For those who love to snack but are also health-conscious, turmeric balls provide the best of both worlds. Not only do these bite-sized bits pack deliciousness, but they are also loaded with the anti-inflammatory and other benefits of super-spice turmeric.
To make these no-bake energy balls, you will need 10 ingredients, a food processor, and 20 minutes of spare time.
The amounts in the recipe below yield 10-12 walnut-sized balls that you can enjoy throughout the week when properly stored.
Turmeric Health Benefits
If you’re not familiar with it, turmeric is a bright yellow spice of the ginger family. It has a long history of medicinal use, dating back 4,000 years ago to the Vedic culture of Ancient India.
Modern medicine has also recognized its potential as a healthy food. It has become a popular super-spice in recent years.
Turmeric balls are one of the easiest ways to get the full benefits of turmeric. They’re essentially an on-the-go substitute for golden milk, a traditional Ayurvedic tonic made with turmeric that’s become popular recently.
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Are Turmeric Balls Good for You?
These balls are vegan and gluten-free. They’re also quite nutritious yet low in calories, making them great for weight loss and guilt-free snacking.
Turmeric balls, also called turmeric energy bites, are a no-bake snack made with a combination of almond flour, oat flour, coconut, dried fruit, oil, and spices.
They’re a healthy snack that provides a nutritious punch along with the health benefits of turmeric.
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How to Make the Balls
Making turmeric energy balls requires three simple steps:
Add the ingredients to a food processor and blitz until smooth.
Make dough balls and roll them into turmeric powder and desiccated coconut.
Refrigerate for 15 minutes or more and enjoy!
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What are turmeric balls made of?
The ingredients for this recipe are easy to find in most stores and include:
Almond and oat flour
Flours work as carriers for all the other ingredients and flavors in these energy balls. They also provide prebiotic fiber, protein, and minerals. But since this is a no-bake recipe, I recommend making your own oat flour by processing instant oats in a high-speed blender. Regular oat flour may not be safe to eat raw due to possible contamination with E. Coli.
Unsweetened desiccated coconut
Desiccated coconut provides texture, body, and flavor. It is highly absorbent and will prevent these energy balls from being mushy.
Virgin coconut oil and full-fat coconut milk
Curcumin, the main bioactive compound in turmeric, is fat-soluble. So for best absorption, it’s a good idea to include a high-fat ingredient (or several) in snacks that have it as the main ingredient.
Dried apricots.
Dried apricots add natural sweetness to these turmeric apricot bites. Their orange color complements the golden hue of curcumin for a beautiful presentation. If you prefer dates as your go-to sweetener, feel free to use them instead.
Turmeric powder, grated ginger, black pepper, and salt
Turmeric is the star spice in this snack. The other spices help balance out the flavors and boost curcumin’s bioavailability. Studies show that piperine, a compound of black pepper, increases curcumin absorption by as much as 2,000%!
Make sure always to purchase turmeric powder from reputable companies. A recent report found that many brands of turmeric powder are laced with lead to make it seem brighter.
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Health Benefits
Turmeric has over 100 health-benefiting components, the main one being curcumin. As a fantastic source of turmeric and curcumin, you can expect to get a wide range of health benefits from these snacks, such as:
Antioxidant protection
Curcumin acts as an antioxidant, scavenging free radicals in the digestive tract and beyond. It also boosts the levels of antioxidant enzymes in the body.
Anti-inflammatory action
Curcumin also seems to reduce inflammation, which is why it so often acts as a natural analgesic and a natural remedy for rheumatoid arthritis.
Antimicrobial action
Turmeric was found to inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms, such as Helicobacter pylori, a common cause of gastric ulcers.
Cancer prevention
Turmeric inhibits cancer cell proliferation by causing cancer cell death. This property comes from a different compound found in turmeric called ar-turmerone.
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These balls make turmeric compounds highly bioavailable, thanks to the addition of fat and piperine, so you can rest assured that they provide the maximum benefits!
Of course, these energy balls contain many other healthful ingredients, which is why their benefits go way beyond turmeric and curcumin.
For example, they can also work for weight loss since they’re a low-calorie sweet snack that packs a nutritious punch.
They’re also a good source of fiber that can help support a healthy gut biome.
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Looking for other ways to incorporate turmeric into your diet? Try my Turmeric Golden Milk for better sleep, Healing Red Lentil and Turmeric Curry, or the Ginger Turmeric Tea for Quick Immunity Boost!
If you make any of these recipes don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @theawesomegreen so I can see and share them with the community!
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Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes
Turmeric Balls (Plus Other Spices)
Creamy and spiced, these turmeric balls fight inflammation the delicious way.
Prep Time10 mins
Total Time10 mins
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: turmeric balls
Servings: 10 balls
Calories: 165kcal
Author: The Awesome Green
Equipment
S-Blade Food Processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder or a 2' fresh root, peeled and grated
- 2 tbsp dessicated coconut unsweetened
- 3 tbsp virgin coconut oil
- 2 tbsp full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup dried apricots chopped into small pieces
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground balck pepper
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
For coating
- 2 tbsp dessicated coconut unsweetened
- 1 tbsp turmeric
Instructions
In a food processor add the oat flour, almond flour, desiccated coconut, coconut oil, apricots, ginger, turmeric powder (or grated root), salt and black pepper, and process until a dough comes together.
Use a spoon to scoop out the dough and roll it into balls.
Add desiccated coconut and turmeric powder into two small bowls and roll each balls to coat evenly.
Freeze for 15 minutes before serving.
Keep into an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
Serving: 36g | Calories: 165kcal
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