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Home » Recipes » Remedies

Ginger Lemon Honey Tea

By Jen Hansard | 663 Comments

RECIPE CARD LEAVE REVIEW

It's never fun getting sick, especially this year! Today, I'm sharing my tried and true, all-natural home remedies for cough. I recommend making these remedies in advance, so that they're ready for cold and flu season. This ginger lemon honey tea actually works, and not just as a home remedy for a sore throat. Designed to soothe + heal, these ingredients will actually shorten the life of your cold.

All natural ginger honey lemon tea cough remedy

Ginger Lemon Honey Tea Recipe

I made this concoction of fresh lemon, ginger, and raw local honey (best purchased seasonally) to prepare for when the germs start spreading. Now, I keep it in the fridge. At the first sign of a cold or flu, I just scoop out a few tablespoons, add hot water, and enjoy this delicious home remedy for cough.

This is hands down the best way I've ever found to treat a cold, cough or flu naturally. No joke. It tastes amazing, makes me feel great instantly and I quickly recover. Why is that?

Ginger lemon honey tea for cough home remedy

Home Remedy Ingredients

Lemons are high in vitamin C (especially the pith, aka the white part we all usually avoid!). Vitamin C helps boost the immune system and neutralize the free radicals in the body. This reduces the inflammation and swelling in the body when fighting off a common cold. Lemon also has natural acidity that helps break down mucous as well as alleviate congestion

Ginger contains a bioactive compound called gingerol, which is known to be the strong medicinal part of ginger. Helps you sweat out the toxins in your body, which is helpful when you have a cold or flu. Ginger is also a helpful home remedy for cough, settling upset stomachs, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and cold sweats. First found in Southeast Asia, this powerful root not only helps fight the common cold, but also free radicals and inflammation, according to research by the US National Library of Medicine.

Interested in adding more ginger power to your diet? Check out all of our recipes featuring this amazing and powerful root in our member's only meal planner. We have 50+ recipes in Rawk the Year that contain ginger - everything from smoothies to soups to cookies and more!

Honey is a natural cough suppressant (Which explains why the most effective cough drops use honey). It also improves the body's ability to fight infection and decreases the risk of fevers. The natural sweetness of honey also balances the tartness of the lemon + ginger, giving this ginger lemon honey tea its soothing flavor. Raw honey is used to treat a whole host of ailments, including cancer.

this homemade tea is part of my natural home remedies for cough line up

Why I Believe in Natural Remedies

As the weather gets windier and colder, flu and cold season kicks into gear. I get a little obsessive; wiping down the shopping cart like crazy, washing my hands numerous times a day, as well as gulping down my immune boosting green smoothies.

Yet no matter what I do, I get one cold every year. That's why I've come to rely on my home remedies for cough. I've used them for years, so I know that they work for me. Many store-bought treatments contain harmful food dyes, processed sugar, along with other chemicals. If I'm not willing to eat those on the regular, then why would I turn to them when my immune system is down?! The whole food, plant based ingredients used in these home remedies for sore throat and cough are often cheaper, and are definitely healthier than over the counter meds. They also have natural healing properties.

large mason jar of one of the home remedies for cough

Home Remedies for Cold and Flu

In winters past, I hit the drugstore to load up on medicine and cough drops when my annual cold hit... yet I never felt better using them. They tasted gross and I woke up feeling even worse. That's when I decided there had to be a better way—something that was natural and made to heal the body.

Seven years ago, I went on my own wellness warrior journey to discover the best home remedies for cough. Since I learned about so many incredible remedies, I created a whole medicine cabinet of plant based cures. Read on for a few of my tried and true favs:

  • Elderberry syrup: can be taken daily, and taken multiple times a day when experiencing cold or flue symptoms. And when you can make a medicinal syrup into popsicles, I'm 100% here for it.
  • Rawkstar 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- The recipe below has a whole host of benefits, just like the others on this list. I love this recipe for allergies, when I feel any kind of sickness coming on, or if I'm in the middle of a full blown cold.

Practical Uses for Home Remedies

Typically, when I start to feel a tickle in my throat, a stuffy nose, or the body aches, I grab a shot of fire cider. My kids and I take elderberry syrup on the daily throughout the winter. I use the vapor rub if congestion is keeping me from sleeping, and my son Jackson also uses it to help with seasonal allergies. This ginger lemon honey tea recipe can be sipped throughout the day as a home remedy for cough, sore throat, or the flu.

overhead shot of the ingredients for ginger lemon honey tea, one of the home remedies for cough that I love.
pouring raw honey into this home remedy for cough

Tried and True Storage Tips

Have you noticed I use an awful lot of mason jars? There’s a reason why Mr. John Mason’s jars have been a popular storage favorite for over a century! I love them not just for serving green smoothies, but for storing this healthful home remedy for cough recipe. These days you can find them anywhere from antique shops to grocery stores. I often buy mine at a local feed supply store.

Please let me know in the comments below if you've tried this natural remedies for cough recipe for ginger lemon honey tea, or any of the other home remedies for sore throats (and a whole host of other ailments!) I've created. I'd love to know how they work for your family.

a beautiful jar ready for cold + flu season, as a home remedy for sore throat
All natural ginger honey lemon tea cough remedy

Ginger Lemon Honey Tea

4.94 from 45 votes
Rate this Recipe Print Recipe
This home remedy for cough and cold is my go-to! You can make this immunity boosting, body soothing concoction ahead of time and store in the fridge. I usually keep my mixture for about two months or until we use it all up.
Total Time10 minutes
Servings10 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 lemons (organic)
  • 2 inch ginger root
  • 1 cup honey
  • 12-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, 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

Nutrition (estimated)

Calories: 110kcal (6%) Carbohydrates: 30g (10%) Protein: 1g (2%) Fat: 1g (2%) Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 1g Sodium: 2mg Potassium: 53mg (2%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 28g (31%) Vitamin A: 5IU Vitamin C: 12mg (15%) Calcium: 8mg (1%) Iron: 1mg (6%)

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. R Snyder

    August 16, 2021 at 8:01 pm

    How long can you store this? Does it need to be in fridge? Thank you

    Reply
    • Kathy

      December 20, 2021 at 2:30 pm

      Do you have to put this in tea?
      Can it be taken by a spoonful like cough syrup?

    • Simple Green Smoothies

      December 28, 2021 at 8:04 am

      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!

  2. Abriel

    August 16, 2021 at 1:15 am

    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?

    Reply
  3. Dinah

    April 13, 2021 at 4:32 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing, may God bless you.

    Reply
    • Simple Green Smoothies

      April 15, 2021 at 9:53 am

      It's our joy, Dinah. Please stay healthy. 🙂

  4. Magaret Frein

    April 08, 2021 at 10:43 pm

    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.

    Reply
  5. Icy

    March 18, 2021 at 12:40 pm

    5 stars
    What type of honey do you normally use?

    Reply
    • Simple Green Smoothies

      March 22, 2021 at 9:43 pm

      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!

  6. Kevin

    March 03, 2021 at 8:43 am

    Looks really good! It is necessary to peel the ginger or can I just leave the skin on.

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Simple Green Smoothies

      March 05, 2021 at 8:37 am

      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.

  7. Zarina

    February 24, 2021 at 11:02 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Simple Green Smoothies

      February 25, 2021 at 9:53 am

      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.

  8. Rene

    January 31, 2021 at 3:50 pm

    I tried making this and mine became very liquidy but not jelly like 🙁

    Reply
    • Simple Green Smoothies

      February 01, 2021 at 7:40 pm

      Hi Rene - make sure to store in the fridge and over time you will find it turn into that jelly-like consistency. 🙂

    • Rene

      February 02, 2021 at 12:34 pm

      I did store it in the fridge and no matter how long I left it the honey turned thin and runny.

    • Simple Green Smoothies

      February 06, 2021 at 7:42 am

      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!

    • Zarina

      February 24, 2021 at 11:08 pm

      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 .

    • Simple Green Smoothies

      February 25, 2021 at 9:55 am

      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. 🙂

  9. Dawn

    January 24, 2021 at 7:43 pm

    5 stars
    Super easy! Happy to use local honey!

    Reply
    • Simple Green Smoothies

      January 26, 2021 at 11:30 am

      Hi Dawn!! 🙂 So glad it worked well for you and that you're able to support your local honey provider!

  10. CARLA

    January 22, 2021 at 12:34 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Simple Green Smoothies

      January 26, 2021 at 11:18 am

      Love that Carla! It's so good that we are all still using and sharing homemade, tried and true ways of healing sickness!

  11. Emily

    January 21, 2021 at 7:41 pm

    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?

    Reply
    • Simple Green Smoothies

      January 22, 2021 at 8:19 am

      Great question Emily! We keep this in the fridge for up to two months or until gone, whichever comes first. 🙂

  12. Samantha

    January 21, 2021 at 4:35 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for this easy, YUMMY home remedy!! I thankfully had ginger on hand, because I love your banana + ginger packed green smoothie in your amazing book!!!

    Reply
    • Simple Green Smoothies

      January 22, 2021 at 8:19 am

      Awesome Samantha! We love ginger too!

  13. sana

    January 15, 2021 at 6:09 am

    5 stars
    lovely

    Reply
  14. Thandy

    January 11, 2021 at 9:43 am

    It's my first aid kit when having some sore throat, and hey ..!! it never disappoints..I love, love love this concoction...

    Reply
  15. Sam

    December 18, 2020 at 10:45 am

    5 stars
    This looked like an easy recipe, so I made it up and put it in the refrigerator about 2-3 months ago. Four days ago I came down with this head cold; sore throat, headache, runny nose. Everything seemed yukky to me. Then I remembered this concoction. Good grief! It tasted so darn good! I had it in a smaller mason jar and have gone through it as of today; and feeling much better! Time to make more.

    Reply
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Jen hansard blogger at Simple Green Smoothies About

I'm Jen Hansard, mom of two, plant-based foodie, adventure junkie + cookbook author.

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