Immune Boosting Tea Recipe (Ginger, Lemon and Turmeric)

My immune boosting tea is the ultimate warming drink for cold and flu season. It's made with fresh ginger, turmeric, lemon and a cinnamon stick, and it's ready in about 20 minutes!

This is the first thing I make when I feel a scratchy throat or that heavy, run-down feeling coming on. A few years ago I had one of the worst colds I'd had in a long time, and I wanted something warm and homemade I could sip throughout the day. I was already making my honey lemon ginger tea on repeat, but I wanted something with a little more kick, so I started playing around with spices and citrus until I landed on this blend. It's been my go-to ever since.

The best part is that you probably have most of these ingredients in your kitchen already. You just pour boiling water over fresh ginger, turmeric, citrus and cinnamon, let it steep, then stir in a little honey once it's cooled slightly.

If you're looking for more cozy drinks for cold season, you'll want to try my Honey Lemon Ginger Tea and Lemon Ginger Turmeric Shots too. And for an easy morning habit the rest of the year, my Chia Seed Water is always a good idea!

Why You'll Love This Immune Boosting Tea

• Simple to make: Everything steeps right in your teapot or mug, so there's no simmering or special equipment needed beyond a strainer.
• Warming and full of flavour: The ginger brings gentle heat, the citrus keeps it bright, and the cinnamon adds a cozy sweetness. It tastes like something you actually want to drink, not something you have to get through.
• Easy to batch: Make a big jar at the start of the week and reheat it by the mug whenever you need one.
• Easy to make vegan: Just swap the honey for maple syrup.

Ingredients

• Fresh ginger: This gives the tea its warming, slightly spicy flavour. Slice it thinly so more of it is in contact with the hot water. If your ginger is organic, there's no need to peel it; just give it a good rinse.
• Fresh turmeric: It adds an earthy flavour and that beautiful golden colour. Look for it in the produce section near the ginger or at an Asian grocery store. Heads up, it stains, so you might want to slice it on a plate rather than your favourite cutting board!
• Lemon and orange: The lemon adds brightness and the orange rounds out the sharpness of the ginger with a little natural sweetness. Both are good sources of vitamin C, which plays a role in normal immune function. Fresh juice tastes much better here than bottled.
• Cinnamon stick: A whole stick gives the tea a clean, fragrant flavour. Ground cinnamon doesn't dissolve, so it leaves the tea cloudy and gritty.
• Black pepper: Just a pinch. Black pepper contains piperine, which helps your body absorb curcumin, the main compound in turmeric. At this amount you honestly won't taste it.
• Raw honey: It sweetens the tea and is lovely for a sore throat. Use maple syrup instead if you want to keep it vegan.

Instructions

1. Prep your ingredients. Thinly slice the ginger and turmeric, then juice half a lemon and half an orange. Save a few lemon slices for serving.
2. Add everything to your teapot. Add the ginger, turmeric, cinnamon stick, lemon juice, orange juice and a pinch of black pepper to a teapot or large heatproof jug.
3. Pour over the boiling water. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over everything.
4. Let it steep. Steep for 10 to 15 minutes. The longer it steeps, the stronger and spicier it gets.
5. Strain and sweeten. Strain into mugs through a fine mesh strainer. Let it cool for a couple of minutes, then stir in the honey to taste and add a slice of lemon. Enjoy!

Does immune boosting tea actually work?

I think of this tea as a warm, comforting way to look after myself when I'm run down, not as medicine. Ginger, lemon, turmeric and honey are all traditional cold-season ingredients, and vitamin C plays a role in normal immune function. A warm drink and a bit of honey can also feel really soothing on a sore throat. That said, no tea can prevent or cure a cold or the flu, so if you're feeling seriously unwell, please check in with a healthcare provider.

Tips for the best immune boosting tea

1. Use a cinnamon stick, not powder. A stick gives you a clear, fragrant tea and you just strain it out at the end.
2. Add the honey last. Stir it in once the tea has cooled slightly. It dissolves easily in warm tea and you'll taste more of its flavour.
3. Don't skip the black pepper. I know it seems strange in a tea, but you won't taste a pinch and it helps with turmeric absorption.
4. Taste as it steeps. If you like a milder tea, strain it at 10 minutes. For more of a kick, let it go the full 15 or add an extra slice of ginger.

How to make a big batch and store it

When I'm under the weather, the last thing I want is to make a fresh pot several times a day, so I usually make at least 4 cups at once. Just double the recipe, strain it into a glass jar, let it cool, and keep it in the fridge.

1. Fridge: Store the strained, cooled tea in a sealed glass jar for up to 3 days. Leave the honey out until you serve it.
2. Reheat: Warm a mug in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds or gently in a small saucepan, then stir in fresh honey and a squeeze of lemon.
3. Freeze: Pour cooled tea into an ice cube tray and freeze. Drop 2 or 3 cubes into a mug of hot water for a quick cup.

📖 Recipe

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