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When flu and cold season kicks into gear, I start disinfecting shopping carts, blending this elderberry smoothie, and making my soothing homemade ginger lemon honey tea. This is a classic cold remedy that combines ginger’s anti-inflammatory magic, lemon’s vitamin C boost, and honey’s soothing qualities.
Breath in deep while sipping on this homemade cold and flu remedy to relieve congestion while strengthening your immune system during cold and flu season. No one likes being sick, but having a batch of this tea on hand can really make a difference.
Ginger Lemon Honey Tea Health Benefits
This all-natural home remedy is my first defense when I get sick. It tastes amazing, makes me feel better quickly and speeds up recovery. Here’s some of my favorite health benefits of this tea:
- Ginger helps reduce inflammation and swelling in the body when fighting off a common cold. Fresh lemon juice is rich in vitamin C, which helps boost the immune system and neutralize the free radicals in the body.
- Fresh lemon juice has natural acidity to help break down mucus as well as alleviate congestion.
- Ginger contains a bioactive compound called gingerol, which helps you sweat out the toxins in your body, which is helpful when you have a cold or flu. It’s also a helpful home remedy for cough, settling upset stomachs, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and cold sweats.
- Raw local honey is a natural cough suppressant. It can also improve the body’s ability to fight infection and decrease the risk of fevers. Raw honey and warm water also helps sooth a sore throat, fight infection and help with seasonal allergies.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You only need three ingredients to make this Ginger Lemon Honey Tea. I like to batch it out into a large mason jar and store in the fridge until needed.
- Fresh lemons: use organic lemons or really scrub the peel to remove any pesticide or wax residue. You can create fresh lemon juice by squeezing by hand our using a juicer.
- Fresh ginger root: Found in the produce section. You’ll want to wash it well and cut into thin ginger slices. If you can’t find it, try using herbal ginger tea from a box.
- Raw honey: The natural sweetness of honey balances the tartness of the lemon + ginger. Use raw local honey or Manuka honey for the best results. Infants under one year of age should avoid honey as it can cause botulism.
How to Make Ginger Lemon Honey Tea
This ginger, lemon and honey tea is ideally made in a large batch to have all season long. It’s perfect for soothing a sore throat and relieving congestion in just a few minutes. You can make it fresh with hot water, slice of lemon, ginger, and honey, or you can make it in bulk like I do. Here’s my preferred method:
- Cut lemons and fresh ginger root into thin slices.
- Alternate layering into an airtight jar (ex: mason jar).
- Slowly, pour honey over the lemon slices and fresh ginger root and fill jar to the top. Seal tightly.
- Store in the refrigerator until needed.
- When ready to use, add a large scoop to a mug of hot water. Stir well and sip it down.
Storage Tip
I love using mason jars to store my home remedies, like this ginger lemon honey tea that’s in a quart-size mason jar with a wide mouth.
Common Questions
Lemon ginger honey tea offers numerous health benefits, including boosting the immune system, aiding digestion, and relieving cold symptoms. Ginger may help relieve nausea and increase digestive efficiency. The combination of ginger and honey tea provides anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, while the lemon adds a dose of vitamin C. Together, these ingredients can help soothe sore throats, reduce nausea, and improve overall wellness.
Yes, lemon ginger tea can be an effective home remedy for cough relief. The ginger acts as a natural expectorant, helping to loosen mucus and ease coughing. To make ginger lemon tea for cough, simply add a bit more ginger when preparing the tea and sip it slowly. The honey helps soothe the throat, making it easier to manage coughing fits.
The lemon ginger tea benefits can be enhanced by the addition of honey, which is known for its antibacterial and soothing properties. Ginger is excellent for digestion and reducing inflammation, while honey helps coat and calm an irritated throat. Together, ginger and honey tea can help alleviate symptoms of colds and flu, improve digestion, and provide a natural energy boost.
More Natural Remedies for Cold and Flu
Thirteen years ago, I started on this wellness journey to discover the best home remedies for coughs, colds, and flu. Some we’re a bit wild and I only did once, whereas others were winners and I still use. Here are a few recipes that have stuck with me over the years:
- Elderberry Syrup: can be taken daily, and taken multiple times a day when experiencing cold or flu symptoms. And when you can make a medicinal syrup into popsicles for sore throats, I’m 100% in.
- Homemade Fire Cider: while this tonic is not for the faint of heart, it does wonders in limiting the life of a cold or the flu, and helps to strengthen the immune system along the way. This is one home remedy that’ll scare the cough right out of ya!
- Homemade Vapor Rub: this is a perfect natural remedy for cough + decongestant. Use it on the chest, as well as the feet to soothe.
Ginger Lemon Honey Tea
Ingredients
- 2 lemons organic
- 2 inch ginger root
- 1 cup raw honey
- 16-oz mason jar
Instructions
- Slice lemons and ginger.
- Place the lemon and ginger slices in the mason jar, alternating layers of each.
- Slowly, pour honey over the lemon and ginger. Allow the honey to sink down and around the lemon and ginger slices. Fill jar to the top with honey and seal tightly.
- Store in the refrigerator. Over time, the mixture will start to turn into a loose jelly.
- When you are in need of some soothing tea for cough, scoop 2-3 tablespoons into a mug full of hot water—be sure to scoop whole pieces of ginger and lemon. Allow to steep for 3-4 minutes and sip away.
Video
Notes
- Since lemons are going into this concentrate, make sure to wash them well before slicing.
- Use a jar with a tight-fitting lid to ensure this mixture stays protected.
- For best personal results, use raw, local honey that was made within the season you are using it.
I made the lemon, ginger and honey cold/flu remedy. It was great, even the 16 year old enjoyed. My only concern was when I was obtaining the 2 tablespoons to make the tea do I use the lemon and ginger pieces in the cup to make the tea
Hi Vanessa,
When brewing scoop 2-3 tablespoons into a mug full of hot water—be sure to scoop whole pieces of ginger and lemon. Allow to steep for 3-4 minutes and sip away.
I can’t wait to make this for my family! I thought that I might also make an extra jar to keep at work. Thanks you ladies!
Great idea, Pamela! And cheers to sharing health + wellness with your family! 🙂
Hi dear smoothie team,
I just wanted to suggest adding turmeric to the mixture 😉 it’s a great indian anti-inflammatory & helps to beat a cold.
Regards
Thanks for sharing, Sophie!
Is this drink good for diabetics?
Hi Marcella,
Thank for reaching out to us. Since we are not doctors or nutritionists, we suggest that any member of community with health concerns to speak to their healthcare provider to confirm that our recipes and the natural sugars in them are okay for their eating plan.
I always have used lemon and honey, can’t wait to add the ginger. I going to make a jar to keep in the fridge in the teacher room at school. Also for sore throats equal parts honey and crushed garlic works wonders!
Hi Amy,
What a great idea!! We need healthy teachers! 🙂
Amy, please elaborate on the sore throat remedy. My family gets sore throats frequently. Do you just put it in hot water and drain out the garlic?
Thanks
Hi Amy,
I’ve used equal parts of honey and apple cider vinegar for sore throats, sometimes adding cayenne pepper sometimes. I’ll have to try the honey and garlic. Thanks for the post
Hi
I can’t wait to make cold and flu remedy
Hi Tammy,
Hope it keeps any cold or flu away for you with winter not too far away!
A good and well illustrated article. My only wish is that when you write on natural supplements that include herbs such ginger, maybe you could include norms of safety in use during pregnancy.
This article by the American Pregnancy Association is an eye opener.
link:
Hi Sanjiv,
Great reminder! We definitely suggest that anyone with medical concerns or that is currently pregnant to reach out to their physician to ensure our recipes are the right choice for them + their body.
First question , How many cups of this lemon ginger honey tea can be consumed in a day. Second question , can this recipe be also consumed 30 minutes after diner for digestion purposes.
Hi Kyle,
We suggest having this tea 1-2 times a day when trying to keep a cold at bay, or just went you’re craving a delicious lemon, ginger, honey tea. Enjoying this tea after dinner is a great idea, as the ginger will help aid digestion.
Cheers!
How much honey do you use for a jar?
Hi Simone,
The amount of honey largely depends on the size of your jar. We suggest covering all of the lemon and ginger. If you’re using a 12 oz mason jar, that should be about 6-8 oz of honey.
Hope that helps!
do you need to peel the ginger or just wash it good<
Hi Kenny,
No need to peel the ginger in this recipe. Simply give it a good scrub prior to slicing.
Cheers!
I just made this! How long does “after a while” really mean? How long does it have to stay in the fridge until we can finally enjoy some of it and hopefully cure our cough?
Thank you very much!!!
Hi Caroline,
You’ll reap the health benefits of this tea right away, no need to wait (I usually can’t, I love this tea!!).
Cheers to health + happiness!
Phew! This was my question too, since I had a cough and wanted to make some tonight to drink!
can we add ginger paste instead of ginger pieces.
I wondered the same thing. I have jar ginger only at the moment.
How long does it stay good for?
Hi Sandy,
This recipe will keep in your refrigerator for up to two months.
Cheers.
Hello.. May I asked if I should use old ginger or young ones? And do I need to pound the ginger slices lightly before layering it into jugs?
Hi Jess,
Great question! While the concentrations may vary, old and new ginger are both packed with immunity boosting nutrients to help keep any cold or flu at bay…so use what you have on hand.
Unless you prefer, there’s no need to pound the ginger prior to layering it.
Hope this helps!
thank you so much. I tried having lemon and ginger.tastes cool
Rawesome! You’re so welcome, Shatabdi!
I just wanted to leave a huge thank you to you for this post. I came across it many months ago early in a pregnancy when I got a cold and was seeking natural ways to soothe it. Now here I am, in literally my very last days of pregnancy once again sick (BOO), and remembered this post and made it and I swear it makes such a huge difference and truly works at a time where not much is comforting to me. My husband is even intrigued by it – and that says a lot. So all this blabble is just to say – thank you.
Hi Kari!
Thank you so much for your kind words! So glad to hear this brought you some relief :). Huge congrats on your new little one!
Thanks for being a part of our community! Take care :).