Ginger, Zingiber officinale, has been used for 2,000 years to aid digestion and to treat nausea, diarrhea, and flatulence. This is why your mother gave you flat ginger ale when you got a stomach flu. Paired with cooling mint, pungent ginger makes a wonderful tea for a bout of morning sickness or indigestion, or for a little one suffering from a gastrointestinal virus. Learn to make a soothing ginger mint tea that will soothe upset tummies. You may just find you like it well enough to drink it even when you aren’t sick!
Ginger Mint Tea Recipe
For each cup of ginger tea you will need:
1 tbsp dried mint leaves, or 1 tsp fresh mint leaves
1/2 tsp fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
1/4 tsp caraway seeds
honey and/or lemon juice, to taste
The usual way to prepare ginger tea is to make a decoction by boiling it but if that sounds like too much work when you or your little one are sick, don’t worry! You can make an infusion with water from your tea kettle. Just be sure to grate the ginger, or you can slice it thinly and bash it around a bit with a mortar and pestle. This will allow the hot water to get into the root and bring out its healing properties.
We make our special tummy healing tea with spearmint, because that’s my favourite mint and because my Mom sends it to us regularly from her garden. It helps my girls to get over an upset stomach much better, knowing Grammy contributed to the remedy! If you don’t like all the leaves floating around in your cup, put them a tea ball or a bit of clean gauze or cheesecloth. You can also substitute a tea bag of peppermint tea.
Put the caraway seeds in loose, unless your little one is bothered by them. They will sink to the bottom of the tea cup and soften up. Later they can be chewed on for extra tummy settling. Add honey and lemon juice to taste.
Health Benefits of Ginger Mint Tea
Ginger is a wonderful herb for cold and flu season. It will soothe a sore throat, and is said to be an expectorant that can break up congestion in the chest. It is also used to reduce inflammation associated with bronchitis, laryngitis, sinusitis and osteoarthritis. It may also reduce pain during menstruation. Ginger promotes both circulation and sweating, and can help rid the body of toxins during an illness. It has been shown to help warm the body and to fight viruses and bacteria, both of which ultimately help to break an uncomfortable fever. The mint in ginger mint tea helps with a great many of these concerns, including treatment of sore throats, coughs and bronchitis. It is also said to help lower fever.
Precautions for Medicinal Use of Ginger
If you plan to sip just an occasional cup of herbal tea, chances are you should be safe as long as you have no allergies or health concerns, and are not taking medication. If you are under a doctor’s care it is always a good idea to ask about any herbal or vitamin supplement, including herbal teas you drink regularly. It is not recommended to give ginger to children under the age of two (the mint and caraway make a soothing tea for really little ones with upset tummies, or ask your doctor or pharmacist about colic water.) If you have a clotting disorder or if you are taking medication that thins your blood, you should only use ginger under a doctor’s supervision. Pregnant and nursing mothers should consult their health provider before using any herbal or over the counter medicinal product, including vitamins.
Sources:
“Ginger.” Encyclopedia of Spices
“Ginger.” University of Maryland Medical Center
Ginger.”World’s Healthiest Foods
“Mint.” Botanical Online
