When the weather starts to cool, and it feels like fall, many people (present company included) get jazzed over the idea of eating more spices (like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves), citrus, and other flavors of the season. As much as I love the idea of living off of pumpkin spice lattes and eating cider donuts all day, as a registered dietitian, I know that isn’t the best way to support my health—better to think of them as a once-in-a-while treat.
Amazingly, I recently found a drink packed with fall flavors and made with quality ingredients and no added sugar—that actually tastes good. Best of all, it is available on my grocery shelf all year long.
My favorite anti-inflammatory juice
I was blown away when I first tried Uncle Matt’s Organic Ultimate Defense Juice ($8). Try and imagine a combo of spicy turmeric and ginger mixed with naturally sweet oranges and a dash of pineapple, and you have Ultimate Defense. Yes, many of these ingredients may help support immune health (that is initially what drew me to this option), but surprisingly, this combo simply screams fall. It’s quickly become my favorite drink on a crisp morning and the one ingredient needed to make my favorite autumn mocktail.
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It is a bonus that it provides 300 percent of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin C per serving; it’s made with 100-percent organic ingredients; and each serving contains 1 billion CFUs of live probiotics to help keep my gut microbiota balanced and diverse. The addition of a whopping 500 mg of organic whole-root turmeric fuels this drink with a compound called curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties.
How I enjoy Ultimate Defense
Since my first encounter with my beloved fall drink, I have found unique ways to use it in my seasonal cooking that make my recipes next-level good with minimal effort—essentially, any recipe that calls for plain old orange juice can benefit from this simple swap for some extra spice and flavor.
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Some Ultimate Defense-using winners in my home include:
- Adding it to a cozy butternut squash recipe
- Making it the liquid base for smoothies (try it with some mango and creamy yogurt!)
- Using it as a single-ingredient marinade for chicken breast
- Combining a glass with an ounce of vodka for a festive cocktail.
Ultimately, Uncle Matt’s Ultimate Defense Juice has become a surprising favorite staple in my home all year long, but especially during the cozier seasons.
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- Peng, Ying et al. “Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Curcumin in the Inflammatory Diseases: Status, Limitations and Countermeasures.” Drug design, development and therapy vol. 15 4503-4525. 2 Nov. 2021, doi:10.2147/DDDT.S327378
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