JAMU – INDONESIAN HEALTH ELIXIR
Course: BREAKFAST AND SMOOTHIESCuisine: ASIANDifficulty: EasyServings
4
servingsPrep time
15
minutesCooking time
15
minutesTotal time
30
minutesWhile living in Bali, I adopted a daily ritual of enjoying “Jamu” – a powerful elixir crafted from turmeric, ginger, lime juice, and honey. This immunity-boosting concoction kept me in fantastic health and top form. The best part? You can prepare a week’s supply and store it in the fridge, ensuring you’re always ready to face whatever comes your way with your daily shot of vitality!
Ingredients
1 cup fresh turmeric, cleaned and chopped
1/2 cup fresh ginger, cleaned and chopped
4 cups water
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice, from 2-3 limes
Directions
- Blend the turmeric and ginger into a blender add the turmeric, ginger, and water. Blend until smooth. When using fresh turmeric first scrub away any dirt. The skin is not typically eaten and can be scraped off with a paring knife or a spoon. If you’re straining it out, as in this recipe, peeling it first is not necessary.
- Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan set over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the mixture simmers for about 15 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the honey and lime juice. Stir to combine.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Then pour the strained mixture into a glass bottle or jar and refrigerate until chilled.
- Enjoy this drink warm, at room temperature or cold. You can adjust the drink by adding additional still or tonic water. Serve with or without ice.
Notes
- You can increase the absorption of this compound with the addition of black pepper, which is why you often see them together. Feel free to add a pinch of freshly ground black pepper to your jamu!
- If you don’t have honey, or want to make the Jamu vegan, use agave, maple syrup or other sweetener of your choice. No lime? Lemon will work just as well.
- Turmeric’s remarkable role in liver protection and its function in eliminating toxins is widely recognized. However, what’s less known is its impact on hormonal balance. The liver, a powerful multitasker, doesn’t just detoxify; it also manages hormones, including excess estrogen, which can enter our bodies through various environmental sources, leading to issues like estrogen dominance. Turmeric, thanks to curcumin, its active component, has a dual action on hormones. It can act as both an estrogenic and anti-estrogenic agent, helping to restore balance when hormonal imbalances occur. These balancing properties, combined with curcumin’s other well-documented benefits, particularly its potent anti-inflammatory action, contribute to its numerous advantages for women’s health:
- Reducing PMS symptoms by enhancing brain chemistry.
- Inhibiting endometriosis.
- Alleviating inflammation in women with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome).
- Easing menopausal symptoms, including mood swings and weight gain.
- Combating both HPV-related and non-related cervical cancers.
- Reducing the risk and spread of breast cancer.
