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When flu and cold season kicks into gear, I start wiping down the shopping carts, blending elderberry smoothies, and making this homemade ginger lemon honey tea. It’s the best way I’ve found to treat a cold, cough, or flu naturally.
Ginger Lemon Honey Tea is a natural cold remedy drink that combines ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties, lemon’s vitamin C boost, and honey’s soothing qualities. This homemade tea for congestion helps relieve symptoms and supports the immune system, providing comfort during cold and flu season.
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.
- Fresh ginger root: Found in the produce section.
- Raw honey: The natural sweetness of honey balances the tartness of the lemon + ginger. Use raw or manuka honey for the best results.
How to Make Ginger Lemon Honey Tea
This ginger honey tea is perfect for soothing a sore throat and providing a comforting beverage in just a few minutes. You can always 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:
- Slice lemons and ginger and alternate layering into an airtight jar (ex: mason jar).
- Slowly, pour honey over the lemons and ginger and fill jar to the top. Seal tightly.
- Store in the refrigerator until needed.
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.
Ginger Lemon Honey Tea Benefits
I use this all-natural home remedies for cough as my first defense when we do get sick. It tastes amazing, makes me feel better quickly and speeds up recovery. Here’s why…
- Reduces the inflammation and swelling in the body when fighting off a common cold. Lemons are high in vitamin C, which helps boost the immune system and neutralize the free radicals in the body.
- Breaks down mucus and alleviates congestion: Lemon has natural acidity to help break down mucus as well as alleviate congestion.
- Helps you sweat out the toxins in your body, which is helpful when you have a cold or flu. Ginger contains a bioactive compound called gingerol, which is known to be the strong medicinal part of ginger. It’s also a helpful home remedy for cough, settling upset stomachs, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and cold sweats.
- Natural cough suppressant thanks to the honey. It can also improve the body’s ability to fight infection and decrease the risk of fevers.
Common Questions
Lemon ginger honey tea offers numerous health benefits, including boosting the immune system, aiding digestion, and relieving cold symptoms. 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 Home Remedies for Cold and Flu
Thirteen years ago, I went on a wellness journey to discover the best home remedies for coughs, colds, flu, and whatever came our way. 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% 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
Ingredients
- 2 lemons organic
- 2 inch ginger root
- 1 cup raw 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 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.
Hi there! So looking at this all I see as far as measurents is how much ginger to use. I could probably figure it out but the mason jar size isn’t listed either. It is just based on filling whatever size you are using? Feeling clueless lol! Thanks!
Hi Lana.
Thanks for reaching out. Does this help?
2 lemons (thoroughly cleaned)
2 piece of fresh ginger (about the size of your pointer and middle finger)
Raw honey
12 oz mason jar
Turns out it was my browser not showing amounts. Was able to see it on my iPad
This may sound weird but I don’t have any lemons, can I use a grapefruit. Would that work as a substitute? Thank you
Hey Patricia. I haven’t used grapefruit before, but it is always worth a try. Do you have limes?
Joined your site 20-January 2015 was unable to find the recipe for this smoothie with lemom giner and honey. Please send it to me. I have had bronchitis for two months had three different antibiotics, a shot, and cough syrup. Began with a sinus infection, bronchitis, bronichal puemonia. Please helpp me. Open to any suggestions.
Hey Donna.
Thanks for reaching out + hope you feel better soon. Have you tried the above recipe in warm water. That is the only recipe I can think of on our site with lemon, ginger, and honey. Here is a green smoothie recipe we call the flu fighter:
2 cups fresh kale
1 1⁄2 cups water
1 banana
2 oranges, peeled
1 cup strawberries
Here is another recipe you might enjoy:
2 cups fresh spinach
2 cups almond milk,unsweetened
1 banana
2 apples, any variety,
core removed
1⁄2-inch fresh ginger, peeled
How long will this stay fresh in the fridge?
My great grandma made something similar but included cinnamon sticks. And added a shot of Whisky to the hot water.
We haven’t had it in our fridge long enough to know how long the actually keep time is. The longest I’ve had it in my fridge is a month, give or take. Once we make it, we use it up pretty quickly.
But, I’d check it once a month if you still have it and be sure it hasn’t spoiled or turned.
My mom used to give us a sort of hot toddy when we were sick as kids?! Lol 🙂
I’m feeling under the weather and made this remedy. I’m hoping for a quick recovery looks amazing.
Hope it helps out, Shannon! We use this a lot in my house when we start feeling icky. 🙂
I cannot find 12-ounce mason jars online. I can only find 8-ounce and 16-ounce and the the quilted jelly ones in the 12-ounce. Am I missing something? Can you provide a link to the jars you used? Thanks so much…look forward to trying this.
Hi Robin,
Have you checked out our essentials page? Here it is :: simplegreensmoothies.com/essentials 🙂 Hope that helps!!
Fabulous, what a weblog it is! This blog presents useful
facts to us, eep it up.
Thanks so much!! 🙂
I made this a few days ago & it’s pretty liquidy, did I do something wrong? Or will it gel up soon? Thanks!
Hey Tina.
What kind of honey did you use?
My wife mad some about 2 months ago. I drive big rig. So if I come home feeling crappy. The first thing I do is make some tea and use 2 table spoons. It’s cheaper than a doctor visit. We still have some left. And it’s still good to go.
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I’m not sure what you take with 3-4 tblsp of the liquid or the lemons & ginger? Do you throw them out after drinking a cup ? Please clarify.
I came down with something and made some yesterday. It was good yesterday, but even better today. I made some for my oldest daughter to take home with her. One question–do you just use the liquid, or do you scoop some of the lemon and ginger out with it too?
Hi Lydia.
Thanks for the comment. Yes, please scoop part honey, lemon, and ginger into each cup of warm water that you use. Hope that helps.
Thanks for sharing this!
Hi,
I only have a 32oz mason Jar can I fill it 1/2 way or does the jar need to be full.? Thank you
Hi Dawn. Whatever works best for you. You can do 32 or 12 oz. 🙂
I make something similar, but I grate ginger, slice lemon and add raw honey to a cup of hot water. I used to slice it, but it is way more intense when you grate the ginger. In a pinch one can use dried ginger too. Great idea to make a large jar and store it. Luckily we haven’t needed it yet this year. 🙂
I love honey and lemon for colds and upper respiratory infections but I never thought to pre-make it. Thanks for the idea. I have a batch in the frig already!
YAY! Glad you are enjoying it!
Sounds good and I plan to try it.
Raw Honey? Where can I buy that?
Also, how long before it is ready to use?
Hi Jlo.
Raw honey can be found at most health food stores, such as Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s.
You can use it right away. 🙂
So I bought some raw honey, but it has crystallized already so it is SOLID. What is the best way to ‘warm it up’ so I can pour it over the ginger and lemon?
Merry Christmas and takes for all the recipes, I am a green smoothie convert for about 3 months now. Love it!