One of my favorite drinks in the universe is Ginger Tea, particularly when mixed with Peppermint Tea.
But there is a catch. It’s not just any Ginger Tea. I’ve tried Ginger Tea from normal health food or grocery stores and it’s been horrific in comparison.
The Ginger tea I drink comes from a very special farm in Oregon, Pacific Botanicals, which grows organic and medicinal quality herbs. It is basically dried up chopped pure ginger root which has not been harmfully treated, heated, or otherwise damaged in the ways that many herbs do get damaged while they are being processed. Even though these herbs are not made specifically for use as tea (they are used for natural remedies and medicinal purposes) the tea that can be made from them is unlike any tea I have found elsewhere.
One of the health advantages of using loose-leaf tea is that you don’t have to use a teabag which has likely been bleached or otherwise chemically treated.
In any case, when you use real, pure, organically grown herbs to make your tea (which have not been heat dried or otherwise mistreated) you will not only see a big difference in health benefits, but in the taste of your tea.
My favorite mixture is ginger with peppermint, both mixed together with boiling water poured on top.
This drink can actually become addictive and it isn’t even toxic or unhealthy. In fact, ginger is one of the healthiest substances on earth.
Here are just a few of the nutritional benefits of ginger:
- Increases circulation (wakes you up, makes you feel alert, and helps get needed vitamins to all parts of your body). It is thus used against circulatory disorders.
- Helps to handle respiratory infections such as in colds and flues
- It is very good for all-nighters – i.e., when you have to stay up late and work without sleep.
- It can be very good for relieving nausea (as in pregnancy or motion sickness)Ginger has been said to help relieve menstrual cramps
- Ginger has natural anti-stress qualities
- Ginger is a good mouth freshener and can be used against bad breath
- Ginger assists in digestion and is often used to combat stomach trouble (it is very powerful when used in conjunction with peppermint and fennel)
- Ginger oil used in massage has anti-inflammatory properties and has thus been used to help relieve arthritis.
- Ginger relieves gas and bloating
- Ginger helps lower harmful cholesterol
- It relieves headaches
- It has been said to have anti-cancer properties and anti-plague properties
Again, organic high-quality ginger works much better than inferior varieties; it tastes better and has far better nutritional qualities.
Ginger can be used in a variety of ways. One popular drink amongst the more robust of us is the “ginger shot” which is juice produced by putting ginger through a juicer along with some apple. But watch out – this is a very strong drink.
Ginger is great when juiced along with other juices such as apple, carrot, etc. You can experiment with it and see what you like the most.
If you have a cold or a flu, you can try boiling a bit of garlic with your ginger tea and then adding lemon and honey.
Ginger can also be added to other foods, such as in stir-fries, or salad dressings.
It is also a good coffee substitute. It does not contain caffeine but contains invigoration qualities nonetheless. The steam of boiling ginger or ginger tea also gives off a very pleasant fragrance which you can use to freshen your home.
For many centuries, ginger has been used for its therapeutic and stimulating properties. It is widely available, inexpensive, and a pleasure to use.
Ginger tea can be made by shredding or cutting ginger and pouring hot water over it, or (even better) by simering the ginger to make the tea. The tea can be prepared in the same way from dried shredded ginger.
December 28th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Ginger is good for circulation to the extremities (arms and legs), so try it if you have cold hands or feet!
February 27th, 2009 at 9:47 am
February 28th, 2009 at 6:51 am
There are a couple of possibilities as to why this might happen. You might be de-toxing.
A chiropractor explained this to me this way. Whenever your body gets something to make it a little more healthy, it takes the opportunity to detox. When it is overloaded by not-the-best food, by toxins and other environmental stresses, a body can’t afford to get rid of its stored toxins, because it is already handling the ones that are coming at it in present time.
It’s like an office worker having a very busy day, handling incoming calls, people, email and mail. She doesn’t have any time to get her filing done, so it piles up. One day, nobody is coming through the door and the phones are out of order. She’s had a good breakfast and feels cheerful. So she files! The paper is flying and trash cans are getting filled up and her hair is getting all disheveled. This chaos is the result of her energetically putting order into her area. Bodies apparently do this also. I’ve heard it said that a healthier person will get a cold in the winter, because the body can afford to do that detoxing when it is cold. But a person who gets summer colds has a body that needs to wait for warm weather to detox, because it can’t afford the additional stress of the cold. It’s an intriguing thought!
If your body is trying to detox, help it. You might try an intestinal cleanse, and make sure to get some probiotics or good yogurt or kombucha to balance the population of unbeneficial bacteria that cause gas. Also, a soaking bath with herbs or Epsom salts in the water help to pull toxins out through the skin. A dry brush massage (brushing with a dry bath brush) before bathing helps open pores to allow toxins to go out into the water.
The second possibility is that you are allergic to ginger or something else in the tea you are drinking.
Legal Disclaimer: Nothing here constitutes official medical advice. Please consult your doctor.
February 28th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
P.S. One more thing. When you start to detox when taking an herb, cut way back on the amount you are using (it’s just too much of a good thing), even to nothing. Then, when you are finished detoxing for the time being, take just the smallest bit and slowly increase the dose on a gradient.
(Legal Disclaimer: Nothing here constitutes official medical advice. Please consult your doctor.)
April 5th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Ginger tea tastes great as well. Mixing it with a little honey helps. I even add it to milk tea or coffee sometimes… I know it sounds weird!
April 5th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
I’m a big ginger fan but I have to admit, I haven’t tried it in milk or coffee yet! lol. Another thing which is really powerful is a ginger shot – fresh squeezed ginger juice in a bit of apple juice. Or if that is too strong, in a lot of apple juice. The apple makes it easier to drink and also to run through the juicer.
April 10th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
I love drinking ginger ale especially on hot summers! It’s refreshing and full of health benefits.
June 2nd, 2009 at 4:37 am
That’s pretty interesting info on Ginger and it’s farming and preparation for tea and other things. Thanks, I’ve learned a lot!!!