A warm cup of ginger tea feels good any time of year. It has a long history of use as a folk remedy for various types of ailments. Plus it is the perfect antidote to cold weather blues. This spiced ginger tea is aromatic, spicy, and warm.
Table of Content
Spices and herbs can be used to flavor a variety of dishes in the kitchen. But, have you ever made a wonderful spiced tea with these? I make a few different variations of tea from simple everyday green tea and chai spice tea to aromatic herbs and fruit teas.
Knowing which to combine together can be tricky. Try this combination which is wonderful to drink but also great for cold and soar throats.
Why make spice tea
- I've been having this tea as a kid for almost all my life during winter. My mom used to make it, though our winters weren't so severe.
- Of course, after mom passed away I never made it for years until I had my own kids and needed to find something comforting for them. Nothing is worse than having your kids tell you that their throat is hurting and you can't give them anything more. This really helps my kids.
- As an Indian kid, I grew up around a mom who knew her way with spices. You'd never get her to buy store-bought spice mix it has to be her own version. I always wondered why my mom picked these particular 5 spices for this tea over all the others.
- I started reading and the more I read; I am convinced that this is good for me and my family. Now I make it every winter and every week. This week I suggested it to one of my neighbors when It dawned on me that I should share it with you here on my blog.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Ginger - Ginger is actually a very good antioxidant for the body. As an Indian, I've been eating ginger in my food all my life. I believe ginger helps you sweat out the toxins in your body which is helpful when you have a cold or flu. (read more about ginger in cold here)
- Cinnamon - The Indian and Chinese medicines have been using Cinnamon for coughs and colds (read more benefits of cinnamon)
- Clove - Clove is a natural painkiller which is why we use it often for relief from toothaches. Ayurveda suggests using clove tea to lessen or prevent cold or flue - (read more here)
- Cardamon - helps with breathing when you have a cold it is great antiseptic and decongestant properties that alleviate discomfort. (read more here)
- Pepper - Ayurveda has been adding black pepper to tonics to heal common colds and coughs for years. (read more here)
- Honey - I think we all know that honey helps soothe a soar naturally and relieves irritation. It boosts the immune system which reduces the severity of colds and also prevents future colds and other viruses. (read more here)
How to make spiced ginger tea
- Combine - In the sieve of a kettle add the spices ad sliced ginger. Then fill the kettle with water.
- Simmer - Place the kettle on the stove over medium heat and bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce to heat to a low simmer and leave it to simmer for 7 to 10 minutes
Pro tip - the longer you simmer the stronger the tea will become.
- Serve- You can serve the tea in individual cups with a teaspoon of honey.
Pro tip - if the tea is too strong dilute it with more hot water. - Tea - you can also add a teabag to the kettle to add some caffeine.
Pro tip - the spices in the tea can be reduced at least twice more replacing the fresh ginger.
More drinks
- Everybody's body reacts to spices differently - for a start I suggest you drink no more than two cups a day. I personally can drink quite a few cups in a day.
- If you are not comfortable with any of the spices in this recipe you can omit or reduce the quantity.
- Drink only as much as you can handle. For the kids, I add ¼ cup spice tea and top it with 1 cup hot water but you could make it weaker or stronger too!
Yes, not everybody is able to consume ginger successfully. It may cause bloating and heartburn in some individuals. It is advisable not to drink more than 3 to 4 cups of ginger tea a day.
- In winter the cold air that comes into our home from outside has lower humidity that carries very little moisture
- And then we heat the house inside which adds warmth but doesn't increase the amount of moisture in the air.
- So because the humidity is so low the little moisture that is around gets sucked up into the air including moisture from our body leaving us with parched skin, nose, and throat.
- That is why a humidifier is often recommended but I just leave a bowl of water on the table. I am told it helps too
- Also in winter, the air is drier so germs travel faster. that is why it's easier to get infected by someone with a cold in winter as compared to
Spices have a long history of helping with digestion, shooing away insects and just generally improving food’s taste. Some also come with some surprising health benefits.
Drinking tea has been a constant in the lives of humans for thousands of years. The many health benefits of tea are giving it newfound popularity. From losing weight to reducing cancer risk. Drinking tea can improve bone health and boost blood pressure. It also may lower cholesterol and protect against colorectal cancer.
Printable Recipe
Spiced Ginger Tea
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Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
One Pot (6 cups)
- 5 Cardamoms
- 10 whole Cloves
- 5 - 8 pieces Peppercorns
- 2 3-inch Cinnamon sticks (large)
- 3 inch (2 cm) Fresh ginger (sliced)
- 4 cups (1 l) Water
Optional
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 1 Teabag ((optional) )
Instructions
Spice mixture
- Combine - In the sieve of a kettle add the spices ad sliced ginger. Then fill the kettle with water.5 Cardamoms, 10 whole Cloves, 5 - 8 pieces Peppercorns, 2 3-inch Cinnamon sticks, 3 inch Fresh ginger , 4 cups Water
- Simmer - Place it on the stove over medium heat and bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce to heat to a low simmer and leave it to simmer for 7 to 10 minutes Pro tip - the longer you simmer the stronger the tea will become.
- Serve- You can serve the tea in individual cups with a teaspoon of honey. Pro tip - if the tea is too strong dilute it with more hot water.1 tablespoon Honey
- Tea - you can also add a teabag to the kettle to add some caffeine. Pro tip - the spices in the tea can be reduced at least twice more replacing the fresh ginger.1 Teabag
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Everybody's body reacts to spices differently - for a start I suggest you drink no more than two cups a day. I personally can drink quite a few cups in a day.
- If you are not comfortable with any of the spices in this recipe you can omit or reduce the quantity.
- Drink only as much as you can handle. For the kids, I add ¼ cup spice tea and top it with 1 cup hot water but you could make it weaker or stronger too!
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Karen Lavine
Thank you so very much, Veena, for sharing your wonderful recipe! I love fresh ginger tea. (I keep ginger root in the freezer and grate it with a microplane grater so it's always available and easy to prepare.) When I brew up future batches of your recipe, I plan to add fresh grated ginger when I brew individual cups of tea, (instead of to the concentrate) right after I add the boiling water (brewed into tea with some Darjeeling tea leaves). This will help accentuate the impact of the ginger in the tea. (I don't mind little bits of ginger floating around in my tea.)
I plan to share this wonderful tea with visiting friends, and not just reserve it for when someone has a cold or sore throat. Thanks again for taking the time and making the effort to post this recipe. It is clearly explained and easy to follow.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Karen. Happy you enjoyed this recipe.
Haritha
Amazing it's strong but it worked.
Veena Azmanov
Thanks
Marky
Ginger tea are really good. It is so soothing to the throat and mind.
Veena Azmanov
That is true. Thanks, Marky.
Jhoei
This is a brilliant idea. I always have ginger and use honey whenever I have colds and sore throat. I could try this one for a change.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Jhoei