Soothing Tea For What Ails You
Every year without fail, as the holidays draw to a close, and I let my guard down I end up with some kind of misery. This year it was sore throat and ears and congestion. OTC medicines are great but they don’t give comfort like tea does, and an extra added benefit of tea is hydration, relieves pain and seems to combat congestion as well. Plus, it’s yummy!
Green Tea with Pomegranate and Lemon.
This combination is a powerhouse of antioxidants and is rich in plant compounds. If you add honey, it is soothing to the throat and makes a delicious cup of tea. Fresh pomegranates are usually available from Oct. – Feb.
- 2 teaspoons green tea (or 2 tea bags)
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 thin slices smashed ginger
- 1 to 2 lemon wedges
- 1/4 cup lightly crushed pomegranate seeds
- 2 tablespoons honey or sugar to taste
Cover green tea with boiling water, ginger, lemon wedges, pomegranate seeds, and honey. Let tea steep for 3 to 5 minutes and remove.
Most days before coffee I will make a cup of ginger root and lemon tea, to kickstart my day or for a simple detox, very simple – 1/4” ginger, lemon juice and lemon slices to wake you up and start your day off right. But if you are feeling a bit under the weather why not add some more ingredients to soothe a sore throat and add some warmth and comfort?
Cold and Flu Relief Tea
Ingredients for 3 servings/ reduce for individual cup
- 3 cups of water
- Juice of half a lemon (Vitamin C)
- 1 cinnamon stick (antioxidant-rich)
- 3 slices (1/4” thick) fresh ginger (relieve sore throat, loosen congestion, reduce nausea)
- ¼ tsp cloves (expectorant, loosens mucus)
- ½ tbsp. turmeric (anti-inflammatory)
- 1 pinch cayenne (warms body, relieves stomach problems)
- 1 ½ tbsp raw honey (vitamin C, folate, anti inflammatory, soothes sore throat)
Add all ingredients except honey, cover with boiling water or add to pan to boil. Simmer or steep for 10 minutes. If boiling in a pan strain into cup, add honey to taste. If using tea infuser mug remove infuser and set aside, add honey to taste.
Tumeric Tea – anti inflammatory and anti cancer benefits
- Bring one cup of water to a boil.
- Add ¼” of fresh turmeric and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. You may also add the same amount of fresh ginger root.
- Remove tea infuser; add honey and/or lemon to taste.
- Add a pinch of black pepper for better absorption.
I also make Golden Paste (tumeric paste) which has all kinds of benefits, and put it in soups, stews even with yogurt in the morning. I roll small teaspoon sized balls of the paste and freeze, and this makes it so easy to make Golden Milk without the extra work, simply add frozen paste to heated milk, stir and add honey to taste. Here is the original recipe for Golden Paste and a recipe for Golden Milk from Dr. Andrew Weil.
Additional Tea Recipes:
43 Tea Recipes to Instantly De-Stress
Tea Infuser Mugs, Tea Pots, Tea for One