Ginger brings spice, cinnamon adds warmth, and turmeric gives this two-serving tea its yellow color. It is a saucepan infusion made with kitchen spices.
The amounts follow Working for a Healthier Tennessee’s Ginger Turmeric Tea , which credits Allrecipes. The instructions below are paraphrased; optional milk from the source is omitted.
Ingredients for two servings
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground or fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, optional
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, optional
- 1 lemon wedge, optional
Method
- Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan; add turmeric, ginger and cinnamon.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Strain if using fresh ginger; stir in optional sweetener. Add pepper or lemon to taste.
Ground spices or fresh ginger?
| Choice | Texture |
|---|---|
| Ground ginger | Easy to measure; powder can settle at the bottom of the cup |
| Fresh ginger | Finely grate the measured amount and strain out pieces after simmering |
| Powders | Ground turmeric and cinnamon can pass through a fine sieve; stir before dividing the tea |
| Pepper | Adds a peppery bite; leave it out if that flavor is not wanted |
The source offers ground or fresh ginger at the same measured quantity. That is a recipe option, not a claim that the two have identical flavor strength. Use the specified amount for the first cup rather than substituting a whole piece of root. Avoid boiling the pan dry; keep it at a gentle simmer and divide the finished tea between two cups.
Taste before adding the optional tablespoon of honey or maple syrup. Lemon changes the tartness; it does not remove the texture of ground spices. For a cold drink with fresh ginger and basil, try the lemon basil spritzer .
Evidence and limits
This is a published tea recipe, not an arthritis treatment. NCCIH’s turmeric review describes promising initial findings for some turmeric or curcumin products in osteoarthritis, with better-quality research still needed. Those products are not this tea; their results do not establish that a cup of this recipe relieves arthritis.
Do not replace prescribed care with the drink or increase the spices to seek a medicinal dose. If you plan to use turmeric as an herbal product while taking medicines, discuss it with your clinician: NCCIH notes potential interactions and cautions about supplement use during pregnancy. Culinary preparation and concentrated supplements should not be treated as interchangeable.
