What is ginger tea?

Ginger tea is an infusion made with fresh or dried ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale). Ginger is one of the most commonly used spices and herbal remedies around the world. It gives festive notes to Christmas cookies, warming note to Indian chai, and delicious aroma to many Asian dishes. Pickled ginger is used as a palate cleaner when eating sushi, and candied ginger is sold as a snack and as an herbal remedy for treating nausea. Reducing nausea may be one of the most known potential benefits of ginger, but there are many other benefits this amazing root has to offer.

What are benefits of ginger tea?

Ginger may offer many potential health benefits. The most important compounds in ginger are gingerols, paradols, shogaols and zingerone, and all of them are responsible for the unique pungent flavour (1).  

Just like with every other ingredient and tea, benefits will depend on how it was processed. The most commonly available types of ginger are fresh ginger, ginger powder and dried ginger, which may be processed further. The unprocessed fresh ginger has the highest content of gingerols, while dried ginger is higher in shogaols and zingerone (2). How much these ingredients influence the taste is clear when making a tea from either fresh or dried ginger – one will be spicier, fresher and more complex, while the other will be milder, spicy, but less pungent.  

The most common use of ginger is to reduce nausea and vomiting, especially since it’s safe to consume in pregnancy (3) and during chemotherapy (4). Other benefits include treating arthritis (5), cancer prevention (6) and reducing blood sugar levels, especially dried ginger (7). In winter, ginger, lemon and honey tea is often used for reducing symptoms of common cold and flu and for calming cough (8).

5 ways of making ginger tea

Ginger tea is easy to make at home, and there are different methods to use. You may enjoy the benefits regardless which method or type of ginger you choose.

1. Dried ginger

The easiest way of making ginger tea is with dried ginger. Dried ginger is available as a whole root, in slices and in smaller chunks. Dried ginger will be easy to strain, will give a clear infusion and it will be less pungent than tea made with fresh ginger. Another benefit of making tea with dry ginger pieces is that you can easily blend it with other ingredients – black, green and white tea, or tisanes such as dry mint, chamomile flowers or dried berries to create your own tea blend. Drying methods will have a different effect on compounds in ginger and make it more or less potent (9). However, all types will contain beneficial compounds. Try not to use ginger that’s been stored for long, as the potential health benefits will decrease over time (10).

2. Fresh ginger

The best and the most aromatic way of making ginger tea is with fresh ginger. It will be more pungent and spicier than dried ginger, but light and refreshing at the same time, too. If you want to make pure ginger tea, this method may be the best choice. It requires some peeling, cutting and steeping or simmering, so it’s also the most time-consuming. Use about 2.5 cm (1 inch) of ginger root per cup of water, peeled and cut into thin slices. You can either steep it in boiling water for about 10 minutes or simmer it.

3. Ginger juice

A great way to add fresh ginger to any tea is to juice the ginger first, then add it to steeped tea. Pure concentrated ginger juice is quite strong and spicy, and a great way to add both the benefits and a peppery warm note to your tea. If you don’t have a juicer, simply peel the ginger first, grate it, and squeeze out the juice using a cheesecloth or a gauze swab. Even 1 teaspoon will add a lot of flavour, so add it carefully.

4. Ginger powder

If neither dried nor fresh ginger is available where you live, you can make tea using ginger powder as well. However, this method is creating a concoction, rather than infusion. Powder is very difficult to strain, so it’s best used for lattes and creamy drinks, rather than making a clear tea. Use about 2 teaspoons of ginger powder per cup of water and steep or simmer in boiling water. You can blend it with other powders too, such as cinnamon or nutmeg. If you have a fine mesh strainer or a cheesecloth, strain it after 5 minutes.

5. Ginger paste

Using ginger paste is both convenient and easy way of making tea. Since ginger pastes are usually intended for cooking, choose those without ingredients such as oil or garlic. You can also make your own ginger paste and store it in the fridge. Use 2 teaspoon of paste per cup of boiling water, let it steep for 5-10 minutes and strain.

Sources:

(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3665023/

(2) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10942912.2015.1084633

(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7019938/

(4) https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/ginger-benefits

(5) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11710709/

(6) https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/12/6599

(7) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4277626/

(8) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1044579X19302135

(9) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4571220/

(10) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665927121000630

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What is Lemon and Ginger tea?

Most commonly, lemon and ginger tea is an infusion of fresh or dry ginger and lemons. But Field. Work. Tea Lemon and Ginger tea is not a typical blend. It’s made with lemongrass rather than lemon, dry ginger, fennel seeds and liquorice root, giving it a great balance of sweetness, spiciness and freshness. There aren’t any additional flavourings in this blend, only pure ingredients. Lemongrass is an herb that’s often used for cooking, and it has a different flavour to lemons. It’s less citrusy, and more herbaceous, with lighter and delicate taste.

Field. Work. Tea. is a brand from Modern Standard Coffee, a company dedicated to offering coffee and tea with focus on all aspects of the production – from field to the cup. Modern Standard Coffee is a member of 1% for the planet organization whose members give at least 1% of their revenue to help deal with environmental issues.

Checking the ingredients list before choosing your tea will help you get an idea what one tea might taste like and which benefits it may offer.

So, what’s good about this tea? All ingredients in this blend may offer soothing and digestive benefits with great flavour, and no need to add any sweeteners. Dry ginger is less spicy than fresh ginger, and it’s a brilliant choice for anyone who wants to enjoy the benefits of ginger without the extra spiciness. This herbal tea is available in both regular envelope tea bags and pyramid tea bags. It’s caffeine free, and suitable for any time of the day or night.

How to make Lemon and Ginger tea?

What’s great about pyramid tea bags is that you can enjoy the benefits of loose tea without the need of brewing equipment. All you need is a kettle and a cup. Steep it for 3 minutes at 100 degrees Celsius. Lemon and ginger tea has a beautiful light green-yellow colour and a delicate scent. It’s a light tea, perfect for office sipping that won’t get bitter as it cools down. It has a very clean taste, with a perfect balance of sweetness, lemony scent and warming ginger. This herbal tea doesn’t need any condiments, but you can add a few drops of fresh lemon juice and still maintain the balance of other ingredients. Another advantage is that you can re-steep it once, which is not common with herbal teas.

Field. Work. Tea. Lemon and Ginger tea is a great daily blend for slow sipping. It doesn’t need any condiments and has a perfect balance of warming, citrusy and sweet notes. This tea is great for tea beginners that want to try exploring herbal blends, and for those that already love ginger and lemon tea but want something flavourful, but gentle.

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