Ginger Root Tea- It does more than cure nausea!

Ginger has long been known as a cure for stomach ailments.  I remember drinking Ginger Ale soda when I was younger and had an upset stomach.  I’ve also had a lot of friends that ate Ginger candies to help battle nausea during pregnancy.  A recent discovery I made is that ginger is also great for reducing inflammation in the body.  My mom has been making and drinking ginger tea to help with some mild inflammation in her feet.  I am a big fan of the spicy flavor of ginger (I especially love it served with fresh sushi)!  Since I occasionally suffer from upset stomach I figured I would make up a batch of tea for myself to aid in regular digestion.  This stuff is spicy and has a kick!  The recipe can be adjust based on your preference for sweetness and tea strength.  Below is the recipe I used, courtesy of my momma:

½ pound of fresh ginger root-roughly peeled and cubed

2 quarts of water

2 lemons- halved

Sweeter if desired (I used 2 packs of Sugar in the Raw)

¼ cup Black cherry or Tart cherry juice concentrate (for a little extra flavor and color)

Add your water to a sauce pan along with the ginger.  Simmer on medium-low for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 4 hours.  Remove your tea from the heat and add your sweetener and squeezed lemons.  Once cool, strain your tea into a container for storage and add your cherry juice.  Refrigerate and serve cold.

This recipe makes for a strong tea with some great spice!  I couldn’t taste any sweetness so it must have been just enough sugar to help cut the acidity in the lemons.  It tingles your throat a little bit, but I love spice so I thought it was great!  For a more mild tea you could add more water, cut some of the lemon, and add a little more sugar.

My husband drank some of this recently after he started to feel a sore throat coming on.  He had a glass before bed and woke up feeling great!  He never ended up getting sick, and we believe that the medicinal properties of the ginger calmed his inflammation and he was able to fight off the bug. Many cultures today drink hot ginger tea to fight colds and flu as ginger has great anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Ginger can also be taken to help improve the efficiency of other herbals and supplements as it improves circulation in the body.  This drink will definitely be a staple in my house when we move into cold and flu season this fall!