Knowing how to take a turmeric shot is simple once you've done it a few times. Neat, cold, and daily is the whole trick.
Take a turmeric shot straight from the fridge, and drink it in one go rather than sipping it. Aim for one a day for at least four to six weeks, because consistency matters more than the exact time.
Key takeaways
- Drink it cold and in one go. Sipping only stretches out the ginger warmth.
- Store spare shots in the freezer and move tomorrow's to the fridge the night before.
- The benefits build over weeks, so a shot at the same time each day beats a perfect time you keep forgetting.
How to take a turmeric shot, step by step
The short version: drink it in one, and have it around the same time every day. There's no ritual to learn and nothing to mix.
A proper turmeric shot is defined as a small, concentrated drink of cold-pressed raw turmeric root blended with fresh fruits and a few supporting actives, taken in a single mouthful. Ours are watermelon-based blends, so they go down more like a fresh fruit shot than a spoon of spice.
Here's the routine that works for most people:
- Keep your shots in the fridge so they're properly cold.
- Give the bottle a good shake. You'll be able to see if the root has settled via the silt in the bottom of the bottle, and you want every bit of it!
- Drink it in one go rather than sipping. One clean mouthful is far kinder than three small ones.
- Have a glass of water nearby if you like.
That's it. Once it's part of your morning it takes about ten seconds.
What does a turmeric shot taste like?
It's not all about taste, but expect something earthy and tart. It's punchy, not sweet.
Raw turmeric has a bitter, peppery note that the fruit in the blend rounds off. If a shot includes ginger, you'll feel a gentle burn at the back of the throat, which is completely normal and passes quickly.
If you're new to it, Raw Turmeric Original is the gentlest starting point. Its watermelon and pineapple base keeps things mellow.
Once you're used to the warmth, Raw Turmeric & Ginger leans into it, and Raw Turmeric & XTRA Ginger turns the heat up further for people who actively enjoy it.
Should you take a turmeric shot with or without food?
You can take it either way, but a little food helps. Curcumin, the main active in turmeric, is fat-soluble, so research suggests pairing it with some fat lets your body take in more of it.
You don't need much. A breakfast with a bit of olive oil, some nuts, avocado, full-fat yoghurt, or eggs is plenty. That's why having your shot alongside a meal is an easy win.
Black pepper matters too. A compound in it called piperine can slow how quickly curcumin is broken down, which helps more of it stay available to your body. One often-cited study (Shoba, 1998) reported a large rise in curcumin availability when it was taken with piperine. Our shots include a trade-secret, optimised black-pepper mix called BioMax Uptake Blend®, so that pairing is already built in.
On an empty stomach, most people are fine, though a strong ginger shot can feel warmer without food to buffer it. If your stomach is sensitive, food is the safer bet.
Morning or night, and does timing matter?
Morning suits most people because it's easy to start the day with a healthy habit, but there's no wrong time. We cover the full morning-versus-night question in our guide to the best time to take turmeric, so we won't repeat it here.
What matters more than the clock is doing it every day. Turmeric is a slow build, not a quick hit, and the benefits stack up over weeks rather than hours. Our piece on how long turmeric takes to work walks through what to expect and when.
If you want a rough steer by goal, this can help:
| Your goal | When a shot fits best |
|---|---|
| Everyday joint and muscle support | Any slot you'll actually remember, kept the same daily |
| Post-training recovery | Within an hour or two of finishing |
| A settled morning routine | With breakfast, alongside a little fat |
| Immune support | With your first meal of the day |
Treat this as a starting point, not a rule. The best time is the one you'll stick to.
Before or after training?
After training is the more popular choice, since that's when your body is recovering and easing soreness is on your mind. A shot in the hour or two afterwards fits neatly into a cool-down.
Taking one beforehand is fine too, especially if it's already part of your morning and you train later in the day. There's no need to double up. One shot a day is the habit, whether it lands before or after your session.
Raw Turmeric & Ginger and Raw Turmeric & Beetroot are natural picks around training, with ginger and turmeric both supporting mobility and recovery. Raw Turmeric & Beetroot also contains thiamine to support normal heart function, alongside vitamin C for healthy blood vessels and reduced tiredness. Beetroot’s naturally occurring nitrates have also been studied for their potential to support cardiorespiratory endurance, making this shot a strong choice before longer or more demanding training sessions.
How to store turmeric shots and stop the staining
Keep opened shots in the fridge and freeze the rest if you have excess. Turmeric stains, so a few small habits save you the hassle.
Because these are fresh, cold-crushed blends with no heavy processing, the freezer is your friend for longer storage. Freeze the ones you're not using within the next month or so, then move tomorrow's shot to the fridge the night before so it's ready and cold by morning. A defrosted shot is best drunk within a day or two.
On staining, a bit of forward planning goes a long way:
- Drink it in one go so the vivid yellow spends as little time as possible near your teeth.
- A quick swish or sip of water afterwards rinses your mouth and keeps things fresh.
- Wipe any drips off worktops quickly, since turmeric can mark porous surfaces if it sits.
- Rinse the empty bottle straight away rather than leaving it.
None of this is a deal-breaker. It's the same care you'd give any strongly coloured food like beetroot.
How to make a daily turmeric shot stick
Attach it to something you already do without thinking. Habits that hang off an existing routine last far longer than ones you have to remember from scratch.
The classic anchor is the kettle. Shot first, then breakfast or your morning drink. Keeping your shots at eye level in the fridge, rather than hidden at the back, is a surprisingly powerful nudge.
A subscription helps too, because it removes the "I've run out" gap that quietly ends most good intentions. The aim is to get past the two-week mark, since that's roughly where a new routine stops feeling like effort.
Give it a proper run. A fortnight isn't long enough to judge turmeric fairly, so plan for at least four to six weeks of daily shots before you decide.
The takeaway
Taking a turmeric shot well comes down to four small things: drink it cold and in one, have it with a little food, keep spares in the freezer, and take one every single day. Do that and you've given turmeric the fair, consistent run it needs.
A shot makes all of this easy in a way a jar of powder in the cupboard never quite manages. If you'd like a gentle place to start, Raw Turmeric Original is the mildest of the range, and you can explore the whole line-up and how each one fits in our guide to turmeric shots. Wondering whether it's worth committing to? Our honest look at whether turmeric shots are worth it lays it out.
Frequently asked questions
Do you drink a turmeric shot in one go or sip it?
In one go. A single cold mouthful is easier than sipping, which just draws out the earthy taste. Have a little water afterwards if you like.
Should I take a turmeric shot on an empty stomach?
You can, and most people are fine, but a little food helps. Curcumin is fat-soluble, so taking your shot with a meal that has some fat can help your body absorb more of it.
How often should I take a turmeric shot?
Once a day is the habit most people settle into. Turmeric builds up gradually rather than working in one dose, so a daily shot kept up for several weeks does far more than the odd one here and there.
Can you freeze turmeric shots?
Yes. Freezing is a good way to keep shots fresh for longer if you have an excess of shots.
Does a turmeric shot stain your teeth?
It can mark if it lingers, which is why drinking it in one go and rinsing your mouth with water afterwards helps. Turmeric is a strong natural colour, so the same quick care you'd give beetroot keeps staining to a minimum.
Is turmeric safe to take every day?
Turmeric is generally well tolerated as part of a normal diet, with any side effects usually mild. As a neutral scale reference, EFSA has set an acceptable daily intake for curcumin of about 3mg per kilo of body weight (EFSA, 2010), which is a safety reference for the purified additive rather than a target. If you're pregnant, on medication, or managing a health condition, check with your GP before starting anything new.
What can I take with a turmeric shot to boost it?
A little dietary fat and black pepper both help. Fat supports absorption of the fat-soluble curcumin, and the piperine in black pepper helps more of it stay available to your body. Some shots, including ours, already include a black-pepper blend, alongside supporting nutrients like vitamin C.
Raw Turmeric Original Shot Box
Our Original Turmeric Shot packs a real punch thanks to a whopping 35g of fresh raw turmeric root used to make each shot.
The Hal Robson-Kanu Guide To Fitness & Nutrition
Gain exclusive insight into habits that will make every day a healthy and fulfilling one.