Ginger Tea

March 18, 2010 · Posted in Health 982 views

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I love hot teas for the wide variety of flavorful blends as well as being a lot healthier to drink than sodas. Recently, someone sent me a recipe to make a “Ginger Tea”. Technically this is an herbal drink as no tea leaves are involved. My first attempt was a bit strong, but enjoyable none the less.

From the local market, pick up a fresh ginger root, a lemon and some all natural honey. I like Really Raw Honey personally. I put some water on the stove to boil while I prepare. I washed the root and cut it in half. The half I used was then cut into thin slices and placed in my little stoneware teapot. It’s not big, and holds about three or four cups of water.

Next, we cut the lemon in half and squeeze out all of the juice into the pot. You may want to use less, depending on your preferences. It’s a bit of an experiment sometimes to find just the right amount to suit you. Be sure to wash your hands after preparation. Ginger is considered to be a minor chemical irritant.

When the water is ready, pour it into the pot. Finally, Take a teaspoon of the honey and stir it in until it’s fully dissolved.

I let the drink sit for fifteen to twenty minutes and cool down and “cook”. Now you have a uniquely flavored and easy to make herbal tea.

Ginger is a sialagogue, meaning it stimulates the secretion of saliva, making swallowing easier. Thus it can be a useful supplement when you have a sore throat. Ginger has often been used to help ease nausea such as from morning sickness and motion sickness as well as treat mild inflammation and joint pain. A nice cup of hot ginger tea might be a natural alternative to taking over the counter ibuprofen. Also, some studies show it can help lower cholesterol and be used in treating heart disease.

Ginger also can increase the production of bile so it’s not recommended for people with gallstones. As with any herbal usage, you should be aware of any allergies you have and if you are taking medications be sure and ask your physician if there would be any conflicts.

Tags: ginger, herbal, honey, medicine, tea