This easy adrenal cocktail is a refreshing drink made with just three essential ingredients. Customize it with simple add-ons for extra flavor and variety.
Recipe Summary
- ✅ Recipe Name: Adrenal Cocktail
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🧑🧒🧒 Serves: 1 person
- 🍽️ Calories: 79 kcal per serving
- 🥣 Ingredients: Orange juice, coconut water, sea salt, and optionally collagen powder.
- 👏 Why You'll Love It: Light, hydrating, and the perfect mid-day energy boost!
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There's a lot of buzz around the adrenal cocktail. And just to be clear, it's a non-alcoholic drink (though I agree, the name does sound pretty fancy 😉).
The base of this drink is made with just three simple ingredients: orange juice, coconut water, and a pinch of salt. Chances are, you already have two of them in your kitchen. In my case, coconut water isn't something my family drinks regularly, so it's not always in the pantry. But oranges and salt? Always stocked. By the way, you have to try my Vegan Orange Tropical Smoothie with Coconut Water, or my Best Morning Meditation Juice (First Watch Copycat)
You may come across recommendations from holistic practitioners who suggest this drink for something called "adrenal fatigue." Here's where things get tricky: while the phrase is popular in wellness spaces, it's not a condition recognized by medical professionals or major health organizations (Harvard Health Publishing, Cedars-Sinai).
So what does "adrenal fatigue" actually mean? And why do some people feel it explains their symptoms even when their medical tests come back normal? To answer that, let's take a closer look at how the adrenal glands work and what science says about this much-debated term.
Jump to:
Is "Adrenal Fatigue" Real?
Our bodies produce hormones, chemical messengers that send signals throughout the body. Some act locally in tissues, while others travel through the bloodstream. They regulate essential processes such as metabolism, growth, mood, sleep, and blood pressure (Hopkins Medicine, Merck Manual).
When hormone production is disrupted, it can affect these processes. For example, imbalances in insulin and hunger-regulating hormones may contribute to unexpected weight gain even without overeating (Cleveland Clinic).
Hormones are made in several glands, including the adrenal glands. These sit above the kidneys and release cortisol, aldosterone, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. Their roles include regulating stress, blood pressure, glucose levels, and metabolism (Hopkins Medicine, Cleveland Clinic).
Medically recognized adrenal disorders, such as Addison's disease or Cushing's syndrome, involve overproduction or underproduction of these hormones and are diagnosed with blood, urine, or saliva tests (Cleveland Clinic).
The term "adrenal fatigue" is sometimes used outside mainstream medicine when people experience fatigue, headaches, dizziness, or weight changes despite normal adrenal test results. However, major medical organizations do not recognize it as a diagnosis, citing a lack of scientific evidence (Harvard Health).
If symptoms persist, experts recommend exploring other possible causes such as thyroid conditions, sleep problems, or nutritional deficiencies and consulting a healthcare professional for proper testing (Mayo Clinic, Verywell Mind).
Adrenal Cocktail and Stress
Some holistic practitioners suggest that feelings of exhaustion, low energy, or "running on empty" may be linked to hormone fluctuations brought on by chronic stress. And let's face it; stress touches all of us at some point, leaving us drained and ready to curl up under a blanket. The theory is that the adrenal glands might not always produce hormones in perfect balance, even if the levels don't fall into the range of a diagnosable disorder. Looking for another way to manage stress? Check out my guide, Holistic Approach to Fitness: How to Balance Diet and Exercise, for tips on combining movement and nutrition.
The adrenal cocktail drink is meant to provide nutrients that may support the body during times of stress. It's not a magic cure (despite what some might claim 😒), but it can be a refreshing and wholesome addition to an already balanced lifestyle, one that includes fruits and vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats, movement, hydration, and rest. Want to learn more about the balanced lifestyle? Read my Simple Nutrition Guide for a Healthier Lifestyle!
A Quick Note
This drink isn't for everyone. Because it contains orange juice (a source of natural sugar) and salt (a source of sodium), it may not be the best choice for people with diabetes or heart disease. As always, it's wise to check with your healthcare provider before adding something new to your daily routine.
Ingredients
- Orange juice: it is best to use the juice of freshly squeezed oranges, with the pulp included. If you don't like having pulp in your OJ, then pour the juice through a mesh strainer. This is the recipe for one cocktail with ½ cup of orange juice (about two freshly squeezed oranges).
- Coconut water: choosing any brand with as few ingredients as possible would be best. Of course it would be best to crack open a coconut and get the juice 😉. But, if you happen to live where no coconuts are readily available, the next best thing is to choose a healthy alternative.
- Sea salt: sea salt is recommended over table salt since sea salt has less sodium and works better for your heart health.
- Optional - collagen powder: Some proponents of adrenal cocktails recommend adding collagen powder. And if your doctor recommends taking collagen powder, this is a good idea. My husband suffered from lower back pain and was advised to take collagen powder. He typically dissolves it in water and drinks it once daily, and every time he drinks it, he cringes and looks like he's going to throw up. Yes, the collagen tastes awful 😏. So, one way to cover up this bad taste of collagen is to add it to your adrenal cocktail. Plus, you get the double benefit in one drink 😊.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Andrenal Cocktail
- Step 1: Squeeze the juice of about two oranges (this will provide ½ cup OJ). Pour into a glass.
- Step 2: Pour ½ cup of coconut water into the orange juice.
- Step 3: Add a pinch of sea salt (about ⅛ tsp).
- Step 4: Optionally, add some collagen powder. Mix well with a spoon, and enjoy!
Storage
- Fresh is best: his drink is most refreshing when made right before serving, since citrus juice and coconut water taste brightest when fresh.
- Short-term storage: if you want to prep ahead, mix the cocktail and store it in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Give it a good shake or stir before drinking, since the salt may settle at the bottom.
- Avoid long storage: because fresh citrus oxidizes quickly, the flavor and nutrients decline after a day or two, so it's not ideal for longer-term storage.
FAQ
If you start your day early in the morning, the chances are that your adrenal glands are running low on necessary ingredients by mid-morning to early afternoon. So, the best time to consume the adrenal cocktail would be between 10 am and 2 pm. This is also when many people will reach for a second cup of coffee, so some practitioners advise substituting the coffee with an adrenal cocktail. In my case, honestly, this won't work - I need my caffeine ☺️. But I take an adrenal cocktail in addition to my mid-afternoon espresso.
Even though adrenal fatigue isn't recognized as a medical diagnosis, hormone fluctuations can still leave us feeling tired, restless, or out of balance. An adrenal cocktail can be a refreshing addition to support overall wellness, but it works best alongside a balanced diet, hydration, and regular movement.
Related
Looking for other drink recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite light breakfast to serve with this easy adrenal cocktail:
Let's Hear From You
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📖 Recipe
Easy Adrenal Cocktail Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup orange juice from freshly squeezed oranges
- ½ cup coconut water
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Squeeze the juice of about two oranges (this will provide ½ cup OJ). Pour into a glass.
- Pour ½ cup of coconut water into the orange juice.
- Add a pinch of sea salt (about ⅛ tsp).
- Optionally, add some collagen powder. Mix well with a spoon, and enjoy!
Notes
- The nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on the specific ingredients used.
- Orange Juice. It is best to use the juice of freshly squeezed oranges, with the pulp included. If you don't like having pulp in your OJ, then pour the juice through a mesh strainer. This is the recipe for one cocktail with ½ cup of orange juice (about two freshly squeezed oranges).
- Coconut water. Choosing any brand with as few ingredients as possible would be best. Of course it would be best to crack open a coconut and get the juice 😉. But, if you happen to live where no coconuts are readily available, the next best thing is to choose a healthy alternative.
- Sea salt. Sea salt is recommended over table salt since sea salt has less sodium and works better for your heart health.
- Optional - collagen powder. Some proponents of adrenal cocktails recommend adding collagen powder. And if your doctor recommends taking collagen powder, this is a good idea. My husband suffered from lower back pain and was advised to take collagen powder. He typically dissolves it in water and drinks it once daily, and every time he drinks it, he cringes and looks like he's going to throw up. Yes, the collagen tastes awful 😏. So, one way to cover up this bad taste of collagen is to add it to your adrenal cocktail. Plus, you get the double benefit in one drink 😊.
Dusan Stefanovic says
Sounds yummy!