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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.
It looks like you don’t need to peel the ginger for this…is that correct? Thank you!
Hi Tana,
No need to peel, as you’ll be steeping the ginger instead of consuming.
Cheers 🙂
Hi all, Thanks for this! What a great idea! I’ve been putting about a thumb size of fresh ginger in about a litre of water and bringing it to the boil and simmering for around 10 mins and then adding honey and lemon juice but never thought of doing it this way! Really looking forward to trying this. 🙂
Hi Melanie,
Rawesome! Cheers to health + happiness!
Can I make the anti cold mixture / store bought honey? I don’t have a clue where I could get the raw honey.
I’ve never written to you before, but I read all your mail and love the smoothies!! You two have opened my eyes!! Thank you, and a healthy winter to it’s all!!
Hi Shelley,
Of course! I’m lucky to have honey hives just down the street from my house!
Just so you have an idea of the difference -honey in its natural state has enzymes and nutrients in it that are destroyed by the heat (especially the high heat from pasteurization), while raw honey retains all of those nutrients to give the maximum health benefits. While you can sometimes find raw honey in your grocery aisle, pasteurized or raw you’ll still be reaping major health benefits!!
Cheers 🙂
DOSE GINGER WORK COLD?? IF I DRINK IT COLD
Hi Gaby,
I’ve always found the flavor infuses best when added to warm water, but it’s worth a try! Looking for a great immunity boost, try adding ginger to your favorite green smoothie in the morning! I add about 1 inch of fresh ginger to most recipes, I love the added spice!
Cheers 🙂
i made the flu remedy a few days ago. the honey is now a much thinner consistency, but the lemon and ginger seem too firm to scoop out a piece. will they get softer and jelly like? or should they just be cut into small bits that are easy to scoop out with a spoonful?
Hi Rachek,
Thanks for reaching out! The lemon + ginger will soften over time, but if you’re finding the remedy hard to scoop slicing the lemon + ginger into smaller pieces may help!
Cheers to health, happiness, + leafy greens!
Hi, I made this yesterday and was curious if you continue to keep the ginger and lemons in the jar while storing it in the refrigerator? Thanks!
Hi Carol,
Yes! Keep everything in a sealed container in your refrigerator! Over time the ingredients will turn into a jelly, perfect for scooping up a small amount + adding to your warm water!
Here’s to keeping healthy during cold + flu season!
How long does the 12once is good for once in the refrigerator
Hi Nubian Queen,
This great cold + flu remedy will keep in the fridge for months!
Hey, for how long to you leav it until you can use it?
Feel free to use it right away. 🙂 Enjoy!
Thanks for this recipe. Seem something like it years ago but never thought of making it like this for multiple uses. Y’all are simply wonderful. Love your website and Facebook page. I hope to soon sign on for your 21 day challenge. Have tried a few of your green smoothies and love them.
Thanks for all y’all do. Oh yeah from Georgia lol
I’m from Georgia too! Augusta…where are you, Cheryl?
I am not a fan of fresh ginger but this is wonderful! It will definitely be something I keep on hand at all times. I just had one cup so far but I loved it. It is very soothing and refreshing. Thanks for the recipe!
Cheers!
Hi Lisa.
What I do is take one scoop of honey, lemon and ginger and place it in my cup with warm water. I would suggest not adding more honey, but to start from scratch when it done. It you cut your lemon into small enough slices, it should end all at the same time.
I’ve been making something similar which can help with arthritis. In a large mug put 1 heaped teaspoon each of cinnamon and organic turmeric, a piece of fresh ginger (thumb size), which I grate with a micro grater to get about 2 teaspoons of pulp and juice, juice of a lemon or lime, honey to taste. Top up with boiling water, stir well and drink.
It forms a jelly like consistency when cool. Flavour wise it packs a punch, so you could get 2 mugfuls out of it. All good stuff! (Careful with turmeric, it stains everything!)
Hey Isabel! You rock! Thanks for sharing! Cheers to health!
I purchased raw unfiltered honey and it looks like paste is this right??
Yes, it is a lot thicker, than ‘normal honey’ that we are used to.
can you make this in an old pickle jar?
Totally! Just make sure you wash it out. 🙂
hello! I just made this about an hour again. I want to know how long it takes to turn to jelly?
Hey Dorothy.
With in a week if should start to slowly turn. 🙂
Does anyone know how many carbs would be in this per serving? My 6 yr old daughter is diabetic so I have to be careful what I give her And count her carbs.. she would really enjoy this. She has bad asthma so winters are really hard on her. She always seems to get bronchitis in the winter months.
Hi Bartlett.
Thanks for reaching out. What type of honey are you using?
Jessie,
What type or brand of honey do u use?
Hi Bam,
I personally love reaching for raw local honey! My neighbor keeps bees!
Cheers 🙂