How to Make Ginger Tea or Tisane

Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) has a calming and soothing flavour with a touch of a bite to it that helps to keep you alert and calm. Ginger is commonly used to help an upset stomach, motion or travel sickness or general low-grade fevers. It is also excellent for nausea and for warming you up when you feel cold (it stimulates cold hands and feet), and is esteemed as a “heating herb”. Ginger is reputed to help ward off colds or improve your recovery time. Tea is the most gentle form of consuming ginger.

Ingredients

Simple hot ginger tea:

Fresh ginger root – approx 3 ounces

Boiled water – approx 3 cups

Honey or maple syrup or brown sugar – to taste, as sweeteners (optional)

Apple or lemon (optional)

Ginger tea with milk:

3 oz ginger slices, fresh

1 cup water

2 cups milk (dairy or plant)

Ginger tea cold fusion:

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated

1 quart water

1 lemon, juiced

Ice cubes

Sweetener (optional)

Steps

Simple Hot Ginger Tea

Wash the ginger. Scrub it well.

Peel the ginger and slice it thinly, in small pieces. Use caution when cutting the ginger. Peeling is optional, if you have washed it well.

Boil the water.

There are several ways to perform the next step – the method will depend on your preference:
- Pour the boiled water into a teapot into which you have already placed the freshly sliced ginger. Put the lid on the teapot to stop the pot from cooling down too quickly and to keep the aromatic ingredients in the tea. Steep for 10 – 15 minutes.
- If you boil the water in a saucepan rather than in a kettle, you can add the ginger to the saucepan and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes. After simmering let it sit for 5 minutes before pouring.
- Use a tea ball to hold the sliced ginger and steep in a cup for 15 minutes. Make sure to use a saucer to cover the top of the cup to prevent the aromatic elements from escaping.

Strain the tea after steeping or boiling and serve. Add sweeteners or flavour if desired.

Drink hot, at room temperature or cold – as preferred.

Ginger Tea with Milk

Boil the water. Add the ginger slices to the water.

Boil for 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Add 2 cups of milk.

Simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Serve. This will produce a tea that is very soothing to the stomach.

Ginger tea cold fusion

Wash, peel and grate the fresh ginger.

Place in 1 quart water. Bring to the boil.

Add the juice from one lemon.

Strain into a glass. Add plenty of ice.

Add sweetener of choice. This step is optional.

Serve. The tea is now ready to drink.

Tips

If you have ginger tea left over, store in a jug in the refrigerator. It can be reheated or drunk as iced tea.

A tisane is a form of medicinal preparation and provides therapeutic benefits. If you are using the tisane for medicinal purposes, do not add sweeteners.

If you only want to make one cup of tea, simply grate 3 teaspoons of ginger to one cup boiling water.

If you want to increase the heat effect of the tea, add a pinch of cayenne pepper.

You can also grate ginger and wrap in plastic wrap, roll it up like a candy and store in freezer for later use, by breaking off what you need.

Try adding a pinch of cinnamon to the tea for a spicy zing.

Ginger works synergistically with peppermint. (A synergistic reaction is one whereby the effect of combining two or more agents is greater than the simple sum of the individual agents.) It can be added safely to any tea.

Benefits of ginger include:
- digestive aid
- circulation booster
- reduction of flatulence, colic or indigestion relief
- blood sugar reduction
- increases perspiration
- soothes menstrual pain
- melts fat and lose weight
- helps reduce sinusitis and throat soreness.

Warnings

If used as a tisane for a cold, nausea or low-grade fever, be sure to keep an eye on your temperature and general feeling of well-being. See a doctor or other professional if your fever does not improve or if you continue feeling unwell.

Do not take ginger if you have a high fever, an inflammatory skin complaint, ulcers or gallstones.

Ginger is also an anti-clotting agent – it acts on the platelets aggregation in the blood. If you know you are going to have surgery, you should stop drinking ginger tea for 5-7 days prior to the day of your operation.