Health Benefits of the Turmeric and Ginger Jamu Drink

During cold and flu season, it’s a good idea to keep your pantry stocked with the basics: chicken noodle soup, tea, and other throat-soothing snacks.

A lesser-known option is jamu, a traditional Indonesian drink linked to longevity that could also be good for your immune system.

“Jamu, an ancient Indonesian beverage, can be made of different ingredients, but commonly is a thick mixture of turmeric, ginger, tamarind, and lemongrass, ground into a thick paste and then served as a warm or chilled beverage,” said Stephani Johnson, DCN RDN, adjunct professor in the department of clinical and preventive nutrition sciences at Rutgers University School of Health Professions.

“These ingredients are rich in nutrients and provide various health benefits,” she added.

Those benefits are wide-ranging. In addition to optimizing your immune system, jamu may help with digestion, nausea, and inflammation, among other things.

“The [ingredients] are all healthy foods that people have consumed for thousands of years,” Matthew Badgett, MD, a primary care physician and integrative medicine specialist at Cleveland Clinic, told Verywell.

If you want to try jamu, you can experiment with it until you land on a variation you like. “Jamu can be enjoyed in various ways, such as drinking it straight, adding it to smoothies, or mixing it with other beverages, either hot or chilled,” Johnson said.

What Are the Health Benefits of Jamu?

The powerhouse ingredients used in jamu can provide many benefits, but reducing inflammation is among the biggest. It may also improve digestion and help boost your immune system.

Reduce Systemic Inflammation

Certain molecules, called free radicals, can damage cell membranes, enzymes, and DNA, contributing to systemic inflammation, Johnson explained, but “antioxidants and polyphenols help counteract these harmful effects.”

Eating foods rich in antioxidants regularly “can support overall health by reducing inflammation and protecting against oxidative stress,” she added.

Guess what? All of the ingredients in jamu fit the bill. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that support joint health, immune function, and brain function, said Johnson

Ginger also contains antioxidants and may help with inflammation, Johnson said. It’s also been proven to help combat nausea, Badgett added.

Tamarind, also rich in antioxidants, promotes digestive health and may also reduce the risk of heart disease, Johnson said.

Lemongrass is “widely used in herbal medicine for its rich antioxidant, vitamin, and mineral content,” Johnson said, and it may also support your immune system and digestive health and reduce inflammation.

Improve Digestive Health

Your digestion may also improve if you start drinking jamu, since ginger can help manage nausea, bloating, and indigestion. Tamarind contains high levels of fiber that can help you have regular bowel movements, Johnson said.

The antibacterial and antimicrobial properties in lemongrass may also reduce constipation, she added.

Boost Immune System

Jamu may be particularly helpful this time of year due to its effects on the immune system.

“Immune function and the impact of diet on its effectiveness is a complex topic,” Johnson said. However, a diet rich in antioxidants can neutralize harmful molecules that can overwhelm the immune system and make you sick.

“Additionally, recent research has highlighted the crucial role of the gut microbiome in overall health and immune function,” Johnson said. “The ingredients in jamu, particularly ginger and lemongrass, are associated with promoting a healthy gut microbiome, further supporting immune health.”

Though clinical trials haven’t linked jamu with better immune function just yet, there’s also no proof that it won’t help you feel better if you’re miserable with cold and flu symptoms, Badgett said. “It might help,” he said. “You might as well try it.”