Recipe
Fresh ginger tea
- Herb:
- Ginger Zingiber officinale
- Method:
- Herbal infusion (tea)
- Plant part:
- Rhizome
About 15 minBeginnerRecipe science profile
Procedure
- Wash the fresh rhizome, leave the skin on and cut 3–5 thin slices (about 5 g).
- Put the slices in a mug, pour over 250 ml of boiling water and cover — otherwise the volatile oil escapes with the steam.
- Steep for 10 minutes; for a sharper drink, simmer the slices for 5 minutes first.
- Strain, add a slice of lemon and honey once cooled to drinking temperature. For nausea, sip slowly.
Extraction
- Herb:
- 3–5 thin slices of fresh rhizome (about 5 g) per 250 ml
- Solvent:
- boiling water, steep for 10 minutes, covered; covering retains the essential oil
- Shelf life:
- drink the same day; can also be drunk cold
- Target compounds:
- gingerols and essential oil (zingiberene) enter hot water; longer boiling converts gingerols into more pungent shogaols
Notes
An everyday drink for a healthy adult. The EMA monograph does not recommend ginger as a remedy in pregnancy or breastfeeding for lack of data, nor for children under 6; for pregnancy nausea talk to a doctor, not to the internet.
Why it works
Hot water releases gingerols and the volatile oil; the anti-nausea effect in studies is attributed to action on gastric motility and serotonin receptors. Trials, however, used standardised powder in capsules (usually 1 g a day), not tea — the transfer is not direct.
Literature
- EMA HMPC — Zingiberis rhizoma, European Union herbal monograph — Well-established use of the powder for motion sickness; traditional use for mild spasmodic digestive complaints, bloating and colds. Not during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- Viljoen E et al. (2014): ginger for pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting — systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Journal 13:20 — Meta-analysis of 12 RCTs; ginger reduced nausea, with no significant effect on vomiting.
Related
Ginger — Herb card
Herbal infusion (tea) — Processing method detail