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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.
How long do you need to let it sit before it turns into the jelly substance to be able to use it
Hi Dana, that’s a great question. You can use it right away, just make sure you include the slices of lemon and bits of ginger in your mug!
I’m confused… in an older post, a question was asked how long it stores in the refrigerator, answer was 5-7 days. Days? This is only good in the refrigerator for 5-7 days? I figured it would last longer then last. How fast does it turn into a loose jelly?
I’m so sorry Heather on the contradicting information. Yes, the Ginger Lemon Honey Tea “concentrate” in this recipe will stay good in the refrigerator for a couple of months or even a little longer as long as it’s well sealed.
I boil my ginger and lemon for a few and then add in honey. Sometimes a little chopped onion. Drinking some now, woke up coughing from a cold.
I also rub a little eucalyptus on my chest and temples and put some in diffuser, its going now. Love the tea!
Good recipe thanks for sharing
How long will this last in frig?
Great question, Emily! I keep mine refrigerated for about 2-3 months. It’s usually gone in 2, but it’s safe for up to 3. 🙂
How long does this store for in the fridge?
If sealed well, this can last up to 5-7 days in the fridge.
Hi! How soon after preparing this can it be used? Does it need to sit for a certain amount of time first? Thanks for a great looking recipe!
Great question, Melissa! After the mixture concentrate is prepared, you can start using right away to make your tea. Be sure to let the amount you mix into your hot water steep for 2-3 minutes before you start to sip. Stay well!
Any info on how soon you can use after preparing?
How long can you store this? Does it need to be in fridge? Thank you
Do you have to put this in tea?
Can it be taken by a spoonful like cough syrup?
Hi Kathy! We’ve not tried it, yet you could totally take it like cough syrup. We’d start small for sure as it will be strong. Let us know what you think and how it works for you!
Hi! I plan to try this recipe out and I wanted to know if you could use this within a day of making it? Or is it something that has to be made in advance?
Thank you so much for sharing, may God bless you.
It’s our joy, Dinah. Please stay healthy. 🙂
Rich in antioxidants, nutrients, and anti-inflammatory properties, green tea is always a healthy choice. What you can’t assume is that all green tea is created equal, therefore all tastes the same.
What type of honey do you normally use?
We normally opt for locally sourced raw honey. It provides the best phytonutrients, which can be destroyed in processed versions of honey. So hit up those roadside honey stands you see on your drive through town for the best stuff!
Looks really good! It is necessary to peel the ginger or can I just leave the skin on.
Thanks!
Love this question! The answer is no, it’s def not necessary to peel your ginger. Lots of rawkstars prefer to freeze their ginger in 1″ chunks to make it easier for smoothies, and then peel skin off with a spoon. Yet, it’s totally fine to leave it on. The only exception would be if the ginger is super old and wrinkly. Then go ahead and peel it off.
So… you put slices of both lemon and ginger from the mason jar in the cup where you ‘ll pour the water. OK. Simple. But, do you EAT the lemon and ginger pieces? Or is it just for steeping?
And, also… could leftover lemon and ginger slices inside the mason jar be BLENDED with a bit of honey and distilled water in order to still use them for their medicinal properties (refrigerating in the mason that mason jar??). Just curious. I’d hate to waste any of it. Thank you!
Awesome questions Zarina! The lemon and ginger are for steeping only. You could totally try blending them with honey afterward, yet there wouldn’t be as much nutritional benefit as when fresh. Most of it will have already been taken in when drinking the remedy originally.
I tried making this and mine became very liquidy but not jelly like 🙁
Hi Rene – make sure to store in the fridge and over time you will find it turn into that jelly-like consistency. 🙂
I did store it in the fridge and no matter how long I left it the honey turned thin and runny.
Hmm…We def want to get this one heading in the right direction for you! The consistency can definitely change if you use non-raw honey, or pre-bottled lemon juice instead of fresh lemon juice. So those would be good places to start troubleshooting. Also make sure to store it in an airtight container, and consider trying again with less lemon juice to start. Keep us posted!
Mine came out runny too because my lemons were HUGE! . Planning on adding more honey as one of my 2 mason jars starts running 1/2 empty. I’ll compare both jars at that point— the thickness/ jelly-likeness of each .
You’re so right Zarina! The additional liquid from the larger lemons would def make for a dif consistency. Keep us posted on how it goes for you next time with your adjustments. 🙂
Super easy! Happy to use local honey!
Hi Dawn!! 🙂 So glad it worked well for you and that you’re able to support your local honey provider!
I don’t know where the blog is for leaving a message. I didn’t make this recipe but I grew up with lemon, honey, and ginger heated in a pot for sipping slowly in a cup. This was used for sore throats, coughs and it tasted really good. Measurements I do not know but I would make it so it would be a little sweet with the lemon and the bite of the ginger.
Love that Carla! It’s so good that we are all still using and sharing homemade, tried and true ways of healing sickness!
Hi! I made a jar of this about two months ago and it was amazing! I’m wondering how long it will keep in the fridge?
Great question Emily! We keep this in the fridge for up to two months or until gone, whichever comes first. 🙂