This Singing Canary (aka Adrenal Cocktail) tastes great and is loaded with overall health benefits to keep you going in the face of the many stressors of modern life. And it tastes great too!
With our stressed-out and hurried lifestyles, the adrenals of many are on the fritz.
I heard about this drink a long time ago, but didn’t try it for a long time. Finally, when I did try it, I felt that it was exacerbating or causing insomnia. I tried it again and thought that it happened again.
I don’t give up easily, however :). So I ended up reintroducing it into my diet and the insomnia didn’t recur. So something else must have been going on.
I love having this adrenal cocktail as an alternative to water, and really am happy knowing about all of the healthful ingredients that I am putting into my diet whenever I drink it.
The “Singing Canary”
The original recipe comes from the gals behind Trim Healthy Mama. It’s an eating plan that’s taking the world by storm. I don’t adhere to all aspects of it, but the results of this plan are typically phenomenal in the way of weight loss and an overall improvement of health. If we could all eat healthier, just think of the impact on so many things…our health, our families, our nation….our world.
The original Singing Canary was good, but I felt that it needed some more “something” to counter the turmeric taste for me–call me a wimp, that’s OK by me :). So I monkeyed around with some spices and found a combination that works well and adds some extra health benefits to boot.
I call this drink an Adrenal Cocktail, but there are so many good things in it for everyone.
Adrenal Fatigue
A quick note about adrenal fatigue. Some people say it’s a real condition and others say it isn’t.
Regardless of what you think about the condition, it’s a fact that we are over-worked and over-stressed. We are pushing ourselves to the limit and our bodies are taxed with too many toxins.
Bottom Line–our bodies need help.
So whether you think you have a diagnosable condition or not, do yourself a favor and support your body with this adrenal cocktail as it has a lot of ingredients that will support overall health.
Benefits of Ingredients in the “Singing Canary” Adrenal Cocktail
This Adrenal Cocktail has many ingredients that support your adrenals (and other parts of your body).
Water
This is, of course a basic thing we should be drinking anyhow, but it’s important. Just please make sure that your water is purified. I have used loads of water filtration systems over the years. You can see the information in this post on water filtration and see what I am using now.
Lemons
Lemons contain vitamin C, citric acid, flavonoids, copper, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, fiber. They also have potassium–more than apples or grapes.
Potassium is known to be beneficial for your heart.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the main vitamins hosted by the adrenals. It’s a huge support for these glands.
Note that I reference sodium ascorbate in my recipe. The reason for that is that there have been reported concerns regarding the ingestion of ascorbic acid. Additionally, sodium ascorbate is not acidic so you will not be endangering your tooth enamel with this portion of the drink. See my DIY Swim Spray for more information on the difference.
I have continued to do more research on this and it’s complicated. Some say that taking ascorbic acid short term is fine. Others say no.
One way to address this is to use something like baobab powder for the vitamin C instead :).
Turmeric
Turmeric has so many health benefits that it’s hard to know where to start. One important way that turmeric helps with adrenal health, however, is by helping the body detox. Toxins are a stress on the body and any time that you can remove stressors from the body, you help your adrenals.
Turmeric reduces histamine levels which then reduces stress on the body. (source)
Salt
A real unprocessed salt contains minerals which are known to be depleted in those with adrenal issues. Salt is also mentioned in this post on foods for adrenal fatigue.
RealSalt is a great salt and we LOVE it in our family. This type of Sea Salt is another great option.
Ginger
Ginger has anti-inflammatory effects that, as mentioned above, will assist the adrenals by reducing the stress load on the body. I recommend using organic ginger to avoid toxins and irradiation. (source)
Nutmeg
Nutmeg is known for its ability to boost the immune system, detox the body, and more. (source)
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a well-known anti-inflammatory. (source) There have been numerous studies on it showing it’s affects on the body such as to reverse stressors and regulating hormones. (source)
Cloves
Cloves have also been shown to be beneficial in mitigating stress on the body. (source) If you like, feel free to add more to this recipe based on this information :)!
Vanilla
Vanilla, though it is mostly known for the lovely flavor that it adds to baked goods, has health benefits of its own, including anti-inflammatory properties. (source)
Protein Powder
Protein is crucial for adrenal health. is important no matter where it comes from. If you can tolerate it, you can use whey or egg protein powder in this adrenal cocktail.
I personally use vegan protein powders since I don’t tolerate egg or dairy well at present, plus my oldest has life-threatening allergies to dairy and egg white so it’s less stressful to not have powders with those proteins in them in our home.
It’s really important to source protein carefully due to them having a lot of potential exposure to toxins. And that’s not only true for the animal-based powders. Pea and Rice are often grown with lots of pesticides plus rice can have a lot of arsenic in it so you need to be careful about that as well.
Where to Get Quality Protein Powder
I have several protein powders that I love.
Miessence’s vegan protein powder is a great option since it’s allergen-free and the amino acids are perfectly balanced in it to mimic the amino acid profile of animal protein. Just one 25 gram serving provides almost 2/3 of the daily Essential Amino Acid requirement for a typical adult. It’s pricey but I find this product to be superior to anything on the market and anyone can get discounts just by being a customer.
If using another vegan protein powder, I highly recommend using an organically sourced powder. The reason is that many of the ingredients in vegan protein powders are crops that many pesticides are used on. This organic vegan protein powder is a solid choice but note it can cause digestive upset in some people.
Coconut Oil
Fats are crucial for adrenal health.
Many people (like me) have avoided fats in the hope of losing weight. However, your body needs fats for your endocrine system to work well. So adding even just a small amount of fat to this drink is a plus.
For more information on foods that are helpful for adrenal issues, see this post on the adrenal fatigue diet.
Notes On Lemon Essential Oil
Adding essential oils to food and drink is a controversial topic.
I consulted with an aromatherapist about this, and she recommended only using 1-2 drops of essential oils a drink of this size considering the amount of coconut oil in the drink. The coconut oil acts as essential oil emulsifier but you still do need to be cautious with the amount that you use.
How to Use this Adrenal Cocktail
You don’t want to drink this drink all at once (not that you could) because your body can only absorb so much vitamin C at once.
Make this “Singing Canary” adrenal cocktail in the morning and sip on it all day long.
Recipe Notes and Substitutions for Singing Canary
- Turmeric: You might find that the drink is still a little too “bitter” due to the turmeric. I recommend starting with ½ tsp of turmeric and increasing from there if desired. After making the drink, if you find it to be too bitter, you can add more stevia and/or vanilla to taste.
- Water: You will want some more water for the jar (see How to Make Your Water Safe).
- Coconut Oil: You can substitute 1/2 teaspoon organic extra-virgin coconut oil for the MCT oil.
- Collagen: You can use collagen instead of protein powder.
- Homemade Vanilla: If you would prefer to make your own vanilla, see Homemade Alcohol-Free Vanilla.
- Stevia: See How to Use Stevia to learn more about stevia. You can also substitute an on-plan sweetener for AIP.
- THM: This recipe is an “all-day sipper” if you are on the Trim Healthy Mama plan.
Why Is There No Black Pepper in This Singing Canary / Adrenal Cocktail?
I wondered this myself. The gals at Trim Healthy Mama are pretty thorough, so I figured they knew what they were doing, but I wanted to investigate it myself.
It turns out that there is mixed information as to whether or not black pepper needs to be taken to enhance absorbability of turmeric.
This is a lengthy topic that I will possibly cover in another post, but in essence:
– the presence of the oil already helps with absorption
– studies on absorbability of turmeric and black pepper center on focusing on curcumin and piperine, which are portions of turmeric and black pepper
– it’s probably that turmeric taken with black pepper will absorb faster and stay in your bloodstream longer, but whether or not that is what you want depends on what you are taking the turmeric for–in some situations you might want the turmeric to stay in your digestive system longer. You can see more on these points here and at this source.
Health Note for Pregnant Women
As noted on the Trim Healthy Mama site, turmeric is typically considered safe during pregnancy when consumed as a food, despite concern that as a supplement, it may stimulate the uterus to cause contractions. However ginger has similar properties and it is often suggested by physicians to treat morning sickness during pregnancy.
The 1/2 to 1 teaspoon in the Canary should be considered a safe amount for pregnant women since that is the amount that people in India consume on average through food. However, please do consult with your physician if you are concerned and you can reduce the amount of both Turmeric and Vitamin C to 1/4 the amount or not drink the full two quarts per day as well.
The full amount of vitamin C is not recommended for pregnant women.
I so hope that you enjoy the drink and all the health benefits it affords.
If you end up really loving this and wanting to make it on a regular, or even daily basis, then this Singing Canary Concentrate will be a great time saving addition to your pantry.
Adrenal Cocktail ~ My Version of the "Singing Canary"
Ingredients
- 1 - 2 lemons (peeled)
- 1 1/2 cups filtered water
- 1/2 - 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp MCT oil
- 1 tsp protein powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 generous pinches salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ginger powder
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (substitute mace for AIP)
- pinch clove
- 1/4 tsp stevia extract
- 2,000 - 4,000 mg vitamin C powder (optional)
- 1 - 2 drops lemon essential oil (optional. Please see notes in post)
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Peel the rind off the lemon(s) using a sharp knife. Leave as much of the white pith as possible as it has loads of nutritional benefits. I used the whole lemon, minus the seeds, if using organic lemons.
- Slice each lemon into quarters. Remove the seeds, and place the lemon pieces into your blender. Add water and all of the remaining ingredients besides the ice cubes. Blend well.
- Place the blended mixture into a quart jar. Add ice cubes and more water to fill the jar to the top. Put a tight lid on the jar and shake before drinking.
Would LOVE to hear what you think about this adrenal tonic once you make it!
You say you use the whole lemon. Do you mean that you remove the seeds and use the peel as well (on an organic lemon, of course)?
Hi there. Sorry for the delay. Your comment got buried. Yes, that’s what I do. You could use the seeds–it won’t affect things to much.
Drank this and it gave a big boost to my weight loss!!
Obviously, I had adrenal fatigue, but didn’t know it.
Not a lover of the flavor, but love the results. I expect it will grow on me.
How much is 2000-4000 mg of Vitamin C powder? Can you please provide a measurement?
Hi there. So glad you liked it! I’m sorry you didn’t like the flavor–was it not sweet enough? You should be able to see the amount of vitamin C on your product. Looks like typically it’s about 1000 for 1/4 tsp.
Can you please tell me what’s the difference between ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate?
Do they act same with the same dose?
I have ascorbic acid and it is so sour. I don’t know anything about sodium ascorbate.
Sure – in the post I mention that it isn’t acidic so that should help!
Just FYI: if you are diabetic, according to Diabetic Solution by Dr Bernstein, you should NOT take more than 250 mg Vitamin C…it gives false blood glucose readings. I just found this out myself, and my Dr has me on 3000 a day!
Also, I have another question (sorry!) I dislike stevia extract a LOT, but must use it as I’m diabetic (type 2). I can use stevia dried leaf, without too much yuck issue. Have you any idea how much it would be to substitute the dried leaf instead of the extract? I know that is a difficult question, sorry.
I have never heard this!
Green stevia powder is about 10 times as sweet as sugar. Stevia extract is about 32 times (depending on the brand). So you would need about 3 times the green powdered when converting.
On page 69 of “Diabetic Solution”, Dr Bernstein states:
“A final note: Dietary Vitamin C is important to good health. In doses above 500mg/day, however, vitamin C supplements can destroy the enzymes on blood sugar test strips and can also raise blood sugars. Finally, in levels higher than about 400 mg/day, vitamin C becomes an oxidant rather than an antioxidant and can cause neuropathies. If you are already taking supplemental vitamin C, I urge you to taper it off or lower your dose to no more than 250 mg/daily. Use only the timed release form.”
Obviously, this is advice for DIABETICS. It may very well differ for healthy individuals or those who do not have diabetes.
This version of his book, originally printed in1997, has been fully updated and revised as of 2011.
Quite interesting considering what we have been reading/told about vitamin C. Especially about the oxidant/antioxidant issue.
Please look at your supplements: many of them (that I take anyway for diabetes support) INCLUDE ADDED vitamin C! Without taking ANY vitamin C specific vitamin, I am already getting over 850 mg/day of it. One such supplement is an Adrenal Support one.
Does he have documentation of this information?
I can’t wait to try this! Thank you so much for providing all the links and explaining why the ingredients are beneficial!
Hope you like it!! You are so welcome!
Okay so I DO have adrenal fatigue. A diagnosis sometimes gets one’s butt in gear 😉
I actually really like the flavor, surprisingly! Do you recommend this daily?
I’m so sorry you are struggling!!!! Of course, mainstream medicine, and some alternative practitioners, disagree about it even existing. I can’t medically advise, and of course if you are concerned about any of the ingredients, please check w/ your doctor, but I’m with you that it tastes amazing and the ingredients are all pretty well known for having good benefits for overall health too! How often have you had it?
This is my second day. Just sounded better than water as I was thirsty lol.
It makes sense in a way. I have heard that adding things like salt, etc., to water will help your body absorb the water better.
will try
Hope you like it!
Based on my research I have learned that the vitamin C powder you recommend is derived from corn but no corn residue is left by the end process. I am wondering if anyone with a corn allergy has used it in this or any other way and found it non-reactive?
I talked w/ the manufacturer this past week and they said the same thing.
This is from a site about corn allergies:
“With vitamin C, you can avoid the entire issue by take pure ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate powder. If it is pure, it can still be made from corn originally, because there is no corn or corn proteins in C6H8O6.”
This drink is so good and makes me feel better, but I am concerned about the acid on my teeth if I drink it throughout the day. Would adding baking soda to raise PH decrease its beneficial properties? Or could I leave out the lemons and Vit C and take Vit C on the side?
So glad you like it! I simply rinse my mouth quickly after drinking something acidic. I don’t think that adding baking soda would diminish the benefits but I’m not sure that you want all that baking soda in your body. There is some medical literature talking about the benefits of it but I think it’s hard to know.
Thank you.
Love this excellent flavor. I will sip this for days?
Hi! Thanks for the post. I guess this was posted a long time ago as I see the dates of other peoples questioning. My question is, how long and how many times does one have to drink this to achieve the effects and reach optimal adrenal health? Does it happen after drinking a days worth or does it need to be repeated? Im just curious as I’d like to try this but cant help but think of this burning question. Does anyone have any idea how many times this needs to be repeated, if at all?
Thank you!
Hi there and you are welcome. No worries about dates. I try to read every comment. I think it’s helpful ongoing b/c of the healing ingredients. There are so many things to do to help your adrenals but I think many are life long. I’m starting on new things now. Will be sharing!
Could a larger quantity be made and drunk over a period of a few days/week?
Sure – but watch making too much b/c it will only keep so long in the fridge. Did you see this post? https://wholenewmom.com/recipes/singing-canary-concentrate/
Could apple cider vinegar be added to this?
Sure! That would be a great addition!
I’m confused about why to include the coconut oil (I don’t have MCT oil)… I made this for the first time today and enjoyed it, but the coconut oil just clumped together. Am I missing something? Or did I make it wrong? Thanks!
What kind of blender did you use? The oil helps (I think that is in the post) with absorption of the turmeric and I am pretty sure I outlined that it has to do w/ emulsification of the essential oil if you use that. Hope that helps. With a high speed blender it should blend up well.
I have a Ninja. So, if I don’t use the essential oil, I don’t need to put the coconut oil in? I should clarify that the coconut oil did get blended, but the (smaller) clumps just hang out on top. Am I supposed to use fractionated coconut oil?
I think you will be fine w/o – it just adds nutritional quality. I do think it helps absorbability w/ the turmeric but I’m looking into this more and I think maybe adding pepper is good idea and might take care of that.
Great, thank you. 🙂
The vitamix blends very well.
In order for the turmeric to become completely available (bioavailable) to the human body, you also need to include some black pepper. Turmeric requires fat (hence the MCT oil, which will NOT become solid at colder temperatures), and black pepper.
Hi Carol! I did have this information in the post before–not sure what happened to it. Please see it now and tell me what you think. It’s an interesting issue for sure.
Is this an all day sipper?
Yes!
Apparently, I have an older version of this post, which indicates the vitamin C you use, but you mention that you are thinking about switching over to a different one. Could you provide the link to the one you are considering, as neither was linked to anything.
Thanks.
2,000 mg vitamin C powder (optional. I use this brand but this is a whole food brand I’m considering)
Hi there. Sorry it took so long to respond, Carol. Hmmmm…so you printed it off, I guess? I think I have the vitamin C linked to in here now. I think I was looking at Synergy brand? But when I looked to get the same amt of C you needed a whole lot more.
You mentioned essential oils then I didn’t see the note about it?
This is where I talked about them:
Plus, the original recipe called for the addition of lemon essential oil as an optional add-on. I’m not comfortable with internal use of essential oils without consulting with a practitioner or aromatherapist.
However, if you really do wish to add the lemon essential oil to your drink, and have consulted with someone appropriately, you may. (If you are curious about the essential oils that I have chosen to use, you can go here to read my series on The “Best” Essential Oils or go here to the end of the series.)
Wow! What a difference these tips made for me. I simmered my turmeric powder in 1/2 c. water, and added some finely ground black pepper. I also incorporated 1/2 tsp. baobab powder. Loving it!
I have baobab in my shopping cart – how do you use it? Excited to get it!
Going to try this
Will this work for someone with adrenal burnout (low cortisol)?
Hi there. I have heard that these things are good for adrenal fatigue which I think is the same thing, correct? Sorry for the delay in responding. Your comment got buried and I have been dealing with a ton of issues. Thanks for reading and hope you are doing well.
How would this drink be for someone with Addisons Disease?
Thanks!
Since these oils apparently have been thought or shown to reduce cortisol that wouldn’t be a good idea. This isn’t medical advice, however. Thanks for reading!
I would use 1T coconut oil, lose the powder and eat real protein, use the collagen powder perhaps. But bone broth is better source.
I would use grated ginger, i freeze little clumps of it for smoothies, they would work in here too!
Turmeric needs pepper to be sbsorbed. 1/4t pepper per 1t turmeric. Pepper actually helps many things absorb. So go for it. Set your grind very fine. Some ppl simmer their turmeric for about 5-7 min, not long, to cut the awful flavor (I rly dont like it). It seems it being raw rly isnt good, compared to gently, briefly cooked. I need to try this!
I use powdered indian gooseberry for vit C, 1t would be nice in this drink. You get the whole complex, not just an isolated compound. Love the whole lemons (or limes!), WITH the pith, yes!
I bet cardamom would be awesome in this drink also 🙂
Lovely idea!
Hello Helene,
Thanks for reading and for commenting. I commented about the pepper in the comments area above – would love to hear what you think about it. Gooseberry sounds great!
sometimes i dont have time to use fresh lemons…..is it ok to use real lemon juice?
Yes, 2 T of lemon juice is the equivalent of 1 lemon but it will change the texture of the drink some. Hope you like it!