Nov. 8, 2007 - A Cup of Ginger Tea
Since cold and flu season is now upon us, this is a great time to start drinking ginger tea. Ginger tea tastes completely different from herbal tea. I do not drink herbal tea at all. (I wish I could and have tried to force myself but can't get it down. ) You have probably heard about ginger being great for nausea but it is also beneficial in other ways! It is used to ward off colds, sore throat and the flu plus it warms you from the inside out!
A web-site called www.healthandyoga.com (I'm not really endorsing this site) has this to say:
Ginger has been revered in Indian and Chinese civilizations for over 5000 years for its powerful health imparting properties. In fact, Indian ginger is said to have the most potent medicinal properties.
Due to such a prolonged belief, research on ginger benefits was natural. Sure enough, the results were on expected lines:
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Danish researchers found that ginger can block the effects of prostaglandin - a substance that cause inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain and can lead to migraines. |
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Ginger was found to be effective for relieving the severity of nausea even in cases of pregnancy. |
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Many women claim that ginger tea helps rid them of menstrual cramps. |
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It has anti-inflammatory properties that can lessen the pain of rheumatoid arthritis. |
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Respiratory infections - it is well known for its warming action on the upper respiratory tract, so it has been used to treat colds and flu. |
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It has been found to be effective in cramps caused by stomach gas. Ginger also stimulates digestion. |
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It has a wholesome effect on the circulatory system as it makes the platelets less sticky and is of great benefit in case of circulatory disorders. |
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As a mood enhancer, ginger's cineole content may help contribute to stress relief. |
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It is a great mouth freshener and ginger tea has vastly refreshing properties. |
Have I convinced you to try a cup? Here's how I make it at home:
1. Buy yourself a piece of fresh ginger root. Store it in the fridge until your ready to use it.
2. Cut off about a one inch piece that is also roughly one inch thick. (You don't have to be exact!) Peel and slice it.
To your left is a bit of ginger root left over that we have been cutting from. In the middle is sliced ginger root and at your right is the peelings off the root. (toss those out)
3. Toss your ginger root slices into 2 cups of water and bring to a gentle boil.
At this point, I take it off the heat and cover it. Let it steep about 10 minutes. It can go longer if you like it stronger (it will be "spicier"). Some directions will say to boil it for the full 10 minutes so I guess you can do what you prefer.
4. When its ready, pour it through a strainer and enjoy! I don't add any sweetner but honey would be a good choice if you need some. You will notice the water is a very pale yellow.
We started drinking our tea before I stopped to snap a picture! I've been drinking it in the afternoon (as a healthy alternative to coffee) now that the weather is chilly.
I hope you'll try it and let me know what you think. It really is good for colds --even my kids will drink a weak cup when they are sick.
More here:
http://altmedicine.about.com/b/a/044249.htm
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Ginger-Tea-or-Tisane
