Extra Spicy Ginger Tea

There really isn’t any time that a cup of fresh ginger tea doesn’t sound good to me. Ginger has long been used in various ways in both traditional and alternative medicine. And for good reason!

This root has a very long list of health benefits that have been proven by the scientific community. Ginger is high in gingerol, a substance that has high antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. It is what gives ginger most of its medicinal qualities. Some of the reasons why I love ginger so much are as follows. It’s great for upset stomachs, fighting nausea, and aiding digestion. This makes it particularly useful for fighting morning sickness in pregnant women as well as helpful in alleviating period pain. Ginger has also been used to help treat chronic indigestion.

Another study found that ginger was very useful in significantly reducing joint pain and stiffness caused by osteoarthritis. Since I already deal with this pain in my knees and fingers, I have found ginger tea to be helpful in managing this pain. Especially in the winter months.

Another very useful trait of ginger is its ability to fight harmful bacteria and viruses. It soothes a sore throat and helps fight off the common cold and the flu.

Now that you know why I love ginger so much, here is my favorite ginger tea recipe I make at home. If you’re anything like me and love the extra spicy kick of ginger then I’m sure you’ll love this tea too!

Extra Spicy Ginger Tea

Ingredients

• large chunk of fresh ginger root
• water
• lemon
• honey
• cayenne pepper

Directions

• I never use exact proportions when making this. I kinda just go with what I’m in the mood for and eye it. So here are the basics and you can adjust to what you like.
• Peel a large piece of ginger. The skin on ginger is super thin, so I use my smallest knife. After the ginger is peeled chop the ginger into large slices
• Add the ginger slices to the blender and add enough water to cover the blades. Then blend until you have a fine pulp.
• Bring a large cup of water to a boil and remove from heat.
• Add the ginger pulp to the hot water and pour in the freshly squeezed lemon juice. I will usually use half a lemon per cup of tea. Pour the tea into your favorite mug and sweeten it with a lot of honey or maple syrup.
• If you’re feeling sick, or if you just like the extra heat, add a dash of cayenne.

I used to add the cayenne all the time, but after I found out about my nightshade allergy I had to start leaving that last part out.

Also if I add a little fresh-squeezed orange juice to this cup of tea, Rama who is now two and a half will happily drink it up. Which is great when he’s fighting off a cold.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Xx Monti