Ginger is a flowering part that originated in south-eastern Asia. Its underground stem/root called rhizome has been used as a spice for ages. Being used extensively in Indian cooking, be it ginger tea or southeast Asian curries, ginger makes its place in all kitchens regardless of cuisine. With a plethora of health benefits, ginger was once used as a commercial crop. Belonging to the Zingiberaceae family, it helps stop swellings too and is also used as traditional and alternative medicine. 

Honey, on the other hand, is packed with antioxidants and improves lower cholesterol. Now moving forward to lemon, it is an excellent source of vitamin C, B complex vitamins and helps in clearing out the toxins from the body. Now imagine all of these superfoods combined in the same drink!

Having lived in Mumbai for 20+ years, I was used to drinking “cutting chai” (small cup of Tea). It was only after a trip to the Indian Himalayas, I got introduced to Ginger Lemon Honey tea. Most cafes would have this as their specialty, and I noticed several travelers drinking this. A simple mix of lemon juice, ginger tea, and a generous dash of locally sourced mountain honey made me forget the milk tea. It is useful in the cold/harsh weather and a boon to boost metabolism. Years later, ginger lemon honey tea has replaced my morning tea. Ginger lemon honey tea is simple to make. A fuss-free recipe indeed!

How to make Ginger Lemon Honey Tea?

Boil a glass of water and add 1/2 tsp of tea powder and strain this mixture. Instead of using tea powder, you can also use a teabag. To this, add half an inch of grated ginger, juice of one lemon, 1 teaspoon of honey, and mix. Et voila.

Let’s check out the several health benefits of this Tea and why you should drink it more often.

Health Benefits of Ginger Lemon Honey Tea

Ginger fights inflammation and lowers pain: Ginger contains anti-inflammatory properties, which in turn means it helps reduce swelling. By grating the ginger, its essential oils are released. Ginger is also traditionally used for pain relief. Did you know that ginger contains gingerol, which is the main compound containing ginger’s medicinal properties? Apart from the general pain relief, it may also help reduce oxidative stress, which is the state of having excess amounts of free radicals in the body. It may also help reduce menstrual pain.

Digestive problems: Stress often leads to psychosomatic changes in one’s body. Indigestion is a common occurrence where recurring pain and discomfort is felt. Indigestion can often lead to decreased productivity and irritability. Starting your day with a dose of ginger ensures emptying of the stomach effectively. Ginger is often used in households to clean the stomach despite its pungent taste. It also helps people who are going through a loss of appetite. 

Motion sickness, Nausea: Motion sickness and nausea affect even the best of travelers. Especially during the long flights or bus rides in the mountain terrain, motion sickness can lead to an uncomfortable feeling of nausea and vomiting. Ginger helps relieve nausea for people undergoing medical treatments such as chemotherapy, and even pregnancy-related nausea can be subsided with ginger’s help. A small dose such as a gram (less than a half-inch of ginger) is enough for fighting nausea and battling motion sickness. 

Cold: Isn’t it a common household belief to have ginger tea or a garlic ginger soup when fighting a cold. Call it a grandma’s tip, ginger’s medicinal property helps fight bacteria and infection. Gingerol can help lower the risk of infection and is also effective against oral bacteria. Thus making it a useful spice and something you should always have in your pantry. Ginger truly deserves the title of being called a superfood. Many cough syrups and even throat lozenges are ginger flavored. 

Good source of essential micronutrients: Moving over to the next ingredient, lemon. Lemon is indeed a good source of vitamin C. But did you know they also have the necessary calcium, iron, B complex vitamins, and potassium? Against the common belief, lemon can help improve a sore throat, and its lemony aroma helps alleviate a dull mood. Lemon helps freshen breath and also promotes hydration. So squeeze some lemon liberally over your food and include it in your daily meals.

Helps lose weight and improve iron absorption: Ginger Lemon honey tea is the perfect drink to kickstart your day. Warm water along with lemon juice aids weight loss if drunk regularly on an empty stomach. The majority of women in India suffer from iron and hemoglobin deficiency. Consuming vitamin C and citric acid helps the absorption of iron from plant sources, thus helping you fight anemia. 

Boosts Metabolism: Honey is rich in iron, magnesium, calcium and this enchanting flower nectar is a superfood. It helps boost immunity, and its natural sugars even prevent fatigue. Drinking ginger lemon honey increases body metabolism, in turn aiding weight loss.

Good Detox: Lemon and honey water functions as a natural detox drink, and it provides you with instant energy while detoxifying the body. Making sure the honey is organic/pure is quite beneficial. For those hangover days, ginger lemon honey is the perfect detox.

Black Tea lowers bad cholesterol: Tea, when drunk without milk and sugar, helps lower bad cholesterol. It also helps reduce blood sugar levels and is rich with antioxidants. Any ordinary tea can be used to make Ginger Lemon honey tea. Often a lot of people prefer using tea bags too. 

A simple drink with so many health benefits can be made using the simplest things in your pantry. No wonder cafes in the Himalayan mountains prefer this as their top beverage. For honey, try and buy organic or pure honey as it really makes a lot of difference. Hoping you consume Ginger Lemon Honey tea more often in your daily routine.