Homemade “Heating and Healing” Tea, Just in Time for Fall
As the season transitions from warm weather to cold, a hot cup of tea can be one of nature’s best remedies to ease us through this shift. This “Heating and Healing” tea recipe is made solely from herbs and spices that are warming, grounding, and nourishing. The medicinal and healing affects from a spicy herbal tea are much more potent than those from the packaged, store-bought equivalent.
Our recipe contains ginger, cardamon, clove, and a surprising touch of peppercorn– many of which are everyday cooking ingredients you may already have in your kitchen. For some, the idea of putting pepper or other spices in your tea may sound strange, but the effect it has on warming the body is the reason this recipe is a GC favorite.
Instead of relying on pre-packed tea bags, creating a natural herbal tea is a great way to experience the health benefits of botanical herbs and spices in one simple, delicious cup.
Historically, ginger and cardamon have been used as a digestive aid as their heating properties can increase circulation and ease an upset stomach. Ginger is also considered a medicinal staple owing to its capacity to cleanse and detoxify the body. Cardamon, meanwhile, can be used to relieve bad breath and heal infections of the mouth and throat. (Chewing on a cardamon pod leaves the mouth with a minty spicy taste stronger than any store-bought gum or mint.)
A modern day kitchen staple, black peppercorn is native to India and has been a highly-valued spice for centuries. Clove, on the other hand, is more rare and has a very distinct spicy flavor. (Cloves are the flower buds of a tree native to Indonesia, and are known to relieve tooth aches, ease gum pain, and also to aid overall digestion.) Cinnamon is another ancient spice that has been highly revered for centuries but is now a commonplace kitchen staple. Harvested from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum tree, cinnamon rolls up into a stick when dried. The spice contains several antioxidants and has powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
Our heating and healing tea is designed to ignite an inner fire to support overall health and stimulate the digestive system using. This tea will also sharpen taste buds and reduce sugar cravings.
Store-bought tea bags generally contain pesticides or other preservatives to ensure a shelf life of over a year. The tea bags often contain a chemical die that works to preserve the color. As a result, once these herbs have been sitting on the shelf for a year, their healing effects and potency is greatly diminished. Instead of relying on pre-packed tea bags, creating a natural herbal tea is a great way to experience the health benefits of botanical herbs and spices in one simple, delicious cup.
For the freshest version of this tea, ground the peppercorn and the cardamon with a mortar and pestle just before preparing (for those who can’t track down whole cardamon, Frontier sells a great, organic, pre-ground version). I recommend making a large pot of this tea to keep throughout the day. It can be enjoyed hot or at room temperature. For extra stimulation or to aid digestion, drink this tea in the morning on an empty stomach.
Heating and Healing Tea
- 5 cups of water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 10 cardamon pods
- 3/4 inch of ginger, sliced
- 20 peppercorns (ground) or about 2 tablespoons
- 10 cloves
- Dash of milk (optional)
- Tsp of honey (optional)
Method
- Slice the ginger into slivers, and ground the peppercorns and cardamon with a mortar and pestle.
- Boil spices in water for 10-15 minutes. Strain through a sieve into cup.
- If adding milk, let the tea sit for 2 minutes. Add honey to taste.
