Lemon Cinnamon Ginger Tea

This orange and lemon cinnamon ginger tea not only tastes fantastic but is an immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory tonic, perfect for winter and cold/flu season! Better yet, it’s ready to be enjoyed in just 20 minutes!

Powerful Anti-Inflammatory Citrus Cinnamon Ginger Tea

Winter is almost here, and with it, all the sniffles and bugs we hate—just begging to be soothed with a healthy pick-me-up. Luckily, not only is this drink wonderfully warming, cozy, and soothing, but this lemon cinnamon ginger tea combines some of the most powerful inflammation-fighting ingredients with immune-boosting and antioxidant benefits to keep you in tip-top shape!

It’s also an excellent substitute for sugar and calorie-laden drinks, remaining very low calorie (and packed with lots of ‘the good stuff’) but packed with the flavors of ginger, lemon, orange, cinnamon, and cardamom. Plus, it’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, paleo, and one of the best teas for your immune system!

Lemon, Ginger, and Cinnamon Tea Benefits

Absolutely every one of the main ingredients in this ginger lemon tea is loaded with health benefits to turn this into an impressive winter tonic recipe.

Ginger Benefits (from Healthline)

• Anti-inflammatory
• Contains antibacterial properties
• Helps to fight colds and flu
• Loaded with antioxidants and anti-cancerous properties
• Improves blood circulation
• Aids digestion, with nausea relief (from Johns Hopkins Medicine)
• It may reduce soreness and muscle pain
• Helps control blood sugar and cholesterol levels
• Could decrease the risk of heart disease

Cinnamon Benefits

From National Library of Medicine:

• Also, anti-inflammatory
• Antibacterial and antifungal properties (improving mouth health, too)
• Antioxidant-rich and increases the ‘total antioxidant capacity’ of your body
• Reduces blood pressure & bad cholesterol while increasing good cholesterol
• Helps prevent blood sugar spikes by slowing the breakdown of carbs
• May aid menstrual symptoms (including nausea and pain relief)

Lemon Benefits

From Cleveland Clinic:

• Anti-inflammatory — do you sense a theme with these ingredients?!
• Detoxifying—for improved liver and kidney function
• Packed with vitamin C to improve immune health, healing, skin health, etc.
• Contains antioxidants to fight harmful free radicals and starve off chronic disease
• Potassium-rich, which benefits heart and brain health and nerve function
• Contains antibacterial and antiviral properties

Orange Benefits

• Loaded with vitamin C, a great winter immune booster for this tea
• Moderate folate—essential for metabolism and fetal/placental development
• Contains several beneficial plant compounds (flavonoids, carotenoids, + vit c), which are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, blood-pressure-lowering, blood vessel function boosting, etc.
• Beneficial for heart health—reducing blood sugar, bad cholesterol, and inflammation
• Improves the absorption of iron to prevent anemia

Plus, even the black pepper in this soothing lemon ginger tonic jumps in on the anti-inflammatory action and contains plenty of antioxidants, improving brain function, aiding blood sugar control, lowering cholesterol levels, and may even promote gut health and pain relief.

To sum up: This citrus ginger tea with cinnamon is absolutely loaded with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, antioxidants, and plenty of vitamin C. It boosts gut, brain, and heart health and is a natural immune booster. Plus, the warmth is super soothing for sore throats and perfect for enjoying during winter and all year long!

The Lemon and Ginger Tea Ingredients

• Citrus fruit: We use a combination of orange and lemon in this citrus ginger tonic. We like using navel oranges where possible, but use whatever orange you can get your hands on. Organic, unwaxed is best. If they cover the fruit in a wax coating, you’ll need to remove it first (Refer to FAQs).
• Ginger: It’s best to use fresh ginger root for this ginger tonic.
• Cinnamon: It’s best to use a cinnamon stick rather than ground cinnamon so you don’t have gritty ginger tea. Ceylon cinnamon is the best, but cassia will also work.
• Cardamom: Technically optional but adds a delicious herbal warmth.
• Black pepper: It’s best to use freshly cracked black peppercorns for maximum benefits.
• Water: For the base of this immune-boosting tea.
• Sweetener: We like to use maple syrup, agave, or a granulated sugar/sweetener (like erythritol).

Optional add-ins & Recipe Variations

• Turmeric: Turmeric is another one of the very tip-top anti-inflammatory, impressively beneficial ingredients. Fresh turmeric is best, though you can use ground in a pinch, using a ½-¾-inch piece of fresh turmeric root or about ½ teaspoon powder.
• Cayenne pepper: This can increase blood circulation, reduce inflammation, contain antioxidants, and may be beneficial for upset stomachs and coughs. Add a small pinch, as it’s spicy.
• Nutmeg: Just a pinch for extra flavor.
• Other spices: You could add clove and/or star anise.
• Mint leaves: Just a few for added flavor, to aid digestion, reduce IBS symptoms, and further lower inflammation. (from Medical News Today)
• Apple: Add a few slices of apple or dehydrated apple slices to add subtle flavor and natural sweetness to the lemon ginger drink.
• Apple cider vinegar: Add 1 tbsp (the kind with a ‘mother’).
• Green tea: For more of a traditional tea, add 1-2 green tea bags to steep for 5 minutes after removing the saucepan from the heat.

How to Make Lemon Cinnamon Ginger Tea?

• 1) First, rinse and slice the orange and lemon, and slice or chop the ginger.
• 2) Then, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.

• 3) Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer until the citrus fruit has softened (15-20 minutes).

• 4) Strain the solids from the tea and serve it with your choice of sweetener, added to taste. Alternatively, leave it with the lid on (but off the heat) and ladle portions from it throughout the day.

Note that we’ve recommended using 6 cups of water for this citrus, ginger, and cinnamon tea. However, the tea ingredients can be used twice, so make a second batch with another 6 cups of water.

FAQs

Recipe Notes and Top Tips

• Adjust the simmer time: Depending on your preferred flavor profile.
• Tweak the flavors: Increase or decrease the ginger or other ingredients to taste after making your first ‘test’ batch. You should also sweeten the citrus, ginger, and cinnamon tea to taste.
• Reuse the ingredients: Keep them in your saucepan and top them up with another 6 cups of water for a second round of immune tea.

More Winter Drink Recipes

• Simple golden milk (turmeric latte)
• Vegan Mexican hot chocolate
• Mexican horchata
• Homemade chai concentrate
• Strawberry kale smoothie
• Orange Julius
• Kale Pineapple smoothie

Photos by Alfonso Revilla