Hot ginger tea is great for warming up on a cold day or for when you’re feeling under the weather. See health benefits, side effects, and how to make this herbal tea quickly using fresh ginger.
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Ginger Tea
Ginger tea is a drink made by steeping fresh or dried ginger in water. It’s an herbal beverage and doesn’t contain any caffeine.
Ginger used in tea is the root of a flowering plant and it can be eaten raw or cooked. It’s spicy so a little goes a long way.
Ginger tea made from scratch, using fresh ginger, may seem like a lot of work, but it’s actually quick and easy using a couple of shortcuts.
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5 Ginger Tea Health Benefits
1. Contains Antioxidants
Ginger is an excellent source of health-promoting antioxidant compounds. This mainly includes gingerols, parasols, and shogaols, according to an 2019 article.
Antioxidants protect your cells by minimizing free radicals and oxidative stress, a major cause of chronic disease.
2. Reduces Inflammation
The antioxidants in ginger also have anti-inflammatory effects on the body. They work by reducing certain proteins, called pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are involved in inflammation.
This may help manage inflammatory diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
3. Minimizes Nausea
The next time you’re feeling nauseous, reach for a hot cup of ginger tea. According to the 2019 article, ginger can ease nausea caused by surgery, medication, motion sickness, or pregnancy.
Ginger also helps control other digestive issues like gas, bloating, stomach cramping, which often appear with nausea.
4. Manages High Blood Pressure
One of the biggest risk factors for heart disease is high blood pressure, or hypertension.
Ginger can reduce the risk by increasing substances that widen blood vessels, ultimately improving blood flow and reducing pressure.
5. Protects Brain Function
The health benefits of ginger extend to your brain, too. According to a 2021 article, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of gingerols and shogaols can protect your neurons, or nerve cells.
This may reduce the risk of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, as well as other memory disorders.
Side Effects of Ginger Tea
1. Digestive Issues
Ginger and ginger tea might cause heartburn, diarrhea, and stomach discomfort, especially if you drink too much. The strong, spicy flavor may also irritate your mouth. If this happens when you drink ginger tea, consider diluting the drink with more water.
2. Medication Interactions
Ginger might increase the risk of bleeding, according to Mount Sinai Hospital. More research is needed, but if you’re taking blood-thinning medications, ask your doctor if it’s safe to drink ginger tea.
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Ingredient Notes
- Fresh ginger
Find ginger root in the produce section of your supermarket. Look for firm pieces that look plump and don’t get ones that are shriveled. - Lemon
Sliced lemons or lemon juice both work. - Honey
Use any kind of honey you have available. - Water
Tea is mostly made of water so use filtered water if possible.
Step-by-Step Brewing Instructions
For full ingredients and instructions, scroll down to see the recipe.
- Peel and grate ginger.
Grate ginger straight into the teapot. - Add lemon slices and hot water into the teapot.
- Cover and steep.
- Strain solids and pour hot tea into a teacup. Add honey to taste.
Expert Tips
Adjust ginger as needed.
Add as much or little ginger as you like since it can get too spicy. For a serving of 1 cup of water, I’m using an half inch of ginger root. If you want a milder taste, use less ginger.
Scrape the ginger peel using a spoon.
Instead of peeling the knobby ginger root, use a spoon to scrape off the peel.
Keep grated ginger in the freezer.
You can grate ginger ahead of time and freeze it. Store it in a resealable plastic bag, flattening it before freezing. When you need some grated ginger, snap off a piece.
Use lemon juice instead.
Instead of sliced lemons, you can also use the juice from half a lemon.
Make it iced!
For a refreshing summer drink, make it iced by cooling the drink down, then adding ice.
No need to buy the entire ginger root.
Avoid buying fresh ginger root that’s shriveled and dry. Look for one that’s plump and firm. Ginger is usually sold by weight don’t be afraid to break off a piece of the freshest ginger root in the pile if it’s too big.
Questions You May Have
There’s no caffeine at all in ginger tea.
Yes! I strain out the ginger but you can definitely leave it in if you prefer.
There are claims that you destroy the good enzymes in honey if you add it to boiling hot water. If you’re worried about this, add the honey to your teacup after the tea has poured and cooled down a little.
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Ginger Tea from Scratch
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups water
- ½ lemon thinly sliced
- 1 inch fresh ginger root
- 1 tablespoon honey
INSTRUCTIONS
- Peel and grate ginger.Peel one inch piece of fresh ginger root and grate into a teapot.
- Add lemon slices and hot water into the teapot. Cover and steep for 5 minutes.Use filtered water for the best quality ginger tea. I like to set my electric kettle with a temperature setting to 208°F.
- Strain solids and pour hot tea into a teacup. Add honey to taste.
EQUIPMENT
NOTES
- Add as much or little ginger as you like since it can get too spicy. For a serving of 1 cup of water, I’m using an half inch of ginger root. If you want a milder taste, use less ginger.
- You can grate ginger ahead of time and freeze it. Store it in a resealable plastic bag, flattening it before freezing. When you need some grated ginger, snap off a piece.
- Instead of sliced lemons, you can also use the juice from half a lemon.
- For a refreshing summer drink, make it iced by cooling the drink down, then adding ice.
- Avoid buying fresh ginger root that’s shriveled and dry. Look for one that’s plump and firm. Ginger is usually sold by weight don’t be afraid to break off a piece of the freshest ginger root in the pile if it’s too big.
Hi can you eat the grated ginger instead of straining it.?
Hi Angie, yes!
Great Recipe. The only thing I wouldn’t do is put the honey straight with the boiling water as it will kill all the benefits that comes with the honey.
what can i do with the strained ginger and lemon slices. there has to be use for it, i’d feel bad throwing it away!
Hi Arias, you can leave the ginger in the drink instead of straining it out.
Lovely drink, when it’s cold can I heat it up later
Hi Jan, yup, you can.
Can I put Juice of half a lemon grated ginger and honey in a cup with boiling water and drink it
Hi Ann, yes!
What quantity should be taken per day
Hi Bright, I drink a cup or two a day when I’m feeling sick otherwise a cup of day should be fine.
Can you make this and refrigerate to drink cold as well?
Hi Amanda, yes!
Where did you get your cup and strainer? It looks so pretty!
Hi Linda, the cup is from CB2 and the glass teapot and strainer is from Amazon — you’ll see it linked in the post!
Grating ginger for a fast brew – brilliant! Thanks!
FYI, I took it another step to be even faster…
Grating takes what ever time it takes. But rather that grate the ginger each time, I now grate a bunch – usually the whole root, and freeze. I put a healthy tablespoon in each cube of an ice cube tray, fill each gently with water, and freeze.
Once they are frozen, I take them out of the tray and store in a freezer-proof canning jar in the freezer. Yes, all this takes a little time, but after that…
When I want a cup of tea, I just take out a cube, put it in a tea ball in my cup, pour in boiling water, and let it steep just as you would any other kind of tea. (I have a big tea ball – I’m not sure if the ice/ginger cube would fit in a small tea ball.) Two ice/ginger cubes in a french press work just as well if I’m making a couple cups.
It’s a little more work up front for many super fast cups of ginger tea later.
Is it okay to leave the ginger in and nibble on it as one drinks the tea?
Hi Sandy, actually nibbling on the ginger would be even better!
Can you use powdered ginger?
Hi Pamela, you can use powered ginger but it won’t be as potent.
Thanks for this simple, beautiful, quick suggestion for tea. I needed it tonight! Delicious!
Hi Beth, glad you made it!
I’ve read in many places that it’s unhealthy to add boiling water to honey, but in your recipe you suggest to do this. Would it be better to add the honey to the filtered tea once it’s cooled down a bit?
Hi Curtis, I haven’t heard of this, but yes, add the honey after the steep if you want to avoid adding honey to boiling water.
This was perfect, thank you for sharing!
Always looking for teas made with herbs
Thanks for the info on the recipe for ginger honey tea!!! I really appreciate it very much!!!
Would placing small slices in juicer be more effective than grating? I could just pour juice in boiling hot water and add lemon and honey? Agree or not?
Hi Michael, you can certainly juice the ginger and add the ginger juice into hot water.
Hi can i use pre crushed ginger instead?
It won’t be as potent as freshly grated ginger but if it’s all you have on hand, go for it!