Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is one of my favorite herbs to have on hand and I only wish I was able to grow it in the garden because I would grow it by the dozen. Although it is very good in cooking I mostly love it for its medicinal purposes. Its medicinal purposes came in mighty handy last week when I caught the nasty bug that has been going around.
I have found over the years that ginger is amazing when it comes to loosening chest and nasal congestion. When I feel a cold coming on or when my sinuses are giving me grief I brew up a pot of ginger tea with lemon and honey. This concoction is not only good for congestion but is also good for warming the body up on cold winter days and nights. It also tastes really yummy!
Ginger + Lemon and Honey Tea
- Slice up a 1-2 inch piece of ginger root and place in a pot of water (about 4-6 cups- I never measure how much water I use)
- Bring the water to a simmer
- Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes
- Strain into a cup, add a squirt of lemon to each cup and honey to taste
That nasty bug I caught last week, it actually turned into bronchitis over the weekend for me so I have been drinking lots of liquids these past few days and this tea is by far my favorite to have sitting next to me.
Ginger root can actually be grown as a houseplant and I tried that once many, many years ago. It made an attractive plant with its lance shaped leaves- almost like bamboo. Someday I will have to try that again. That is if I ever can spare a piece of the root.
I actually find ginger to be quite fascinating when it comes to the staggering amount of medicinal purposes this rhizome has. For instance the powdered root has different medicinal aspects compared to its fresh counterpart. I’m sure this will not be my last post on this useful herb in fact I have a yummy recipe for gingersnap cookies that I have been meaning to share and will do so here soon.
To all of our good health. Cheers!
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