We’ve spoken at some length on the blog before about how awesome we think herbal tea is. It tastes incredible. It’s super good for you. And, even better than that, the right herbal tea recipes can even help fight away illnesses and ailments.
So, with a cold spell upon us here in Forest, Ontario, we thought we’d sit down and put together some of our favourite herbal tea recipes that’ll help keep the winter sniffles away, no matter how cold it gets.
Pssst! If you prefer your herbal tea with a more adult twist, make sure you don’t miss #3.
Our top 3 kung-flu fighting herbal tea recipes for kicking those winter sniffles’ butts
#1: ☕Our “Raid the Cupboard” Cold and Flu Fixer ☕
We thought we’d kick things off with a really simple, basic recipe.
And, while this might not be quite as tasty as some of the other herbal tea recipes on this list, it’s perfect for when you’re feeling run down and just want to throw some things together and start feeling better.
You’ll need:
3 cups of water
Half a lemon (juiced) + a few extra slices
A cinnamon stick
3 chunky slices of fresh ginger
¼ tsp cloves (optional)
3/4 tbsp. turmeric (again, optional)
A pinch or two of cayenne
1 ½ tbsp raw honey (if you’ve got a sweet tooth, add more. Also, if you can get local honey, that’s even better. However, remember that it’s not suitable to give to children under 1.)
Then, add all of your ingredients (minus the honey) to a pot and bring to the boil. Once at a rolling boil, let it simmer for ten minutes or so. Then, add the honey, taste, add a little more honey if it’s not sweet enough, and then strain. Finally, add the slices of lemon and drink while it’s still warm.
Why it’s so awesome:
The lemon’s full of vitamin C, which is great for a cold, the ginger settles your stomach and the turmeric has awesome anti-inflammatory properties that’ll help you get back on your feet in no time.
#2: 🌿 Our “Raid the Cupboard (and the Garden)” Kung-Flu Fighter🌿
If you’ve got a garden full of herbs (or even a fridge full of herbs), here’s an upgrade on our “Raid the Cupboard” recipe that’s tastier and even better at karate chopping those pesky sniffles away.
You’ll need:
1 cup of water
A thumb of fresh ginger, grated (skin and all)
1/2 a lemon (plus, a few extra slices)
1 tbsp local honey (any honey will do, if you don’t have local honey)
1/2 tbsp sea salt
A generous pinch of cayenne
Optional Extras:
A good pinch of fresh peppermint leaves
A good pinch of fresh thyme leaves
A good pinch of fresh oregano leaves
A few lemon balm leaves
These are all great for you and this recipe is pretty adaptable, so you can mix and match with what you have in your garden or fridge.
What to do:
Boil your cup of water, add the honey, ginger, salt and lemon juice and stir until everything is dissolved and incorporated. Then, add your medicinal herbs of choice, give them a quick muddle with the back of your teaspoon and let it steep for 4-5 minutes.
Then sip, take long inhales of the steam to clear your sinuses and say goodbye to your annoying cold.
Why it’s so awesome:
Like the other recipe, the lemon and ginger do a tonne of the heavy lifting here, but the medicinal herbs — the thyme, oregano, peppermint and lemon balm — are no slouch either, bringing their stomach-settling, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, headache-busting, heartburn-healing superpowers to the table.
Plus, it tastes pretty good, too.
#3: 🥃 Our favourite “after the kids are in bed” herbal tea/hot toddy recipe. 🥃
And last but not least, here’s one for the parents who’ve caught the back to school bug: an “adult” herbal tea designed to kick that sniffly cold’s butt…
Trust us, you’re going to be looking for the slightest hint of a cold so that you have an excuse to make this drink!
You’ll need:
¾ oz whiskey or gin
¾ oz lemon juice
¼ oz ginger syrup (we used this recipe, but you can buy it in health food stores, too)
½ oz honey
Hot chamomile tea (if you’ve got a Herbal Tea Kit, you can use our chamomile recipe!)
Dash of orange bitters, a mint sprig and cinnamon stick (if you’re feeling super fancy)
What to do:
You don’t need to go all Tom Cruise in Cocktail with this recipe. Just throw it all in a mug, top it off with hot chamomile herbal tea and garnish with a dash of bitters, a mint sprig and cinnamon stick if you want to snap a picture for Instagram. (Don’t forget to tag us!)
Then sip, put your feet up and let the hot toddy get to work fighting off those sniffles.
Why it’s so awesome:
Well, aside from all of it’s flu-busting, health-boosting properties, it’s also a great excuse to put your feet up and have a quiet drink.
Have you got a flu-fighting, cold-busting drink we can add to our list of herbal tea recipes? Let us know on social media! (You can find us at the links below!)
