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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.
THis is the first cold/flu season I have used this recipe and I am in love! I caught a nasty cold and cough but had to keep “momming” I drank tea with this in it and I do believe it helped me, and it tastes so good and soothing. THank you!
Hey Jennifer,
I am so happy that this recipe helped you to keep up with the hardest job out there. Being mommy!!
I’ve had a cough for 3 was., so I took some tea and put a teaspoon of powdered ginger ., mixed it up and drank it all at once., next morning couldn’t believe no coughing constantly..old remedy.
Hey Ada,
Wow that is so amazing! Thank you for sharing that with us.
Can I use raw acasia honey for this? I am just wondering because my other honey always forms a thick crystal at the bottom and I end up not being able to use that part. Thank you very much for your reply.
Hey Jeanette,
You can definitely use hat honey! Let us know how it turns out for you 🙂
Thank you very much for your reply Carissa! I am going to try it now! Just got back from the holidays, so now kicking the winter away with this yummy concoction!!!
Mine became watery and never seemed to gel. Don’t know what I did wrong.
Hey Trina,
I am sorry your recipe didn’t turn to gel. Maybe double check your container and make sure that it is air tight and that you had it sealed correctly. It could take a while to thicken up so make sure to give it enough time.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I plan to run out today for the honey to get me started. Do you think at the end of the shelf life (2 months), I could use the ginger, lemon, and honey to boil into a tea or are the ingredients pretty much fried by then? Thanks again, love this idea
Hey Janell,
I am always using the end ingredients for my recipes so I think they would be just fine! Plus that way you wont have to waste anything either.
Enjoy! 🙂
Cut my daughters cough at least in half within an hour or so
Hey Misha,
That is so awesome!!
I am so glad that this recipe was able to help you daughter.
Ginger and carrot make a nice refreshing healthy drink and the ginger is also good for immune system
Hey Michelle,
SO happy you enjoyed this recipe. It is truly refreshing with the amazing benefits as well.
Looks great
Hey Argel,
Thanks!!! Hope you enjoy this recipe.
Cheers!
Looksgreat
How long will this last in the fridge?
Hey Sarah,
This can last about 3 months in your fridge. Make sure to keep it in an air tight container.
I’ve read the amazing benefits of ginger and no one has mentioned ginger beer. My wife wanted to try making a moscow mules (vodka & ginger beer with lime juice). I started drinking the ginger beer as a refreshment instead of pop. I can feel the benefit after a week, not sure how much ginger is brewed into this drink and you do get extra sugar but it taste great . I will try to make some ginger tea. Cheers to our good health all you ginger users.
Hey Meenal,
Yes ginger beer is amazing!
I am so happy that you are seeing the benefits of drinking it.
Cheers!!
Mine turne watery after leaving in the fridge for a few days
Thanks for sharing the recipe. It looks yummy and I will definitely try this. I’m wondering if I could add turmeric to the mix. Any thoughts?
Hey Connie,
It really is super yummy! You could definitely add some turmeric if you want to. That would just add to the benefits of this already amazing cold remedy!
Hey Connie,
This recipe really is delicious! You could totally add some turmeric to this mix. That would just add to the amazing cold remedies it already has 🙂
The best! Works for me all the time! Just make sure you do this right away soon as you start feeling you are about to get colds or soon as you feel your throat started hurting, the sooner you take this tea the sooner the cough and cold goes away!
Yes I do. And it’s very refreshing in the summertime.
hi my name is Tina and a wonderful lady told me about this recipe and it works wonderful you can take it by this teaspoon or you can make lemonade out of it your little ones will love it. I’m a babysitter and I have some special needs children and they have a lot of health issues so I give them lemonade everyday I love it… You can make it as sweet as you want or as weak as you want and I make it by the gallon…