy!
- Mint provides a bright, herby flavor to the juice.
- Lemons add a little extra zest and a Vitamin C boost.
- Sugar delivers a touch of sweetness and balances well with the tangy ginger.
How to Make Homemade Ginger Juice
- Wash the ginger. Then peel it using a knife or spoon to remove the skin.
- Prepare Mint – Crush mint in a small bowl using a small mortar and pestle. Set aside.
- Chop the Ginger into rough chunks, but small enough to easily blend in a blender or food processor. An alternative would be to use a microplane or fine edge of a grater. Don’t cut ginger into chunks if using a grater to grate the ginger.
- Boil Water – Bring about 7 cups of water to a boil in a kettle or pot.
- Blend – While the water is heating up, place ginger into a blender, cover it with 1 cup of water and blend until the ginger is thick and pasty.
- Mix the ginger paste in a large bowl with mint and boiled water.
- Strain – Sieve ginger using cheesecloth over a large bowl or cup, then squeeze the juice from the ginger and let it drain into the bowl. Discard the remaining paste.
- Flavor – Stir lemon juice and sugar into ginger juice until the sugar dissolves, and serve garnished with mint leaves. Serve hot or cold over ice.
Recipe Variations
- Swap the Sweetener – You can replace the sugar with a natural sweetener like honey. Or swap it with maple syrup for a caramelly richness.
- Go Coconutty – Add a splash of coconut water to your glass to give your juice nutty, slightly salty tones.
- Bring on the Bubbly – Cut the water in half and prepare as usual. Then when ready to serve, replace the other half with sparkling water for a zesty, bubbly soda.
- Go Mellow – Add a touch of vanilla extract to the ginger juice. The mildness of vanilla is a great complement to ginger’s tanginess! Add one teaspoon per cup of juice and gradually increase according to your tastes.
Ginger Juicing Tips and Tricks
Are you wondering how best to juice ginger? There are a few methods to extract juice from the rhizome – from the no-fuss to the arm-wrestling method. Either way, you’ll be rewarded with the health benefits and versatility of this wonderful, healing homemade juice.
Juicer – You can juice fresh ginger using an electronic juicer. With this method, there’s no need to peel it before juicing it, as the juicer will extract the juice from the skin and pulp. However, please wash and check it for bad or moldy spots.
Food Processor or Blender – Wash and peel the ginger and cut it into rough chunks. Next, blend the ginger with a cup of water until it’s thick and pasty. Finally, add some warm water and strain it using a cheesecloth. Squeeze to extract the juice, and then discard the pulp.
Grater -If you don’t have a juicer or a blender, you can juice the ginger with a box grater. Shred the ginger directly on a cheesecloth set over a bowl to catch all the juice, and then squeeze the juice out from the shredded ginger. Or you can use the water addition method mentioned above.
Garlic Press -If you only need a small amount (you know, for salads or tea), you can use a garlic press. Just peel and cut a small piece of ginger to fit inside the garlic press and squeeze.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Fresh juice is best when consumed immediately after preparation. However, ginger juice is magic because it’s delicious hot or cold. You can prepare the juice ahead and let it cool in the fridge from 30 minutes to a couple of hours before drinking.
Serving and Storage Instructions
You can store homemade ginger juice in a glass bottle or pitcher in the fridge for up to 5 days. Remember to shake well before serving.
Are you looking for creative ways to use leftover ginger juice? I like to freeze it in ice cube trays. Then pop the frozen juice cubes into a smoothie, cup of hot water, cold tea, or a cocktail. It brightens up any beverage!
FAQs
I’m not a doctor, but most health websites recommend consuming no more than 4 grams of ginger per day and less if you’re pregnant. And of course, it’s always good to see a doctor if you have questions or specific medical conditions. But don’t worry, anywhere between 2-4 grams will give you all the health and taste benefits of this mouthwatering drink!
Yes, washing is highly recommended. Although the juicer will extract the peel, ginger is a root, so washing is essential to removing dirt and debris.
Oh yes, you can! A shot of rum or tequila is wonderfully warming whether your ginger juice is hot or cold. And a splash of cranberry-flavored vodka isn’t bad, either.
What to Serve With Ginger Juice
Ginger juice and savory snacks are a magnificent combination! I love sipping juice while munching homemade pita chips dipped in creamy hummus. Or try crispy plantain chips dipped in mango salsa for an exotic twist.
If you’re in the mood for cozy, hot ginger juice pairs nicely with cranberry orange scones and strawberry banana bread for a comforting afternoon snack.
More Thirst-Quenching Drink Recipes to Try
Conclusion
A handful of flavor powerhouses come together to create a delicious, refreshing, healthy beverage guaranteed to cool you off in the summer and keep you cozy in winter! Do you prefer to drink ginger juice hot or cold? Cast your vote in the comments below!
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in July 2019 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
SABINADANIELLS says
I LOVED THE EASY METHOD OF PREPARING GINGER JUICE WITH VERY SIMPLE RECIPE I NEVER KNEW HOW TO MAKE THIS SIMPLE JUICE.THANK YOU .
Sk Lekhooa says
I love this โจโค๏ธ
msepopa says
I love the recipe and iam going to try it
Immaculate Bites says
Let me know how it turns out, Maria! ๐
Lynda says
I havenโt made this recipe yet, but I will shortly! And I know itโll be delicious! Would this make a good liquid concentrate that can be stored frozen or refrigerated and mixed when needed?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes it would . Enjoy!
Sarah o connell says
Cant wait to try this recipe. Thanks
Kathy Snider says
It’s much easier to process the ginger with the skin on with no bitter after taste. Put it thru a sieve after cooking with lemon and mint and a touch of honey. Easy and nutritious!
Gabrielle Martini G. Serrano says
this recipe is super delicious,healthy and refreshing
Karen L Robinson says
it was great and I made plenty.
winky says
I didnโt use mint or lemons, I just chopped up a small piece of ginger, added a little of water ; put it in my food processor. Added a tablespoon of local raw honeyโฆ Added some hot water. Put it right back into the food processor; strained it into a cup which was neat because at the end left this really cool frothy top….Like a ginger latte ๐
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks for the feedback.
Taka @gingerpies says
Great article. Although ginger has many health benefits, consumption of ginger has got some side effects. It can cause heartburn, diarrhea, and general stomach discomfort. It may cause extra menstrual bleeding in some women. Furthermore, it might cause irritation to the skin. Intake of ginger might increase the risk of bleeding. It also interacts with some medications, for example, phenprocoumon, warfarin, anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs, antidiabetic drugs, and calcium channel blockers.
Olivia Ondo says
Nice! Thanks for the recipe, I’ll try it.
ImmaculateBites says
Thank you Olivia! Let me know if you try them, would love to hear about it!
Sher says
Do I have to remove the pulp? Or can that be consumed? I’m gonna do this as a smoothie and want to make sure I’m not hurting myself doing so
ImmaculateBites says
It can be consumed. Be mindful that ginger is potent , so adjust to suit taste buds. Enjoy!
Lorraine Hall says
Is the sugar content bad for you, even honey?
NeQ says
Sugar (too much) isnโt good for you, but honey is a great alternative!
Rachael says
Wondering if you can use the already chopped up ginger they sell in a bottle? I have some of that on hand and would like to try this out. Thank-you!
ImmaculateBites says
If that is all you have on hand then go for it. As long as it is not mixed with other ingredients. Hope this helps
Joy Block says
This was a lovely ginger juice.
Made some today, because ginger is such a great encouragement for wakefulness midday. (My husband can’t do much caffeine, so ginger and citrus are our usual alternates.) We loved it!
We ended up liking it with a little less than 1 cup of sugar. After trying it both warm and cold, I surprised myself by liking it fresh & warm best! One note for others: make sure you mix it back up if you let it rest in the refrigerator, because ours separated over time.
ImmaculateBites says
So happy to hear it worked out well for you. Thanks so much for the feedback.
S says
Thank you for the great recipe. Im ready to try it today. Im curious though, can I blend the ginger and mint together since they will be mixed after anyway?. Also any suggestions what I can use the ginger pulp for after straining? I would hate to toss it.
Thanks
ImmaculateBites says
Yes you can. Sorry I don’t have any suggestion for it – just usually toss it out.