Fresh Ginger Tea (with Lemon and Honey)

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Are you suffering from nausea, morning sickness, or the flu? Or just looking for a Hot caffeine-free alternative to two coffee? Fresh ginger tea is here for you. A perfect balance between warm, cozy, fresh, and bright, this delicious healthy, and hydrating beverage is the ideal drink for a cold winter day.

Below I will give detailed instructions on making three different variations of this delicious and soothing winter beverage.

All the reasons I love fresh ginger tea:

Warm and cozy: I find it much harder to drink enough water to be adequately hydrated in the winter. When it’s cold and gray out, it can be really easy to make that second pot of coffee just to stay warm. But at some point, I have to cap my caffeine intake- fresh ginger tea is one of my favorite warm drinks for chilly days.

Fresh and clean: Ginger has a bright, slightly peppery flavor and balances beautifully with the citrusy lemon and sweet honey. It’s a fresh and clean alternative to other cozy winter beverages like lattes and hot chocolate.

Hydrating: It’s common knowledge that drinking enough water is essential for your health. It’s not always easy didn’t drink enough healthy liquids over the day. This is a great recipe to lean on when looking for alternatives to plain water throughout the day.

Home remedy for nausea: I am not a doctor, but I can tell you that as somebody who struggled with nausea throughout all three of my pregnancies, ginger was the number one suggested remedy. Everyone told me to try ginger, from doctors and nurses to random people who witnessed me throw up in the bushes at work. It’s certainly not a cure-all for nausea, but ginger was one of the only flavors I found soothing throughout my morning sickness.

Cold and flu remedy: Ginger tea will certainly not cure you’re cold or flu, but it might help soothe your uncomfortable symptoms. I have noted below a slightly more flavorful and potent ginger tea which I think is perfect for when you’re sick with deep congestion or a cough. The slightly spicy flavor of ginger can help clear your sinuses, and the soothing effect of the honey can quiet and soothe your cough.

**Again, I’m not a doctor, and ginger tea is certainly not a cure-all for anything. But it’s a delicious beverage that can help soothe you when you’re uncomfortable with the endless barfing of a pregnancy or the discomfort of a painful cough. This recipe is not a medicine, just a nice drink for when you are under the weather.**

Super simple: making fresh ginger tea is so easy. When you’re not feeling great, it’s nice to have a go-to recipe that you don’t have to think about. Don’t worry about measuring; just put a little bit of all the ingredients in a mason jar or a cup and pour hot water over it. (Note: below there are instructions for three different methods- The first and most mild tasting one is also the simplest and easiest one to make- it's also the one in the recipe card)

mason jar with water and lemon, cutting board with knife, spoon ginger and a cup on it

What do you need for fresh Ginger tea:

Ginger-Ginger is the main ingredient for this delicious tea. This root has been used for cooking in medicinal purposes for thousands of years. It’s a staple ingredient in many South Asian and Asian cuisines. It’s also an essential pantry item for my kitchen.

Do you have to peel the ginger?

No, you don’t have to peel the ginger; you can just slice or grade it depending on how much flavor you want.

What’s the difference between slicing the ginger and grading it?

If you slice the ginger before steeping, it will have a slightly more gentle flavor than if you grate it. Grating the ginger will give you a punchier taste to your tea.
If you greate the ginger, you will want to run the tea through a sieve to remove the fine pieces of ginger before serving.

Lemon: lemon's bright and citrusy flavor balances nicely with ginger's peppery taste. You can either use the lemon peel or a slice of lemon.

Honey is my favorite sweetener for this drink because it can soothe a throat or quiet a persistent cough. (It’s my favorite sweetener in general.)

What should I use for steeping my tea?

If you’re making a smaller quantity of this ginger tea, you could steep the ingredients directly in a mug. You could use a clean French press, teapot, or mason jar to make a larger quantity.

How to make fresh ginger tea?

Below I have outlined three different methods for making fresh ginger tea. The methods below graduate from most mild flavor to the most potent flavor. With all three of these methods, do not worry about being exact about the amounts- you can’t mess this one up.

mason jar with water and lemon, cutting board with knife, spoon with honey on it, ginger and a cup on it

Mild and mellow fresh ginger tea- (perfect for nausea or morning sickness)

This version is the simplest and easiest way to make fresh ginger tea. It is also my preferred method when nauseous because it has a subtle, mellow flavor that I find soothes my stomach.

Slice your fresh ginger into quarter-inch thick discs. Use about two slices for 1 cup of water.
Use a vegetable peeler to remove a long segment of lemon peel (for the mildest flavor) or use a sharp knife to slice a piece of lemon.
Place the sliced ginger root, lemon peel, or segment and honey into a mug or whatever you’re going to steep the tea.
Pour the hot water over all the ingredients and let steep for four minutes before drinking.

Note: Once the tea you have steeped for four minutes, you can choose whether or not you want to remove the ginger and lemon or keep it in the beverage and just sit around them.

Medium-flavored Ginger tea (Great for cold and flu symptoms)

This method involves grading the ginger and sending the tea through a sieve before serving. It takes about 30 more seconds to prepare than the above recipe. You will need to find a cheese grater or micro plane and a sieve (- which might add significant time if your kitchen drawers I like mine). This recipe will also give you more of a punch of ginger.

Grate ½ inch of fresh ginger for 1 cup of water.
Use a vegetable peeler to remove a long segment of lemon peel (for the mildest flavor) or use a sharp knife to slice a piece of lemon.
Place the grated ginger root, lemon peel, or segment and honey into a mug or whatever you’re going to steep the tea in.
Pour the hot water over all the ingredients and let steep for four minutes.
Run the tea throw a fine mesh sieve before serving in a mug.
Note: if you have a sore throat or cough, don’t be afraid to increase the amount of honey to soothe your symptoms.

Bold and punchy ginger tea- (Great caffeine-free alternative to your morning coffee)

If you’re looking for a warm Flavor packed morning beverage, this version might be an excellent alternative to your morning coffee. Rather than steeping the ginger and lemon after the water is boiled, you boil the ginger and lemon with the water right from the beginning. This method ensures maximum flavor.

Grate ½ inch of fresh ginger for 1 cup of water.
Use a vegetable peeler to remove a long segment of lemon peel (for the mildest flavor) or use a sharp knife to slice a segment of lemon.
Place the ginger, lemon, and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer for 4 minutes.
Remove from heat and run the tea throw a fine mesh shive before severing in a mug.

What to sever with Ginger Tea

One of my favorite things to eat when I am under the weather is shortbread cookies. Oragne, Cranberry, and Pistachio Shortbread Cookies are all buttery and mellow cookies that are the perfect treat to pair with ginger tea.

Other Ginger Tea Variations:

Nutmeg and Cinnamon Ginger Tea:

This spice version adds a cinnamon stick and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg for a warm holiday flavor.

Use other citrus fruit:

Use a slice of lime or an orange peel instead of lemon for a different flavor.

Make it spicy:

If you want to clear the sinus, add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little spicy kick.

More Recipes with Ginger:

Recipe

Fresh Ginger Tea (with Lemon and Honey)

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Total Time 10

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1 inch fresh ginger
1 slice lemon
1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

Slice your fresh ginger into quarter-inch thick discs. Use about two slices for 1 cup of water.
Use a vegetable peeler to remove a long segment of lemon peel (for the mildest flavor) or use a sharp knife to slice a piece of lemon.
Place the sliced ginger root, lemon peel, or segment and honey into a mug or whatever you’re going to steep the tea.
pour the hot water over all the ingredients and let steep for four minutes before drinking.

Notes

Note: Once the tea you have steeped for four minutes, you can choose whether or not you want to remove the ginger and lemon or keep it in the beverage and just sit around them.