For people who have been following us for some time now know that Liam and I live in China (for over two years now). And what’s one of the things China’s extremely famous for? Besides the great wall and pandas… TEA of course! Just been through a mighty cold, and whilst contemplating what to share on the blog next, I decided it was time to dedicate a post to one of self-care’s warmest hugs: a homemade cuppa’ tea. Prepare yourself for our top 3 tea remedies!
The Fun Story of the Origin of Tea
We’ve been to quite a few tea ceremonies here in China and they never fail to tell us the funny story of how tea originated and it’s time you hear so too: Emperor Shen Nung discovered tea when leaves from a wild tree blew into his pot of boiling water. He was immediately interested in the pleasant scent of the resulting brew and drank some.
Which got me thinking I should boil my water outside, who knows what would happen?
Types of Tea
Whilst officially speaking there are only five types of tea – all originated from the same plant, the Camellia sinensis – black tea, green tea, oolong tea, pu-ehr tea (read out loud whilst imitating a pirate, it’s fun!), and white tea. However, nowadays many herbal infusions and flower-based drinks are considered tea as well. In the list below you’ll find both official- and non-official tea remedies. One thing for sure: they will relieve you one way or another.
1 Lemon Ginger Tea
This deserves without a doubt a number one spot on our list of tea remedies, as it is our go-to tea whenever we feel any symptoms of a cold, flu or other bodily irritation coming up.
Lemon ginger tea has many benefits but the most noteworthy in this case are:
- It strengthens the immune system.
Lemon ginger tea contains an antihistamine (Antihistamines can give relief when a person has nasal congestion or sneezing), and also antibacterial properties that help the immune system fight off various diseases. - Anti-Inflammatory.
Chronic inflammation is the cause of many diseases. Ginger is an inflammatory agent; it contains many compounds that fight free radicals to balance the inflammatory response of the body. - Fights Nausea.
In Asia, ginger is used to treat nausea, stomach aches, and diarrhea. It may even reduce vomiting naturally.
Besides all the above-mentioned benefits, it’s also good for your skin, your hair, improves cardiovascular health, and is soothing for women who suffer from extensive period-pains.
Recipe:
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger
- Half of a fresh lemon (juice and peel)
- 1 cup of water
- Optional: 1/2 tsp raw honey, agave syrup or sweetener of your choice
Easy-peasy. There are different ways to make it, but I usually just cut up about a tablespoon of ginger, half a lemon squeezed (and then chuck the skin in the pan too) and then add it with a cup of water into a small saucepan. Let it boil/simmer for a minute or 2/3. Pour it into a large mug (use a strainer if you don’t want any pieces floating about) and enjoy!
You can also add honey to make it sweeter and smoother for the throat but if you like to keep it plant-based and more detox (no sugar) just leave the honey out.
2 Turmeric Tea
The secret, not so secret, ingredient in this infusion tea is the turmeric. It has been used in India for thousands of years as a medicinal herb and spice.
More and more studies start to prove what ancient Indian knowledge knew for centuries, the anti-inflammatory and healing quality of curcumin (the main active part of turmeric). Turmeric is known for the yellow color it adds to many delicious curries. But there is more, there is always more.
When I did a meditation course in the Himachal Pradesh area in India last year I caught a nasty fever. I was coughing, sweating and shivering all day and night long. One of the other members of the course, the sweet and loving Priti (a local) made me a marvelous turmeric, ginger paste which helped a lot with the recovery! All I had to do was add the paste to some hot water and it was like I was drinking a magical healing potion.
Here some great benefits of turmeric for if you aren’t convinced yet:
- Turmeric contains a natural anti-inflammatory compound.
As I quote from this extensive informative article by Healthline: ”Without getting into the details (inflammation is extremely complicated), the key takeaway is that curcumin is a bioactive substance that fights inflammation at the molecular level.” - Turmeric increases the antioxidant capacity of the body.
This is great! Why? Ever heard of free radicals? No? Well, in short (I’ll try to keep it as short as possible). Free radicals are certain (unpaired) molecules in the body that cause certain chain reactions (radical bastards..). Once they start interfering with important cellular components (like DNA and so forth) real damage can be done. Antioxidants can interact safely with free radicals and terminate the chain reaction before vital molecules are damaged. Boom! Where’s the turmeric? - Effective as an antidepressant.
There is some evidence that curcumin can boost the brain neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. Where Serotonin regulates mood and social behavior, appetite and digestion, sleep, memory, and sexual desire and function. Dopamine is involved in reward, motivation, memory, attention and even regulating body movements. So instead of taking drugs, why not choose a more natural solution and sip on a cup of turmeric tea?
Recipe:
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp ginger, ground or freshly grated
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground
- 1 cup of boiling water / or warmed-up plant-based milk
Optional to add:
- 1/2 tsp raw honey, agave syrup or sweetener of your choice
- pinch of black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp dried hibiscus
I prefer to mix all the ingredients into a small paste (you can also make more and just add one scoop of it every time you’re making the tea). Then I pour the boiling water/hot milk over the paste, stir and sip. It’s not the tastiest infusion, but it definitely is a gem amongst the tea remedies for it’s healing properties.
Some extra notes:
- You might want to drain it afterward if you don’t appreciate pieces floating around, but I tend to just eat the swimming ginger.
- Sometimes I add dried hibiscus to add a delicate red tea taste (when made with water). Hibiscus is refreshing (slightly sour in taste) and its also known for it’s stimulating activity towards the immune system. So win-win for sure!
- Adding honey adds sweetness and makes it a bit softer for the throat, it also makes the paste more pasty.
- Why you should consider adding black pepper: research supports that combining the piperine in black pepper with the curcumin in turmeric enhances curcumin absorption by up to 2,000%. So basically adding pepper enhances the powerful benefits of turmeric. So if you don’t mind spicy, why not?
3 Matcha Latte
It was time for a real tea to make the list of tea remedies. Matcha, a form of green tea (so it derives van from the Camellia sinensis) has a slightly different product line than regular green tea. Besides that, matcha powder is ground tea leaves. Instead of drinking regular green tea, where you drink water that has been soaked with the leaves. You consume the leaf with matcha tea.
I prefer matcha tea above regular green tea because it has all the benefits of green tea, yet more concentrated. Green tea is packed with antioxidants (remember those free radicals?), since matcha is more concentrated, a single cup of matcha may be equivalent to about 3 cups of regular green tea. Awesome right? (But be careful not to go overboard with Matcha consumption!)
Like any other official tea, it contains some form of caffeine. So say hello to the boost, without facing the drowsiness that usually follows after regular coffee consumption. Some people even say they experience the caffeine from Matcha releasing more slowly and steadily making them alert yet relaxed.
Summed up benefits:
- Packed with antioxidants
- Matcha tea may help with relaxation and alertness
- The catechins compound in green tea is known to kill bacteria and inhibit viruses like the influenza virus, potentially lowering your risk of infections.
- More benefits: improves physical performance, improves brain function, burns fat, lower’s risk of old-age diseases like Alzheimer and Parkinson and more.
Recipe:
- 3/4 cup plant-based milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp Matcha powder
- Optional: 1/2 tsp raw honey, agave syrup or sweetener of your choice
Simmer your milk of choice in a saucepan. I avoid regular milk not only because I prefer a plant-based diet, also because when you’re fighting the flu or cold dairy tends to add to the congestion and mucus. Not so comfy, and you can avoid this by using any plant-based milk (coconut, almond, walnut, rice, soy… to name a few).
Separately I mix the matcha powder to water, stir. Thereafter, I add that mixture to the milk and stir to create that lovely, signature foam. Gently pour into a mug. SAVOR!
Bonus: Cinnamon Sore Throat Tea
Yum, a spice tea! Cinnamon is also one of those ancient substances with powerful medicinal properties. Packed with antioxidants, known for its anti-inflammatory properties and blood sugar lowering effects it’s a great tea to consume when having a sore throat.
Although, be prepared for positive coughing afterward. When I relished my cinnamon tea the other day it had loosened up my throat, resulting in a lot of coughing. But eventually, a great relief. I promise!
Recipe:
- 1 cup plant-based milk
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger (or freshly grated)
- Optional: 1/2 tsp raw honey, agave syrup or sweetener of your choice
Simmer the milk in a saucepan, add the cinnamon and ginger and stir. Make sure all the ingredients mix well. Pour into your favorite cup and enjoy!
Don’t forget to Pin this post for when you or a friend is having a cold! Which tea is to-try list?
Let us know in the comments below 🙂
