Top 8: Energy and taste by the shot with these fruit and veggie drinks
"These shots are good options to start the day or when we feel tired, especially compared to sugary or caffeinated alternatives."
Anyone for a shot? Something to boost your energy? The zingy flavours of fruit and veggie drinks can make us feel good, and if we feel good, we’re often motivated to exercise more, creating a cycle of good health.
The extent to which the ingredients are processed will affect the shot’s vitamin content and ability to live up to its health claims.
Added spices such as ginger, turmeric and chilli challenge the taste buds and lift us out of culinary complacency. They also have health properties, such as curcumin in turmeric, which may be anti-inflammatory.
If cold-pressed and packaged quickly, the shots retain vitamin C and other micronutrients, though they lack the benefits of the fibre of fresh fruit when we eat the pulp and skins.
These shots are good options to start the day or when we feel tired, especially compared to sugary or caffeinated alternatives.
If we make our own from freshly picked homegrown fruits and vegetables, we reach the pinnacle of wholesomeness. In a concentrated form — as in our survey today — they are super efficient. One gulp and we’re done.
A terrific concept at this English Market Cork stall allows customers to taste fresh shots before buying.
The mint, lime and cucumber combination was refreshing and light, while the Goldfinger appealed to tasters even more with perfectly balanced ginger, tamarind and chilli.
It can be served in a compostable cup, providing about four shots, but it’s best to bring a bottle to fill. Water kefir contains gut-friendly probiotics.
- Score: 10
In a base of pineapple juice, turmeric and lemon juices combine with black pepper, which enhances the health properties of turmeric, for a fresh, natural taste.
The ginger shot has the same natural vibe of apple juice with ginger, which is pungent but not harsh, compared to many samples that didn’t make the cut.
The only Top 8 container in the Deposit Return Scheme.
- Score: 9
Grapefruit juice at 41% provides a fresh acidity, with acerola (a type of cherry) pulp (30%), which is deliciously sweet and sour.
Strawberry pulp (15%) sweetens the mixture while blackcurrant pulp (13%) gives it body.
Lime juice adds to the freshness. With a decent amount of vitamin C, it can help to fight winter colds.
From a broad range, widely available.
- Score: 9.5
Cold-pressed orange, apple, ginger, turmeric, lemon juices, added vitamins C, D blend well, with ginger dominating.
One taster particularly liked the fiery feel at the back of her throat, which she felt could give her an immune boost.
The ginger is slightly softened by orange and apple juices. Made in Spain.
- Score: 8.75
Apple, lime, yuzu, lemon juices pair with ginger and cayenne.
The natural sweetness of yuzu’s floral flavours (like mandarin/orange) pairs well with lots of ginger for a strong kick, but not too much.
One taster said she could drink a full glass of it. Enough for two shots here.
The Greens shot in the range — apple, cucumber, avocado, mint and spinach — is quite mild but nicely balanced, with a clean taste.
- Score: 9
Orange, apple, lemon, ginger, and turmeric juices are blended with apple cider vinegar, oregano powder, black pepper, and added vitamin B12.
Sharp on the tongue, the cider vinegar dominates, along with the ginger. It tastes healthy, almost penitential, but testers liked the cleansing, complex flavour, the most different of all samples, perhaps for its vinegar content.
“Tastes like it’s doing some good”, said one tester. Cold-pressed.
- Score: 8
Apple, pineapple and mango juices combine with mango purée, giving it a pleasant creamy texture.
There is very little of the ginger and turmeric flavours or the usual tangy flavour of baobab (said to have more vitamin C than oranges) dried fruit pulp.
There is added probiotic Bacillus coagulans. A good beginner shot, especially for those not ready for heavy ginger.
- Score: 8
From Whites Fruit Farm in Suffolk, this juice is made from 64% apples, sour cherry juice concentrate (35.5%), and natural chilli flavouring for a relatively sweet drink and plenty of cherry flavour with a syrupy texture finishing with a nice kick of chilli.
The Zinger Golden is also quite sweet, while the Extra Hot Ginger with chilli is not for the faint-hearted.
- Score: 8
