Our top favourite tea for battling any colds, coughs flu, phlegm is fresh ginger and lemon tea. Sometimes with a dash of cayenne pepper added 😋
Ginger is often something we have on hand in the fridge, making it really helpful just when you need it! (BTW, we freeze some fresh ginger also, and pull it out as needed to grate up for our tea).
It quickly eases a sore throat, headache, runny nose or cough, and reduces phlegm. AND it's so yummy when you're not feeling well!
Packed with immune-boosting nutrients and anti-microbial properties that can help relieve pain and soothe your symptoms, ginger tea is the perfect winter remedy for treating various ailments.
Ginger is antibacterial, and according to one study, ginger was more effective against the bacteria that causes strep throat, than some antibiotics (or course)!
Research in two different studies shows ginger helped tonsillitis and pharyngitis pain in combination with other herbs. In one study, 7 out of 10 participants with chronic tonsillitis saw a reduction in symptoms of acute tonsillitis while using ginger.
Ginger can stimulate the immune system to kill viruses, which suggest that ginger has the potential to reduce incidences of sore throat, provide quicker symptom relief, and improve recovery time.
Fresh Ginger Tea Recipe
(for 2 or more cups)
Ingredients:
- 1 good knob of fresh/frozen ginger root, grated (approx 1 inch)
- 1 lemon, freshly squeezed
- 2 cups of water
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
Directions
- Add grated fresh ginger root to a pot.
- Add water and bring to the boil.
- Turn off heat and leave to steep for 10-15 minutes.
- Add fresh lemon juice (and cayenne pepper if desired).
- Strain the ginger tea into a mug.
- Add honey to taste.
- Stir well to dissolve the honey and serve hot.
You can simply add more water to the grated ginger in the pot (usually 1-2 times) and drink it until it loses it potency, then make a new batch.
It's super simple and SO good when it feels like your entire head is running! 😉
A little bit about Cayenne: Cayenne pepper is very high in vitamin C, A, B6 & K. One fresh pepper has 72% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C and 50% of vitamin A.
Cayenne peppers are fantastic sources of antioxidants and other plant compounds that protect our cells and promote health, by fighting the processes that age our cells to help keep our cells young.
Capsaicin (the active compound in cayenne) can also protect against inflammation in your body.
Cayenne can also help improve digestion, maintain healthy weight, ease pain and clear congestion.
P.S. Did you know that the ginger plant has a flower? The flowers look similar to the root, will eventually turn pink/red, and is edible!