This is the best remedy for boosting your immune system and detoxifying the body.
With flu season approaching it’s best to get a head start and keep your immune system strong. Prevention is the best medicine so keep this recipe in mind for the winter months and drink it on the regular. This is perfect if you are sick or think you may be getting sick. A spoonful of raw local honey will enrich the sweet cinnamon flavor and make you fall in love with this “super tea”.
The three main ingredients in this tea are turmeric, ginger and cinnamon. Make sure to always use fresh ingredients as it makes a huge difference with taste. If you boil water with the powdered version of the ingredients it will not give this tea the same flavor or consistency.
You can normally find fresh ginger root and turmeric root at Whole Foods, Food and Thought or Ada’s Natural Market. Don’t fret about using a knife to peel the roots. My roommate skilfully taught me how to easily peel ginger and turmeric with a spoon. You just hold the spoon with your thumb and index finger and scoop if off. It is so easy!
Turmeric is a potent medicinal herb. It contains a large number of active constituents that work together to regulate and heal the body. One of these main active compounds is curcumin which is a potent anti-inflammatory. Turmeric is also a powerful and strong antioxidant. For these reasons it has been used for centuries to treat arthritis, chronic inflammation, diabetes, liver issues, menstrual pain, and anemia. This anti-inflammatory spice is soothing for the stomach and great for those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Ginger is another anti-inflammatory. It is great for digestion and boosting the immune system due to its antioxidant, and natural antibiotic properties. Ginger is especially great during flu and cold season as it is effective in killing bacteria and cold viruses.
Cinnamon adds a sweet seasonal flavor and also provides protection against bacterial and viral attacks. The flavor intensifies when the cinnamon stick opens up into a wide and almost flat curve. It needs to be submerged and boiled in water for some time for this to happen.
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- Fresh turmeric root
- Fresh ginger root
- Fresh cinnamon stick
- Fresh lemon juice
- Honey
- Directions:
- Peel the roots with a spoon. I normally use 1 chunck each about 2 inches long for roughly 3 cups of tea.
- Cut the ginger and cinnamon into thin circular slices. (You can honestly cut it any way you want but this way seems to maximize the flavor.)
- Place 1-2 cinnamon sticks along with the sliced ginger and turmeric in boiling water for 5 minutes.
- Bring it to a simmer for at least 30 minutes and drink hot. (Sometimes I even let the tea sit overnight to really let the flavors open up. The cinnamon stick becomes flavorful once it opens up from the cocoon it is in.)
- Add honey and lemon juice as desired.
Looking for other cold-weather recipes? Read on…
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