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This metabolism tea is a zesty, hydrating drink with a real bite from fresh ginger and cayenne. It comes from my 21-Day Cleanse, where I sip it between meals or right before I eat. Lemon and apple cider vinegar keep every sip tangy and bright, while raw honey mellows it all out.
On busy afternoons, I stir up a glass in five minutes and sip it while I get dinner started. Best of all, it’s caffeine-free, so you can enjoy it at any hour. It’s also one of my best weight loss drinks.
You might also like these warm drinks: Ginger Lemon Honey Tea and Spiced Golden Milk.
Table of Contents
What Is Metabolism Tea?
Metabolism tea is a bold, tangy drink made with fresh ginger, cayenne, lemon, apple cider vinegar and raw honey. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free and ready in five minutes in a single jar. Each glass is mostly water, so it feels light and refreshing.
Serve it warm in the morning, or pour it over ice on hot afternoons. As for the ginger, start with 1 tablespoon for a mellow sip, then work up to 2 for more heat. Grate it finely and press it into a tablespoon to measure.
Metabolism Tea Ingredients
Here’s a quick breakdown of why I use each ingredient in this recipe.
- Fresh ginger gives the tea its spicy, warm bite, and grating it finely helps it blend into every sip.
- Raw apple cider vinegar adds a sharp, tangy edge, and I reach for Bragg's apple cider vinegar.
- Fresh lemon juice adds bright citrus that keeps the tea refreshing, so squeeze it yourself.
- Raw honey softens the tang with gentle sweetness, so stir it into the warm water first.
- Ground cinnamon adds warm, sweet spice that rounds out the heat.
- Cayenne pepper builds a slow, lingering heat, so skip it if you’re sensitive to spice.
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How to Make Metabolism Tea
- Dissolve the honey. Stir the honey into a cup of warm water until it dissolves completely. Use warm water rather than boiling, so everything mixes easily.
- Add the lemon and vinegar. Next, pour in the lemon juice and apple cider vinegar, then give the jar a quick stir.
- Grate in the ginger. Then grate the fresh ginger straight into the mason jar and stir it in.
- Add the spices. Sprinkle in the ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper.
- Mix and taste. Whisk everything well, or screw on the lid and shake the jar. Finally, taste it and add a little more ginger if you want extra heat.
Substitutions and Variations
- Ginger: Use fresh ginger for the brightest, spiciest flavor.
- Less heat: Leave out the cayenne, or add just a small pinch instead of the full amount.
- Sweetener: Swap maple syrup for the honey, and the tea becomes vegan.
- Iced: Pour the finished tea over ice and add an extra squeeze of lemon.
Make-Ahead, Storage and Freezing
You can make a big batch of this tea ahead of time, and the freezer makes it easy. Mix everything except the water, then freeze it in 2-tablespoon cubes. Later, drop a few cubes into a mug of warm water and stir until they melt. Otherwise, mix a fresh glass whenever you want one, since the recipe makes a single serving.
Ginger Lemon Metabolism Tea
Jen HansardVideo
Ingredients
- 1 cup water warm
- 1 tablespoon raw honey raw
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar raw
- 2 tablespoon ginger root grated
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon ground
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a mason jar, stir the honey into the warm water until dissolved.
- Add the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, ginger, cinnamon and cayenne.
- Whisk well, or cover with a lid and shake to combine.
Recipe Notes
- Ginger Tip: Grate fresh ginger root on a fine grater for the brightest flavor. Strain it out before drinking if you prefer.
- Spice Level: Start with a small pinch of cayenne, or leave it out if you’re sensitive to heat.
- Vegan Swap: Honey isn’t vegan, so use maple syrup instead.
- Make Ahead: Mix everything except the water and keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. Shake, then stir a spoonful into warm water.
Nutrition
Common Questions
Expect a tangy, lively sip with a warming, spicy finish from the ginger and cayenne. The honey smooths out the vinegar.
Sip it between meals when you want something zesty, or pour a glass right before you sit down to eat. Serve it warm on cool mornings, or pour it over ice when the afternoon heats up.
Use 1 to 2 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger, depending on how much heat you like. If you’re new to ginger, start with 1 tablespoon and work up from there.
Yes, freeze a batch made without the water in 2-tablespoon cubes. Then stir a few cubes into a mug of warm water whenever you want a cup.
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Does this effect medications or vitamins? I have been using the tea for awhile and I have wondered. Also the weight is after stopped smoking weight does that matter?
Hi there Shari,
Some citrus ingredients can interfere with heart medications, for example. There is lemon in this tea. We’re not able to give medical advice, but feel free to consult with your doctor to see if lemon or other citrus ingredients can interfere with your medication. Also, I’m not sure I understand your question about smoking and weight loss. Congrats on quitting though!!
Can I replace the honey with maple syrup? I am vegan and would prefer no honey.
Absolutely Sarah. I would just use in a small amount to aid the flavor. Using too much could spike your blood sugar and cause a crash later on.
Can you make this into a shot instead?
Can l make this a night before?
Absolutely Bree! This tea stores well in the refrigerator for a day or two.
We have lots of rawkstars ask if they can make this in larger quantities and drink it throughout the week. And while I’m the first person to look for ways to save time in the kitchen, I’d say to avoid that here. Making a large amount of this metabolism boosting tea at once can lead to slimy results down the road. Instead, we’d recommend that you mix those larger quantities of the recipe’s ingredients together – minus the water – and freeze into ice cube trays. Then in the morning, pop one cube into your mug and pour hot water over to melt.
I drink a different version of the METABOLISM BOOST TEA.I use organic Ginger juice, organic Lemon juice and I add a half teaspoon of black pepper and a half teaspoon of tumeric . I also add boiling water, stir and let it steep until it’s drinkable. The honey is then added last so it’s health benefits aren’t destroyed by heat.I drink this every morning a hour or more before eating anything. I have lost almost 70 pounds since November 2021. l first noticed my stomach wasn’t rubbing the steering wheel of our car. The next thing was a doctors visit where I learned that I had lost 10 pounds , my BP was 125/80 and my A1C was down. I am down from a size 3X to a size XL and on my way to a size large.
Palma, that’s an amazing story and I love that you are even seeing non-scale victories. Way to totally rawk it!
Could you provide your recipe? I’d like to try it. Thank you
Hi Tina – When you open the article for the Metabolism Boosting Tea, right under the title there’s a button you can click that says, “Recipe Card.” If you click that button, it’ll bring you all the way down to the very bottom of the article where the recipe is located. You can also get there by scrolling down to the bottom. This is the set up for all of our blog articles that feature recipes.
Click here to be redirected to the Metabolism Boosting Tea blog article —> Metabolism Boosting Tea
What are the amounts of ginger juice and lemon juice?
Hi June! It’s 2 tbsp of grated ginger root and 2 tbsp of lemon juice.
How much of the ginger and lemon juice do you use please
Peggy, thanks for asking this question. The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons each of lemon juice & ginger. One trick I do to cut down on time each day is to squeeze several lemons at once & put the juice in a jar in the refrigerator so it’s ready when I need it. I also go ahead and grate my ginger and place in a jar in the refrigerator or place it on a flat tray in the freezer then once it’s frozen I break it up into small pieces and store it in the freezer until I’m ready for it. You could also use an ice cube tray but it will take longer to defrost a cube.
What is the difference between “honey” and the stated “raw honey”..? Regards
Great question, Billy Bob!
Raw honey is way less processed, so it retains way more of it’s beneficial nutrients and antioxidants – which is why we love and suggest it!