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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
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.
Do you peel the ginger?
Hi Lisa! No need to peel the ginger in this one.
Is there a vegan alternative to this? There’s vegan honey made with apples. Will that or anything else provide the same benefits?
Hi Susie! I’m not sure if vegan honey will have the same effect or not. Definitely worth a shot if that’s something you’re interested in!
Hi drink at least 2 cups of this every single day. It replaced my coffee and it’s refreshing. I also like it cold.
I don’t think I can even count how many people that I’ve given this recipe to.
This isn’t specifically a remedy from you, but my go-to for sore throats is mullien tea with raw honey. It’s amazing!
Great idea, Heather!
Can you can this to make it shelf stable and still receive the healing benefits?
Hi Kaitlyn! I’d def recommend storing in the fridge and only making the tea at the time of consumption.
How long is it good to store in a fridge for? For a jar with a lid that’s already popped? And how long is it good for in the fridge if it is a mason jar? Thanks!
Hi Courtney! The “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 in something like a mason jar!
Do I add tea to the mixture?
Hi Brenda – you just pour hot water over your Ginger Lemon Honey mixture. These are the only 4 ingredients you need to make this tea! 🙂 Perfect for a sore throat and congestion.
Looking for healthy alternatives to pharmaceutical meds.
I’ve done this in the past, it’s great I love having it available. Could I use oranges with the same positive benefits? I have several oranges on hand right now and no lemons.
Hey Sherry – that’s a great question.
You could definitely swap the oranges for lemons for this recipe and you’d get the right amount of Vitamin C, however, lemons are more acidic than oranges. The higher acid content in the lemons helps break down mucous way, which alleviates congestion, way better than oranges do. So, there are some extra benefits to using lemons, but feel free to use the oranges for a great boost of Vitamin C. 🙂
Another question. I used the 12 oz jar and it was all the way to the top. Not enough room for all the lemon or honey. Should I use smaller lemons or maybe cut the slices in half or perhaps use a quart jar? Thank you. I’m trying to find a recipe that will help my daddy’s chronic coughing. All X-rays and test are negative, just can’t shake a post Covid cost. Thank you so much for your input. Really hoping this recipe works. Just want to make sure I’m mixing it right.
Hey here Mitzi, I’m sorry to hear that your dad has such a bad cough. That’s very sweet that you’re doing what you can to help. Use as large of a container as you need, but also, don’t be afraid of pushing the ginger slices and lemon slices down. Thinner sliced will be more easily packed into the jar. You may also need to pour the honey in as you go, rather than waiting until the end.
This Bieler’s Blended Vegetable Soup is packed with nutrition, that may help boost his immune system. My only caution is to remember that overcooking vegetables can take away some of their nutrition, so watch out for that. Second, some Elderberry Syrup could also help his body fight back. Peace, love, and leafy greens, Mitza!
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
How often can you drink a cup of this mixture?
Drink as often as you’d like, keeping in mind any prior conditions or medications that may be affected by lemon or sugars from honey.
Made this but mine is a liquid not a jelly. What did I do wrong