Cold and flu season is upon us again. If you want to give your immune system a fighting change, try sipping on a cup of this antioxidant-rich ginger turmeric tea.
As soon as the temperature drops enough to start needing a cozy knit sweater, our hot water kettle gets put to work. The small joy of brewing up a cup of tea is one of my go-to ways to get through the long dark days of winter.
In addition to brewing my favorite loose-leaf tea blends (like chai or flavored black tea), it’s been fun to experiment with other homemade teas like this golden turmeric tea with ginger.
There’s a lot to love about this vibrant turmeric ginger tea. For one, it takes just a few minutes to brew once you have a pot of hot water on the stove. I almost always have some fresh ginger root stored away in the freezer for curry or stir fry; it also makes great herbal tea.
You’ll want to think of this ginger turmeric tea as the less potent cousin of the turmeric shot. Both offer the same turmeric health benefits, but this tea is an option for those who prefer to savor their beverages a bit.
Why You’ll Love this Golden Turmeric Tea
- Made with just a few fresh ingredients in minutes on the stovetop. This homemade turmeric tea has so much more flavor than any bagged tea from the store and is a soothing caffeine-free beverage with plenty of potential health benefits.
- Packed with anti-inflammatory compounds like curcumin and piperine that will support your overall wellness. Check out even more anti-inflammatory foods I recommend adding into your diet!
- Easy to customize with other flavors.
Ingredients for Ginger Turmeric Tea
Use these simple and fresh ingredients packed with nutritional value to make this delicious ginger turmeric tea recipe.
- Turmeric: use fresh turmeric root if possible for the best flavor. You can usually find fresh turmeric in the produce section of the grocery store with the other root vegetables like onions and garlic. In a pinch, you can substitute with ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric.
- Ginger: for a stronger flavored tea, use fresh ginger root.
- Cinnamon: we like to pair the turmeric and ginger with cinnamon but this is optional. You can use either ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or add 1-2 sticks of cinnamon to the pot when brewing your tea to add great flavor.
- Lemon: the brightness and tanginess of the lemon helps balance the peppery/bitter flavor of the turmeric and ginger. Plus, there are benefits that come with drinking lemon water!
- Black pepper: in order to better absorb the curcumin in the turmeric, pair it with black pepper – it contains pepperine which significantly improves absorption.
- Honey: add a bit of sweetness to the tea with some honey (which also provides some antioxidants and other health benefits). If you don’t want to use honey, try maple syrup, skip the sweetener altogether, or use your favorite alternative sweetener.
Variations
Make it spicy: if you’re feeling a cold come on or like a little bit of spice, you can add a pinch of ground cayenne to this tea as well. It’s a common addition to turmeric shots – which are similar to this tea.
Use orange: you can swap the lemon out for orange instead. It adds some sweetness and helps balance out the bitter flavors of the turmeric and ginger. Adding some orange zest to the tea while brewing can optimize the orange flavor in the finished tea.
Use dried spices: you can use ½ teaspoon each of ground turmeric powder and ground ginger, but I recommend using fresh spices for the best flavor.
How to Make Golden Turmeric Tea
This healthy golden turmeric tea is simple to put together in a few steps.
Bring Water to Boil: add 2 cups of water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil (or at least a simmer).
Steep the Tea: add the turmeric and ginger to the pot (or to a tea ball). Sprinkle in the ground cinnamon. Allow to steep for 5 minutes in the simmering water. Squeeze the juice from ½ lemon into the pot just before turning off the heat.
Strain & Serve: Strain through a fine mesh strainer (optional) into a mug. Add honey to taste and serve.
Health Benefits of Turmeric and Ginger
Turmeric and ginger belong to the same plant family so it makes sense that they share many of the same health benefits. They are both packed with antioxidants which offer protective health benefits against chronic disease like heart disease or cancer. In addition, they both offer impressive anti-inflammatory benefits.
In fact, there’s research to support consuming them together optimizes their potential anti-inflammatory properties.
If you’re looking to support your immune system during the fall/winter when plenty of viruses are making the rounds, adding this tea to your routine may help keep you healthy. Both turmeric and ginger have been found to bolster your immune system.
- Tea strainer
- Vegetable peeler
- Small saucepan
- Tea mug
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Tea strainer
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Vegetable peeler
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Small saucepan
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Tea mug
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Bring water to a boil and add the turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon. (When using fresh turmeric and ginger, I like to add it to a tea strainer or tea bag.) Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice.
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Strain into a mug (I use a piece of cheesecloth over a fine mesh strainer to catch the cracked black pepper) and add the honey (or desired sweetener).
