Ingredients

Main ingredients

  • 2 medium fresh beets
  • 3 medium carrots
  • 1 large piece fresh ginger, approximately 1–2 inches
  • 1 piece fresh turmeric root, approximately 1 inch
  • 1 medium apple, preferably a naturally sweet variety
  • ½ lemon
  • 1½–2 cups cold filtered water, depending on the desired consistency

Optional ingredients

  • 1 small orange, peeled
  • ½ cucumber
  • 1 small piece celery
  • A few fresh mint leaves
  • A small pinch of black pepper
  • Ice, for serving

The black pepper is optional. Turmeric is traditionally used as a food ingredient, but concentrated turmeric/curcumin products can have side effects and may interact with medications; ordinary culinary amounts are a different matter. NNCCIH

Directions

1. Wash everything thoroughly

Begin by washing the beets, carrots, ginger, turmeric, and apple under cool running water.

Because these ingredients grow in or close to the soil, pay particular attention to the beets, ginger, and turmeric.

Use a vegetable brush to scrub the beets and carrots if they have visible dirt.

Rinse the ingredients again after scrubbing.

2. Prepare the beets

Cut the tops and bottoms off the beets.

Peel the beets with a vegetable peeler if you prefer a smoother juice.

Cut each beet into smaller chunks.

Beet juice produces a very strong red color, so be careful around clothing, towels, countertops, and cutting boards.

If you do not want to peel the beets, you can scrub them extremely well and leave the skin on, provided they are fresh and clean.

3. Prepare the carrots

Trim both ends from the carrots.

Peel them if desired.

Cut the carrots into smaller pieces.

If you are using a juicer, the pieces should be small enough to fit comfortably into the feeding chute.

If you are using a blender, cutting the carrots into smaller pieces will make blending easier.

4. Prepare the ginger

Scrape or peel the outer skin from the ginger.

You can use the edge of a teaspoon to scrape away the thin skin.

Cut the ginger into small pieces.

Ginger has a strong flavor, so if you have never made this juice before, start with approximately 1 inch.

You can increase the amount later if you enjoy a stronger, spicier flavor.

5. Prepare the turmeric

Peel the turmeric root carefully.

Fresh turmeric can stain your fingers and cutting board bright yellow-orange.

Cut it into small pieces.

If you cannot find fresh turmeric, you can use a small amount of ground turmeric instead, although fresh turmeric gives the drink a more vibrant flavor.

6. Prepare the apple

Wash the apple thoroughly.

Cut it into quarters.

Remove the stem and seeds.

You can leave the peel on.

The apple adds natural sweetness and helps balance the earthy flavor of the beetroot and the sharpness of ginger and turmeric.

If you prefer a less sweet drink, use half an apple instead of a whole one.

7. Prepare the lemon

Cut the lemon in half.

Squeeze out the juice.

Remove any seeds.

You can add the lemon juice at the end rather than putting the entire lemon into the juicer.

The lemon is particularly useful because it brightens the earthy flavor of the beets.

Using a Juicer

8. Start with the softer ingredients

Turn on your juicer.

Feed the carrots, beet pieces, apple, ginger, and turmeric through the juicer gradually.

Do not force large pieces through the machine.

Allow each piece to process before adding another.

Alternate the harder ingredients with the softer apple pieces if your juicer allows this.

This can help move the ingredients through the machine.

9. Add the lemon

Once the main ingredients have been juiced, squeeze the fresh lemon juice into the finished juice.

Stir thoroughly.

Taste it.

If it is too earthy, add additional lemon.

If it is too spicy, add more apple or carrot.

If it is too sweet, add additional lemon juice.

Using a Blender

If you don’t have a juicer, you can make this recipe in a high-speed blender.

10. Add the ingredients to the blender

Place the following into the blender:

  • Beet pieces
  • Carrot pieces
  • Ginger
  • Turmeric
  • Apple
  • Lemon juice
  • 1½ cups cold water

Start blending on low speed.

Gradually increase to high speed.

Blend for approximately 60–90 seconds.

Stop and scrape down the sides if necessary.

Continue blending until the mixture is as smooth as possible.

11. Adjust the consistency

Check the consistency.

If the mixture is extremely thick, add another ½ cup of cold water.

Blend again.

For a smoothie-like drink, you can leave the mixture thick.

For a juice-like drink, add additional water and strain it.

12. Strain the juice

Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl or jug.

Pour the blended mixture through the strainer.

Use the back of a spoon or a clean spatula to press the pulp gently.

Continue pressing until most of the liquid has passed through.

You can discard the remaining pulp or save it for another recipe.

If you want a very smooth juice, strain it a second time through a nut-milk bag or very fine strainer.

13. Add optional black pepper

If desired, add a very small pinch of black pepper.

Stir well.

You do not need much.

The drink should still taste like a fresh vegetable and fruit juice rather than a peppery beverage.

14. Chill the juice

Pour the finished juice into a glass.

Add ice if desired.

Stir thoroughly before drinking because natural vegetable particles can settle toward the bottom.

Three-Day Preparation

If you want to prepare this as a three-day fresh juice routine, it is better to make a fresh batch each day when practical.

Day 1

Use:

  • 2 beets
  • 3 carrots
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 1 inch turmeric
  • 1 apple
  • ½ lemon
  • Water as needed

Drink it as a food beverage rather than treating it as a medicine.

Day 2

Repeat the same recipe.

If you found the first day’s drink too earthy, increase the apple slightly or add an orange.

If it was too spicy, reduce the ginger.

Day 3

Make the same recipe again.

You can experiment with adding cucumber or mint for a fresher flavor.

Important Health Note

The text in the picture makes several claims that should not be taken literally.

“Zero cholesterol” does not mean that drinking this juice will remove cholesterol from your body. Managing elevated cholesterol generally involves the overall diet, physical activity, weight management when appropriate, and sometimes medication depending on an individual’s cardiovascular risk.

Also, juicing removes much of the fiber that would remain in the whole fruits and vegetables. Soluble fiber from foods such as oats, beans, apples, and barley can help reduce LDL cholesterol, so a balanced diet containing whole high-fiber foods is important. CCDC Stacks

“Zero arthritis” is not a medically realistic claim. Arthritis has many different forms and causes. Turmeric/curcumin has been investigated for osteoarthritis symptoms, and some studies suggest possible benefits, but authoritative reviews say the evidence is not definitive. NNCCIH+1

“Zero fatigue” is also not something this drink can guarantee. Fatigue can have many causes, including inadequate sleep, anemia, medication effects, nutritional deficiencies, infections, and other medical conditions.

So this recipe is best viewed as a nutritious vegetable-and-fruit drink, not as a three-day cure.

How to Make It Taste Better

If the beet flavor is too strong, use:

2 carrots + 1 beet + 1 apple + ginger + lemon

instead of two beets.

If you like a sweeter juice, add another apple.

If you like citrus, add one peeled orange.

If you like spicy drinks, increase the ginger.

If you like a refreshing flavor, add cucumber and mint.

If you want a stronger earthy flavor, use more beet.

Best Flavor Combination

For a balanced version, I would use:

  • 2 medium beets
  • 3 carrots
  • 1 apple
  • 1-inch ginger
  • 1-inch fresh turmeric
  • ½ lemon
  • 1½ cups cold water

This gives you the deep red color seen in the picture while keeping the earthy beet flavor balanced with carrot, apple, ginger, turmeric, and lemon.

Final result

The finished drink should be deep ruby-red, naturally sweet, slightly earthy, mildly spicy from the ginger, lightly citrusy from the lemon, and aromatic from the turmeric.