Ginger Shot Recipe: A 2-Minute Ginger Booster Shot at Home

What Is a Ginger Shot?

A ginger shot is a small, strong drink of fresh ginger juice, usually 30 to 60 ml. Many people call it a ginger booster shot. You drink it in one go, like medicine. But it is a food, not a medicine. This ginger shot recipe takes 2 minutes.

Indians have used adrak ka ras (ginger juice) for generations. In Hindi, a ginger shot is simply an adrak shot. Your grandmother probably gave you ginger and honey when you had a cold. The modern "ginger shot" is the same idea in a small glass.

The difference now is that a cold press juicer makes it easy. There is no grating and no squeezing through a cloth. Push the ginger through the juicer and you get strong, pure ginger juice in about a minute.

Medical disclaimer: This article is for information only. Ginger can interact with blood thinners and certain medications. Consult your doctor before making it a daily habit, especially if you have acid reflux, gallstones, or are on medication.

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How Do You Make a Ginger Shot? (Basic Recipe)

Method: Wash and peel ginger. Push through a cold press juicer. You will get about 15-20 ml of concentrated ginger extract. Add lemon juice and honey. Stir. Drink in one go.

Taste: Intense. Fiery. Your throat will burn slightly, your sinuses will tingle, and your eyes might water. This is normal. The lemon and honey take the edge off, but this is not a sipping drink. Think of it as a 2-second experience.

Yield: about 30-40 ml (one shot) | Calories: about 30 kcal | Time: 2 minutes

Why about 30 kcal: The honey alone adds about 21 kcal. USDA FoodData Central (FDC ID 169640) lists honey at 304 kcal per 100 g. It lists 1 tablespoon of honey as 21 g, so 1 teaspoon is about 7 g. Half a lemon adds a few kcal more. Ginger juice adds a little too, but it varies with the root. So treat 30 kcal as a rough guide.

Cold Press or Blender: Which Makes a Better Ginger Shot?

Cold press advantage: Ginger is fibrous and tough. A cold press juicer crushes it slowly and extracts pure juice without adding water. The result is a strong juice with the most gingerol per ml. No water goes in, so nothing dilutes it.

Blender method: Chop ginger into small pieces. Add 2 tablespoons of water (ginger will not blend without liquid). Blend on high for 30 seconds. Strain through a fine mesh or muslin cloth. Squeeze every last drop out. The juice is more diluted but still effective.

Traditional method: Grate ginger on a fine grater. Gather the pulp in a muslin cloth. Squeeze over a bowl. This is how your grandmother did it, and it works well. It is just messier and takes more effort.

Stock note, 26 September 2026: the InstaCuppa 3-in-1 Cold Press Juicer (₹7,999) was sold out on our store. Until it is back, the blender or grater method works fine. For the lemon, the InstaCuppa Electric Citrus Juicer (₹1,499) was in stock. It has two cones, and the small one fits a lemon. It is a citrus press, so do not use it for ginger.

What Can You Add to a Ginger Shot? 3 Variations

1. Golden Shot — Ginger + Turmeric + Black Pepper

Curcumin from turmeric is poorly absorbed on its own. Black pepper contains piperine, which helps. In a 1998 study in Planta Medica, healthy volunteers took 2 g of pure curcumin. On its own, it barely showed up in their blood. With 20 mg of piperine, the curcumin in their blood rose by 2,000%. A home shot has far less curcumin than that. Half a teaspoon of turmeric powder weighs only about 1.5 g in total (USDA FDC ID 172231 lists 1 teaspoon as 3 g). So add the pepper, but do not expect the study result from one shot.

Warning: Fresh turmeric stains everything permanently. Wear gloves, use a dark chopping board, and clean your juicer immediately after use.

2. Vitamin C Bomb — Ginger + Amla

Amla is one of the richest vitamin C foods in India. The Indian Food Composition Tables (IFCT 2017, food code E021) list 252 mg of vitamin C per 100 g of amla. Orange pulp (food code E047) has 42.7 mg per 100 g. So, weight for weight, amla has about six times the vitamin C of orange. That is a lot, but it is not "10 oranges in one amla". Vitamin C does not stop colds for most people, so enjoy this as a vitamin C drink, not a shield. For more ways to use it, see our amla juice recipe.

3. Traditional Cold Remedy — Ginger + Tulsi

Many Indian grandmothers give ginger and tulsi in cold season. Ayurveda calls tulsi (holy basil) an adaptogen, a herb that helps the body cope with stress. A 2014 review in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine also describes its wide antimicrobial action. Its author advises a tulsi company, so read it with care. We found no study that tested a ginger and tulsi shot for colds. Enjoy it as a warm-tasting home remedy.

Cold press tip: Tulsi leaves are too small to juice on their own. Wrap them around the ginger piece and push both through together.

How to Take Ginger Shots: When and How Much a Day?

• Morning (empty stomach): Many people like it first thing. There is no proof that an empty stomach helps absorption. It has no caffeine, so it will not wake you up the way chai does
• When you feel a cold coming: That first tickle in your throat, the first sneeze. A shot will not stop a cold, but the lemon and honey may soothe your throat. Lab work suggests ginger compounds act against some viruses, but human studies are lacking
• Before meals: In a 2008 study of 24 healthy adults, 1.2 g of ginger in capsules helped the stomach empty about twice as fast (13.1 vs 26.7 minutes to half-empty). The volunteers did not report fewer symptoms, so this is not proof that a shot cures bloating
• After exercise: In a 2010 study, 2 g of ginger a day for 11 days cut muscle pain the day after hard exercise by about 25%. That study used a measured 2 g dose, not a juice shot

How much ginger shot should you take daily? One shot a day is plenty. We suggest no more than 2 shots (60 ml total). We could not find an official daily limit for ginger juice. NCCIH lists heartburn, stomach upset, diarrhoea, and mouth and throat irritation as side effects of ginger. Start with one shot a day and see how your body responds.

Does a Ginger Shot Boost Immunity or Help a Cold?

What the lab shows: In a 2013 lab study, fresh ginger extract blocked a common chest virus (RSV) in human airway cells grown in a dish. Dried ginger did not. A dish of cells is not a person, so this does not prove that a ginger shot works in your body.

Ginger shot for cough or sore throat: The NHS says hot lemon and honey can have a similar effect to cough syrup. It also says the evidence for this is limited. A ginger shot has lemon and honey too, but it is served cold. If your throat is sore, you can stir the shot into a cup of warm water.

What about vitamin C? A 2013 Cochrane review found that daily vitamin C supplements of at least 200 mg did not cut the number of colds in ordinary people. Taken every day, they made colds a little shorter. So the amla shot is a good vitamin C drink, but it is not a shield against colds.

Who Should Not Take a Ginger Shot?

• Acid reflux / GERD: Ginger can cause heartburn. A strong raw shot may make reflux worse, so start with a small sip or skip it
• Blood thinners (warfarin, aspirin): Memorial Sloan Kettering says ginger supplements may increase the risk of bleeding with warfarin, other blood thinners, and painkillers like ibuprofen. Talk to your doctor first
• Diabetes medicine: Memorial Sloan Kettering says ginger supplements may lower blood sugar more when you take insulin or sugar-lowering pills. Check with your doctor
• Gallstones: Memorial Sloan Kettering says ginger may increase the flow of bile. If you have gallstones, ask your doctor first
• Pregnancy: Advice differs. NCCIH says ginger supplements in pregnancy may be safe. Memorial Sloan Kettering says to avoid ginger supplements in pregnancy. Most studies tested supplements, not foods like a raw juice shot. Ask your gynaecologist before you start
• Empty stomach sensitivity: Some people experience nausea or burning when taking ginger shots on an empty stomach. If this happens, take it with or after breakfast instead

Frequently Asked Questions

Adrak shot kaise banaye?

Adrak shot banane ke liye 2 inch adrak, aadha nimbu aur 1 chammach shahad lein. Adrak ko dho kar chheel lein aur juicer mein daalein. Ras mein nimbu aur shahad milayein aur ek baar mein pee lein. In English: juice a 2-inch piece of ginger, stir in half a lemon and 1 teaspoon of honey, and drink it in one go.

How much ginger shot should I take daily?

One shot of 30-60 ml a day is plenty for most adults. We suggest no more than 2 shots a day. Too much ginger can cause heartburn, stomach upset, and mouth and throat irritation.

Can I take a ginger shot on an empty stomach?

Yes, if your stomach is fine with it. Many people take it first thing in the morning. No study shows that it works better on an empty stomach. If you feel burning or nausea, take it after breakfast.

Is a ginger shot good for a cold or cough?

It may soothe your throat, mostly because of the lemon and honey. The NHS says hot lemon and honey can ease a cough, but the evidence is limited. There is no good human proof that ginger shots prevent or cure colds.

How much ginger should I use for one shot?

A 2-inch piece of fresh ginger (about 20g) produces roughly 15-20 ml of concentrated juice. Combined with lemon and honey, your total shot volume will be 30-40 ml. This is plenty — ginger is potent.

Can I make ginger shots in advance?

Yes. You can batch-make ginger shots and keep them in small, clean glass bottles in the fridge. We suggest drinking them within 3 days, while they taste fresh. This is our kitchen rule, not a tested shelf life. Fresh juice has no preservative, so smell it before you drink it. You can also freeze shots in ice cube trays and use them within a month.

Why does my throat burn after a ginger shot?

Gingerol and shogaol — the active compounds in ginger — activate heat receptors in your throat, similar to how capsaicin in chilli works. This is normal and temporary. If the burn is too intense, add more honey or dilute with a splash of water.

Is a ginger shot better than ginger tea?

Ginger shots contain more concentrated gingerol because they use raw ginger without heating. Heat turns some gingerol into shogaol, which has different properties. Both are fine choices, but shots are stronger per ml. For the tea side, read our ginger tea benefits guide.

Can kids take ginger shots?

Not in concentrated form. For children, dilute 1 teaspoon of ginger juice in a glass of warm water with honey and lemon. This is gentler on their stomachs and throat. Not recommended for children under 2 years. Never give honey to a baby under 1 year old, because of the risk of infant botulism.