Cold Remedy: Healing Ginger Tea

This post comes from our contributor FP Naomi.

The next time you’re afflicted with a cold, do yourself a favor and try this tea. Nothing has ever felt so soothing for a scratchy throat, or clearing for a stuffed up nose. You’re going to be in love.

I first stumbled upon the idea when I was visiting a friend in NYC. The whole bus ride we were texting about our head colds and how maybe we’d just lay low for the night. Upon arrival I found that she had a crock pot brewing. “It’s something special.” After dinner a small Chinese teacup was placed in my hand. I took one cautionary gulp, and the rest was history.

“What is this?!” I had to know. She told me the rough idea, and when I got back home I started making more for myself. I messed around with the goods in my pantry and came up with my own special brew.

The final concoction includes ginger, rose hip, cinnamon, cloves, and honey. The ginger boosts the immune system and helps to clear congestion, while honey is soothing to a scratchy throat. I like to add in the rose hip because I feel it counteracts any sickness-induced imbalances in the body. I once read that rose levels out the energies of yin and yang according to ancient Chinese medicine, and let’s face it, colds can have some mighty fiery yang energy to them. The cloves and cinnamon are ultra-soothing and help clear the sinus paths as well.

You can either make the tea in a saucepan on the stove or in a crock pot. While the stove heats up quickly, the crock pot is nice because you can set it and forget it. If you have leftovers, pour them into a container and stick them in the fridge. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the delicious iced tea you get later. You can also reheat if you prefer to drink hot.

Ingredients:

4 cups water

2.5 inch knob of ginger, peeled & cut into ½ inch pieces

2 cinnamon sticks

10 cloves

1 heaping tsp dried rose hip

local honey to taste

Directions:

1. Throw all ingredients but the honey into a sauce pan or crock pot, and simmer until brewed.
2. Ladle tea into cups using a tea strainer to keep out pieces of ginger, rose hip, cloves, or cinnamon.
3. Stir in as much honey as you like & drink.
4. Feel better!

Check out Naomi’s blog Numie Abbot.