Best gut health shots (UK)
Here we will review some of the UK’s best gut health shots, including popular gut shots from Moju, M&S x Zoe, Biomel, Plenish, The Turmeric Co and Lidl.
Gut health shots, most commonly containing ginger as a primary ingredient, have become popular for their benefits for digestion, stomach calmness, immunity and the awakening kick they give you.
However as we discuss below, many other types of gut shots have appeared on the market containing probiotics, prebiotics, turmeric and more. There are also various diary and non-dairy options to consider.
Let’s take a look at the best gut shots available in the UK!
Please note this article contains some affiliate links.
Best gut health shot (non dairy)
Moju Fresh Root Ginger shot
Score: 4.75 stars out of 5
There’s plenty of gut-friendly ingredients including apple, ginger, lemon and Acerola cherry powder. These juices are cold pressed for clean extraction and there’s nothing artificial.
The smell is very strongly of ginger and the taste is fiery and fresh. Along with the ginger fieriness there is sweetness from the apple juice.
The strong ginger taste gives you a good awakening kick!
This shot is available widely in supermarkets in the UK. Sainsbury’s has a regular price of £2 for a single-shot bottle (not the one in the picture), however far better value can be found on Amazon when buying a few of the multi-shot bottles.
Summary
4.75 stars out of 5. Our favourite non-dairy gut health shot with a great taste.
Pros
all natural, cold-pressed ingredients
great taste
good price, especially multi-shot bottles online
gives you a good kick
settles the stomach
Cons
no ingredient percentages given for apple and lemon
Best gut shot with apple cider vinegar
Plenish Ginger Immunity Gut Shot
Score: 4.25 stars out of 5
Like Moju it has apple, ginger, lemon and Acerola cherry powder, but also contains apple cider vinegar. The apple and ginger are cold pressed.
The smell is more lemony and less gingery than the Moju. The taste is more vinegary and seems more acidic. The ginger taste and kick is less pronounced. This is surprising considering there is 4% more ginger in the Plenish gut shot.
While the apple cider vinegar does bring health benefits which the Moju shot doesn’t, the superior taste and kick of the Moju makes it the winner.
The 5-shot bottle is available widely in supermarkets in the UK and online.
Summary
4.25 stars out of 5. A good option with the benefit of apple cider vinegar, but perhaps to the detriment of taste.
Pros
cold-pressed apple and ginger
apple cider vinegar offers health benefits
good price
Cons
taste is a bit vinegary and acidic
ginger kick could be stronger
darker murky appearance is less appealing
Best kefir gut shot
M&S x ZOE gut shot
Score: 4.75 stars out of 5
The shot is a different from others on the market in that it is a dairy product and not primarily based on ginger, turmeric or berries. It is a kefir drink which is a fermented dairy product packed with billions of probiotics.
This is a great shot for your gut as it includes both probiotics and prebiotics. In terms of probiotics it includes over 5 billion live cultures from 14 different strains.
As well as the probiotics, the shot also includes various other ingredients good for your gut including fruits, chicory fibre, ginger juice and lemon juice.
The aroma is primarily sweet banana and mixed fruit. The taste is similar to yoghurt but with a slight vinegary, gingery acidic tang finish which lingers a bit. It also has an indistinct berry and mixed fruit taste.
Typical of kefir, it is a bit funkier than yoghurt, with a finish that is not as clean.
I bought it for just over £2 in a small M&S store. It is generally available in most M&S stores in my experience.
Summary
4.75 stars out of 5.
It’s hard to want much more from a gut shot. It has probiotics, prebiotics, fruits, ginger and lemon - all which have been shown to be good for the gut.
Pros
huge amount of live cultures
large diversity of bacterial strains
contains prebiotics
contains ginger and lemon
Cons
taste of kefir takes a little getting used to initially
Best gut shot for prebiotics
Moju raspberry gut health shot
Score: 4.5 stars out of 5
The main selling point of this gut shot is its fantastic array of prebiotics including chicory root, green banana powder, baobab fruit pulp powder, acacia fibre and Jerusalem artichoke powder. This will give your gut microbes a diverse range of prebiotics to feed on.
It also includes a lot of other gut-loving ingredients such as ginger, lemon, apple, raspberry, apple cider vinegar and Acerola cherry powder.
The smell is of berry, ginger and lemon. The taste is an interesting mix of apple, ginger, lemon and some berry. There also a fine powdery mouthfeel from all the prebiotics.
Overall the taste is fine, just don’t expect a predominantly raspberry flavour which the labelling suggests.
It’s a 60ml shot and sells for around £2 from Wholefoods.
Summary
4.5 stars out of 5.
A great gut shot with an impressive amount of prebiotics.
Pros
wide array of prebiotics - the best of any reviewed here
other beneficial ingredients such as ginger, lemon and apple cider vinegar
Cons
harder to find then other shots
not much of a raspberry flavour
Best non-dairy gut shot for prebiotics and probiotics
Biomel gut shot
One of the key selling points of this gut shot is that it contains both probiotics and prebiotics. It is also dairy free, gluten free and vegan.
It contains three strains of probiotics and chicory root fibre as a prebiotic. This gut shot is also a good source of calcium, vitamin B6 and vitamin D.
The liquid has a dark milky appearance. Although it is runny compared to say kefir, it has a nice and thick mouthfeel.
The aroma is primarily of coconut with some chocolate coming through.
The taste is luxurious with rich coconut dominant supported by earthy dark chocolate notes.
I find the taste very pleasant, but I wouldn’t want it any more rich.
I bought a 125ml bottle from a big Sainsbury’s for £1.20.
Summary
4.75 stars out of 5.
A delicious dairy and gluten-free gut shot, packed with both probiotics and prebiotics, for a good price.
Pros
3 strains of bacteria
contains prebiotics
dairy and gluten free
great taste
added vitamins and minerals
Cons
more information on the colony forming units of the bacteria would be good
if you are averse to rich drinks, you might find this bordering on too rich
Best turmeric gut shot
Moju fresh root turmeric gut shot
Score: 4.5 stars out of 5
The key focus here is on turmeric and especially the polyphenol curcumin which is present in turmeric. Curcumin is anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant and helps promote beneficial bacteria in your gut. (See end of article for more information.)
To help in the absorption of the curcumin, the shot includes black pepper powder. The shot also includes apple, lemon and Acerola cherry powder.
The smell is strongly of turmeric. The taste is of apple and turmeric with the latter lingering for some time. The taste is much better than expected to be honest. The turmeric isn’t harsh or overpowering at all.
I bought a 7-shot multipack from a large Waitrose for £4.20 on special. I believe the regular price is around £6-7 - which is still very good value on a per-shot basis.
Summary
4.5 stars out of 5.
A great turmeric shot, but few other frills.
Pros
good taste
18% turmeric root
also contains apple, lemon and Acerola cherry powder
Cons
no ginger
Best turmeric and ginger gut shot
The Turmeric Co. raw turmeric and ginger gut shot
Score: 4.25 stars out of 5
This all-round shot combines the benefits of ginger and turmeric. It has a high turmeric content at 30% (and ginger at 10%).
It contains black pepper to help absorb the curcumin, as well as various fruit juices including watermelon, pineapple, pomegranate and lemon - with only the latter providing further benefits to the gut beyond the turmeric and ginger.
The smell is of turmeric and a fruit medley. The taste is quite acidic with a strong turmeric taste followed by a mixed fruit background. It leaves a sharp acidic tang and turmeric earthiness in your mouth a while.
I bought a 60ml shot at Wholefoods for around £2.
Summary
4.25 stars out of 5.
A good shot to combine ginger and turmeric, but the taste is too acidic for me and contains little fibre.
Pros
ginger and turmeric in one shot
30% turmeric content
also contains lemon juice
Cons
no prebiotics
taste is too acidic
hard to find
Non-dairy gut shot for probiotics
Plenish berry gut health shot
Score: 3.75 stars out of 5
(If you don’t mind a dairy gut shot, the M&S x Zoe kefir gut shot has a wider array of probiotics.)
The unique factor about this gut shot is that it contains probiotics unlike all other non-dairy gut shots reviewed here. It contains Bacillus coagulans which is a hardy strain often found in probiotic products (such as commercial kombucha) because of its ability to survive in extreme conditions, such as the acidic environment in your stomach on its way to your intestines.
It also contains other gut healthy ingredients such as cold pressed apple and raspberry (for fibre), lime juice and apple cider vinegar. And the main ingredient is pomegranate.
The smell is heavily of apple cider vinegar which I don’t love to be honest. The taste is quite sharp apple cider vinegar with some indistinct red fruit flavour followed by a pomegranate finish.
Overall the flavour is my least preferred of the lot.
It’s a 60ml shot and sells for around £2 from Wholefoods.
Summary
3.75 stars out of 5.
A solid shot with probiotics, but not the best flavour and few prebiotics.
Pros
contains probiotics
contains apple cider vinegar (which is good from a health perspective)
some cold-pressed fruits
Cons
harder to find then other shots
only one strain of probiotics
apple cider vinegar is too sharp and dominating from a flavour perspective
Best value gut health shot
NB: we mean this is the best value for a single-shot product.
Lidl / Solevita Ginger Shot
Score: 3.75 stars out of 5
This Lidl brand gut health shot (selling under their label Solevita) has apple, ginger and lemon juice which are all organic.
The smell is predominantly apple with a little ginger. The taste is also significantly more appley than other shots. It contains 65% apple juice which is higher than others.
The ginger taste is quite mild in comparison to others. This is surprising as it is made of 25% ginger juice which higher than Moju or Plenish. It’s hard to say whether this is because the ginger is masked by the apple juice or because the ginger is not cold pressed or lower quality.
Unfortunately it is lacking a hard ginger kick like that of the Moju.
The unique factor about this gut shot is it’s large size at 150 ml, whereas most others are around 60 ml. It also retails for just 99p.
Summary
3.75 stars out of 5. The large size and cheap price make it a decent value option.
Pros
organic ingredients
good price
large size
Cons
lacking a strong ginger kick
apple taste is too dominant
juices not cold pressed
Best value gut health shot with turmeric
NB: we mean this is the best value for a single-shot product.
Lidl / Solevita Ginger Turmeric Shot
Score: 4 stars out of 5
This Lidl brand gut health shot (selling under their label Solevita) has organic orange, ginger, lemon and turmeric juice.
The smell is predominantly turmeric with a little orange. The turmeric comes mainly through on the taste, as does ginger and orange to a lesser degree.
The ginger kick is there but not to the degree expected given it comprises 30% ginger juice - the highest of any reviewed here. Perhaps this is because turmeric is such a strong taste.
The main appeal of this drink is the additional health benefits you get from the turmeric.
Like the other Lidl shot, it is a large size of 150 ml and sells for 99p.
Summary
4 stars out of 5. The added benefit of turmeric, its large size and cheap price make it a good value option.
Pros
organic ingredients
good price
large size
health benefits of turmeric
Cons
ginger kick could be stronger
juices not cold pressed
Benefits of gut health shots
Ginger
Digestive health: Ginger can alleviate nausea and vomiting, making it useful for motion sickness, morning sickness during pregnancy and chemotherapy-induced nausea.
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects: Contains gingerol, a substance with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Pain relief: Studies have shown it may help reduce muscle pain and soreness due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Lowering blood sugar levels: Studies show ginger can help in managing blood sugar levels.
Read more about ginger’s proven benefits.
Lemons
Vitamin C and flavonoids: Both of which are antioxidants.
Digestive health: Can improve digestive health and help in weight control.
Apples
Nutrient-rich: High in fibre and vitamin C, and also contain various antioxidants.
Weight loss: Apples are filling due to their high fibre content, which can aid in weight management.
Acerola cherry powder
Antioxidant: Antioxidants can neutralise free radicals.
Vitamin C and A: very high in vitamin C and also contains vitamin A.
Source of fibre: to feed the microbes in your gut
Read more about Acerola cherry powder.
Turmeric
Anti-inflammatory: Studies have shown curcumin has strong anti-inflammatory properties, which may help with arthritis.
Antioxidant: Antioxidants can neutralise free radicals.
Gut health: Polyphenols in turmeric can promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut and inhibit harmful bacteria.
Brain function: May boost brain-derived neurotrophic factor, linked to improved brain function and a lower risk of brain diseases.
Heart Disease: May help protect against heart disease.
Read more about the evidence supporting turmeric’s health benefits.
Apple cider vinegar
Blood sugar control: May improve insulin sensitivity and help lower blood sugar responses after meals.
Weight loss: Can increase feelings of fullness, leading to eating fewer calories and potentially losing weight.
Heart health: May help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, although more research is needed.
Read more about the evidence supporting apple cider vinegar’s health benefits.
Our favourite gut health products in the UK
Symprove probiotic - developed by scientists, supported by clinical studies and superior at colonising you gut. The best and most evidenced probiotic in our opinion. Use discount code HELLOGUT50 for 50% off the first three months
Hellopath gut health tests - the UK’s most comprehensive gut health test. It tests over 100 biomarkers, checks your digestion and immune response, analyses leaky gut and provides a report on your microbiome
Your reviewer
This article was reviewed by Travis - learn more about me!
Or learn more about the basics of gut health.
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