Are you looking to learn about fresh ginger tea?
This herbal tea is made from ginger root and has been used for centuries in China.
Native to southern China, ginger grows in warm climates worldwide. Many people think of sushi when they think of eating ginger, or even using it as a spice to cook with. But ginger root can even be made into a tea for more healing properties.
Drinking this tea offers several potential health benefits such as getting rid of nausea and reducing inflammation.
In this blog post, I’ll discuss what is fresh ginger tea, how to make it, health benefits, potential side effects, the best time to drink it, and more.
What is Fresh Ginger Tea?
Fresh ginger tea is a combination of ginger root and boiling water. It has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries where it was used as a healing tonic. Eventually ginger was later introduced to Europe and used as a culinary spice.
Ginger is a member of a plant family that includes cardamom and turmeric. Its spicy aroma is mainly due to the presence of ketones, especially gingerols, which appear to be the primary component of ginger.
Ginger tea doesn’t contain any tea leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant so it isn’t technically a tea, however that doesn’t get rid of its natural healing properties.
How Do You Make Fresh Ginger Tea?
Preparing this healing tea doesn’t take a lot of time or prep work. Ginger tea is a combination of boiling water and fresh ginger root.
Ingredients needed:
- Filtered water
- Fresh ginger root
- Honey (optional)
- Lemon (optional)
- First start off by boiling a pot of water. Use 1 cup on water for each serving you want to make.
- Prepare your ginger. The easiest (and safest) way to peel ginger is with a peeler or spoon. It’s recommended to use 1 inch of ginger for each serving (1 cup).
- After peeling your ginger, you can either grate or chop the ginger into smaller pieces and then place those pieces at the bottom of a heat resistant mug.
- Next, pour the boiling water over the fresh ginger and let it steep for up to ten minutes. After ten minutes has passed you can either leave the ginger in your mug, or strain those pieces out. You can also steep for longer if you want it stronger.
This recipe serves as a base for many other ginger tea recipes for all different types of beneficial healing properties.
Benefits of Fresh Ginger Tea
Ginger contains phytonutrients known as gingerols, and research has shown that these can have an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect when present in tea.
It also has great antioxidant properties as well as pain relieving properties that can be beneficial to those who suffer from migraine headaches. Drinking this tea may help treat and prevent these headaches.
Ginger tea is most commonly known to be helpful with:
- Digestive issues, specifically nausea. It’s important to note that ginger tea may lower blood pressure, so be careful if taking certain medications.
- Improving blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes by reducing fasting insulin levels, hemoglobin A1C, and triglycerides.
- Treating motion sickness symptoms like dizziness and vomiting. This is because the phytonutrients in ginger help block certain receptors in the brain that play a role in motion sickness symptoms.
According to some test tube studies, ginger may even help to prevent certain types of cancer, mostly due to its gingerol and shogaol content. Gingerol and shogaol have been shown to prevent cancer cells from multiplying, but more research is still needed on humans.
What are the Side Effects of Drinking Ginger Tea?
Some notable side effects from drinking ginger tea include gas, heartburn, and bloating. This is a similar side effect for most people who consume spicy or warming foods, however it should not be confused with a potential allergy.
That being said, if you do experience allergy symptoms like a rash, mouth discomfort, or stomach discomfort then stop drinking it and consult your doctor. It should also be consumed in moderation if taking medications that lower blood pressure as well because ginger contains salicylates, which is commonly found in aspirin.
Lemon and Ginger Tea Benefits
Lemon is a great source of vitamin C and is also full of antioxidants like ginger. This helps boost and improve immunity, and is even beneficial when your are sick or fighting a cold. Lemon has been used to flavor many different types of tea, and when paired with ginger offers a nice zingy citrusy kick to this warming tea.
Lemon and ginger both contain components that are also believed to help reduce risks associated with heart disease and liver disease. In addition to this, lemon and ginger tea can help reduce pain associated with inflammation and arthritis. After workouts, some people enjoy drinking a cup of lemon ginger tea to relieve muscle soreness.
Did you know drinking lemon ginger tea may help you lose weight? Lemons have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, so may help reduce the amount of fat stored in the body. In addition to this, ginger can also help curb hunger, which can also help with weight loss.
Lemon and ginger are also good sources of vitamin C, antioxidants, fiber, vitamin B6, magnesium, and potassium. It’s best to consume lemon ginger tea using fresh ingredients, but it’s not uncommon for people to sweeten their tea with milk, honey, or any other type of sweetener.
When is the Best Time to Drink Ginger Tea?
Ginger tea can be consumed at any time of day, especially since it doesn’t have caffeine. It’s great as an afternoon pick me up, or even consumed with a meal or after a meal to help ease digestion.
Conclusion on Fresh Ginger Tea
Fresh ginger tea is a tasty and healthy herbal tea that can be enjoyed most times of the day. It’s also one of my favorite teas without caffeine.
Due to its potential health benefits, it has been widely popular for centuries especially in China.
It’s fairy easy to make this quick, simple, and cost effective tea a part of your daily routine.
