Most of us know about ginger’s ability to calm upset stomachs when we feel nauseous. It can also be used as a potent flu-fighting ingredient in drinks like fire cider, or to give you a boost of energy in switchel. While those are both great ways to reap ginger’s many benefits, you can get some pretty great perks out of a simple cup of ginger tea. With just two ingredients — ginger and water, as the name suggests — it is not only super easy to make, but the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant aspects of the root can help you to shed a few pounds.
A study from Metabolism journal in 2012 claimed that participants were able to reduce their feelings of hunger thanks to ginger, which helped them to maintain a healthier grasp on weight management. Just a couple years later in 2014, the Journal of Science and Food Agriculturebacked that theory with a study that claimed “ginger supplementation suppresses obesity induced by a high fat diet.” The researchers felt that daily doses, like with ginger tea, was a promising addition for treating obesity.
So, how do you make ginger tea? You should start by washing a fresh piece of ginger root. Next, use a zester to grate about half a teaspoon, or carefully slice it as thinly as possible with a knife. You can use your preferred method for boiling water — a teapot, cooking pot, or heating it up in the microwave. Once it’s nice and hot, add the ginger and let it steep for for about 10 minutes. Before drinking, strain the pieces of ginger and toss those away. If you prefer cold drinks, you can wait for it to cool down or add ice. The flavor of ginger can be a bit intense for some, so adding in fresh lemon or a dash of honey is fine and won’t negate the ginger’s potent power. In fact, adding honey can also help give you more healthy bonuses, like promoting good cholesterol.
You might be tempted to chug as much ginger tea as you can brew, but it’s important to remember that too much of anything can quickly become a bad thing. Experts from Healthline recommend not exceeding more than four grams of ginger per day, which would probably be more ginger than anyone would ever want to consume anyway. You should also check with your doctor before sipping on tons of this recipe throughout the day. If done right, though, you will hopefully be on your way to watching the numbers on your scale dip lower and lower — and maybe a few extra health improvements along the way.