Make Your Throat Feel Better with Honey Lemon Ginger Tea
When cool weather comes, there’s nothing like a warm drink to bring some comfort and warmth to your body. Cold weather also often brings its fair share of illnesses and wear and tear on our bodies. One of the first signs of sickness coming on is a slight tickle in the throat. This is my sign to seek out some kind of soothing tea for a sore throat and to boost up my immune system. Whenever possible, I try to seek natural options to combat any sickness when it first starts to take hold.
Elderberries, apple cider vinegar, fresh garlic, turmeric, bone broth, fresh fruits and vegetables and plenty of outdoor time (even in the cold) go a long way in keeping my body healthy. But when I feel a scratchy throat coming on (or if I just want a soothing warm beverage), I like to make a cup of honey lemon ginger tea. Technically it’s not a traditional tea because I’m not steeping dried ingredients, but it still does the trick and is easy to whip up. We’ll get into the how in just a minute but first let’s look at our 3 main ingredients.
Honey: The Sweet in Tea for a Sore Throat
Honey is a staple in my kitchen for baked goods, dressings, and marinades. It’s also good for soothing a scratchy throat and can be just as effective (and both healthier and cheaper) than traditional cough medicine.
Locally sourced honey, which is usually raw, is good option if you can find it. Raw honey has not been as heavily processed as traditional honey and tends to retain all of its natural enzymes, antioxidants, and vitamins.
Lemon: The Zing in Tea for a Sore Throat
Like other citrus, lemon is rich in vitamin C which is a key ingredient in boosting your immune system. It also adds a nice, bright flavor to the tea and balances out the sweetness of the honey. Fresh lemon juice will pack the most flavor but bottled juice will work in a pinch.
Ginger: The Spice in Tea for a Sore Throat
Ginger is sold as both a powder in the spice section of the store and as a raw herb. Raw ginger is actually part of the underground growth of the ginger plant. It’s often used in cooking to add spice and warmth to food but also has other benefits as well. It has anti-inflammatory properties that can soothe a sore throat and it can also aid with digestion (upset tummy anyone?). Surprisingly, it’s fairly easy to grow in your garden and then have on hand for fresh use.
How to Grow Ginger to Use in Tea for a Sore Threat
Ginger is a perennial plant with rhizomes (underground stems that help grow both the roots and foliage above ground) that are edible. The edible rhizome is what you buy at the local store to then use at home. With a little preparation, you can even use store-bought ginger as your seed plant to get the plant growing at home.
The technique you’d use for growing ginger at home depends on your growing hardiness zone. Typically, ginger is hardy for zones 9-12, so for my garden in Tennessee (and most of the U.S.), this would need to be grown in a container. Unlike normal roots, the rhizomes grow mostly horizontally instead of vertically (like roots). Therefore, the growing container would need to be wider than it is deep.
Once the plants are established outside in a partly sunny area, you’ll want to keep a close watch on their watering. Ginger likes to stay moist (remember, it’s a tropical plant) so you don’t want to let it dry out. You’d then move this container indoors when temperatures drop regularly below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. You’re essentially growing a tropical plant so when outdoor conditions become less tropical, you’ll need to move the plant indoors seasonally. There is plenty of information available online with specific details on growing ginger in your home garden.
Sore Throat Tea Ingredients
- Fresh ginger- ½” -1” piece peeled (a larger piece adds more spice)
- Honey (preferably raw)- 1 Tbsp
- Fresh lemon- 2 Tbsp
- Hot water- 1.5-2 cups (less water makes a more concentrated drink)
How to Prepare Honey Lemon Ginger Tea for a Sore Throat
- Boil the Water:
- Heat about 1.5-2 cups of water to a simmer (don’t let it reach a rolling boil to preserve the honey’s beneficial ingredients).
- Prepare the Ingredients:
- Peel the outer skin off the piece of fresh ginger. For a stronger flavor you can slice it into small pieces.
- Squeeze the juice from half a lemon for about 2 tablespoons (or bottled juice if you don’t have a fresh lemon).
- Measure out 1 tablespoons of honey.
- Combine Ingredients:
- Add the ginger to the hot water and let it steep for 3-5 minutes.
- Remove the ginger if you wish (I tend to leave mine in if it’s one larger piece).
- Stir in the lemon juice and honey.
Extra Tips:
- You can make this multiple times a day for ongoing relief. I’ll even reuse my piece of ginger if I want another cup right away and I’m feeling lazy. Although, previously-used ginger is not as strong the second time around.
- For an extra zip or to help clear out your sinuses, you can add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- You can also experiment with different herbal tea bases, such as peppermint or chamomile. These both have soothing properties that can help soothe discomfort. You can easily grow these herbs, and others, in your garden each year. The dried leaves make a great base for herbal teas.
So, the next time you’ve got a tickle in your throat, try out this simple soothing drink. I even find myself going for it when I’m simply craving something warm and hydrating that isn’t caffeinated. The ingredients are easy to keep on hand in your pantry and refrigerator so it’s simple to whip this up at any time. And for a new gardening challenge, try growing your own ginger rhizomes at home. Once you do, you may never go back. There’s no comparable to the pungent, spicy flavor of freshly harvested ginger!
