Ginger Tea Ingredients
The ginger root, though ugly on the outside, has many health benefits hidden under its gnarled brown skin. Ginger tea has long been a popular drink in Asia for its pleasing taste as well as its health benefits.
Ginger tea is easy to make and noncaffeinated, and it only requires a few ingredients and a few minutes.
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Ginger
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Ginger is a tasty remedy for colds, sore throats and other winter ailments. For people with stomach ailments, such as indigestion or digestive problems, ginger is a valuable resource. Ginger lends a spicy and fiery kick to hot tea.
Ginger root can be stored for several weeks, dried or made into a powder. Any of these methods work when making ginger tea, although whole ginger makes for a more well-balanced tea.
Other Ingredients
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Adding freshly squeezed lemon to your ginger tea brings a tart citrus taste forward and boosts the vitamin C content.
Honey or agave nectar will lightly sweeten your tea. If you have a sore throat, honey is an especially good addition.
You can also add cayenne, cardamom, cloves or cinnamon. However, cayenne pepper is very strong, so only a little bit--just a dash--will suffice.
Crushed cardamom, whole cloves and cinnamon sticks will each add a nice slightly spicy or sweet flavor to your tea, if you desire.
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Process
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Slice a few pieces of ginger, or grate fresh ginger, directly into your cup. Grated ginger will be stronger, so only a tablespoon or so should be fine. Cut a ripe lemon in half, squeezing both sides into a bowl. Strain out any seeds.
Heat a kettle of water. Once it is boiling, pour it over the sliced or grated ginger. The longer it steeps, the stronger it will taste. Steep at least five to 10 minutes, or up to 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove the ginger pieces. For slices, tongs work well. For grated ginger, either strain the tea into another cup, or, for a particularly pungent tea, leave the pieces in.
Add honey or agave, lemon and any additional ingredients to taste.
Tips and Warnings
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If you are drinking ginger tea for digestive issues, do not add lemon. The acidity in the juice may hurt your stomach rather than help your health.
Where to Find
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Ginger root, once only found in specialty Asian food markets, can now be found at any grocery store in the produce aisle. Choose a big piece, as it stores for several weeks.
Other Uses
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Ginger can be found pink and pickled in sushi restaurants or used as a base for homemade ginger ale or ginger beer. It can also be sweetened and made into crystalized ginger candy.
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References
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- Photo Credit skrasii: Everystockphoto.com
