Immunity-boosting Herb and Spice Tea
Enjoy this delicious, aromatic, Ayurveda-inspired herbal tea to boost immunity and soothe those pesky cold/flu symptoms.
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Course Beverage
Cuisine Indian
Servings 1
Calories 35 kcal
- 1 cup filtered water (add 1 extra tbsp to count for evaporation)
- 1/4 tsp grated ginger (fresh, preferably organic)
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (or sub with 1/2 inch piece of cinnamon stick)
- 1 clove
- 2 pinches freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried Indian basil leaves (preferably sub with 1 tsp fresh Indian basil leaves)
- 1 tsp maple syrup* (optional)
- 1/4 fresh lemon (optional)
In a small, heavy-bottom pan, bring filtered water to a boil over medium heat. Add all the spices and herb . Simmer over low heat for two minutes. Turn the heat off, cover the pan with a lid and let the spices and herb steep for another two minutes. Use a tea strainer to transfer the tea without the spices and add lemon through the strainer. Enjoy hot with a tsp of maple syrup.
*In India this tea is often consumed with honey. However, if you do use honey, the best health benefits come from using RAW HONEY. Also, to preserve the raw honey benefits, it is best to mix with tea when at room temperature. Hot temeperatures bring about a change in honey rendering its health-perserving benefits useless.
Variation #1: add a decaffeinated black tea bag after turning off the heat. Steep for 2 minutes with other spices in the tea. Serve with a dash of non-dairy milk.
Variation #2: add a dash of non-dairy milk if you find the spices to be too strong.
CAUTION: if you are experiencing (women 40+) hot flashes due to perimenopause or menopause, first drink in small amounts as warm spices can trigger hot flashes.
Serving: 1cupCalories: 35kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 15mgPotassium: 37mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 11mgIron: 1mg