My Ginger Tea with Licorice Root is a family favorite.
Ginger Tea with Licorice Root
The boys were raised on this hot drink recipe and ask me to whip up a steaming pot of Ginger Tea with Licorice Root each time they walk back in the door from college.
When they were younger, in their grade school days, they used to ask me to make Ginger Tea with Licorice Root when they went up skiing. I happily packed it in a thermos for their aprés ski drink.
Hot Ginger Tea Recipe
Now, I make this for my family when anyone has a tickle in the throat and for myself as adrenal support. Warm and healing, this ginger tea recipe with licorice root is great for both sinus congestion and adrenal health!
How to Make Hot Ginger Tea
So when it gets cold outside I know it’s time to put up a pot of hot ginger tea.
Here’s a quick pro-tip –no need to peel the ginger when you’re making hot ginger tea, or ginger tea with licorice root. This will save you time, cut back on waste, and increase nutrients in your tea.
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Ayruvedic Ginger Tea with Licorice Root
This Ayurvedic recipe for Ginger Tea with Licorice Root is a lifesaver, as well as a total throat soother!
The fresh ginger is spicy, clearing out your sinuses, and the licorice root is demulcent, protecting irritated and inflamed mucus membranes.
I have so many amazing tools from the three-year Ayurvedic training I took thirty years ago, back in the early 1990s and I love sharing them with you.
When it comes to hot drink recipes, this is one of my Ayurvedic favorites. Read on to learn how to make Ginger Tea with Licorice Root!
Ginger Tea with Licorice Root
Ingredients
- 2 quarts water
- ¼ cup licorice root
- 1 finger’s length fresh ginger, sliced, not peeled
Instructions
- Place water in a medium pot
- Add licorice and ginger
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes
- Pour through a fine mesh strainer into mugs
- Serve
What is Ayurveda?
If you’re wondering, what is Ayurveda I’ve got you covered. Ayurveda is a system of alternative medicine based on the philosophy of balance and harmony in the body’s systems.
Commonly referred to as the science of self-healing, Ayurveda uses diet and herbal treatment, as well as yoga asanas (postures) and breath, to restore balance.
One of the many things I learned in my training is to use herbal teas for healing.
Propolis Throat Spray
On the go and don’t want to carry around a thermos of Ginger Tea with Licorice Root like my boys did when they were little? Grab yourself Beekeeper’s Naturals propolis throat spray.
I love keeping this immune support in my pocket! Beekeeper’s antioxidant-rich formula is a bodyguard in a bottle that provides germ fighting, scratchy throat rescue.
Is Ginger Tea Good for You?
According to one of my favorite books, The Way of Herbs, by Michael Tierra, ginger is of great benefit to the stomach and other mucosal membranes and may be taken alone or with other herbs to enhance its effectiveness.
Given its anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, ginger is a fantastic remedy for a sore throat.
Ginger Tea Health Benefits
Ginger tea has several health benefits that include:
- Boosts Immunity
- Reduces Nausea
- Soothes Digestive Issues
Tea With Licorice Root
Why would I use licorice root in tea? In herbal medicine, licorice root is considered a demulcent, which is a fancy way of saying it is incredibly soothing.
Further, there are a number of other incredible health benefits to licorice root. In addition to helping soothe sore throats, licorice root can soothe digestive issues and support sluggish adrenals.1
Is Licorice Tea Good for You?
Licorice is good for adrenal insufficiency (although large doses will exacerbate high blood pressure) and is very soothing for the lungs and digestion.
We use it in our house to soothe a cold or sore throat. And sometimes to calm down an upset tummy.
Licorice root is not appropriate for those with heart conditions or pregnant women. If you are pregnant, check with your medical practitioner prior to adding any herbs to your healing routine.
You can see why Ginger and Licorice root go hand in hand so well, they are a powerful duo that work in a synergistic fashion. The cooling properties of licorice are perfect with the heat of ginger.
Healing Hot Drink Recipes
So, now that you know all about the benefits of ginger and licorice, I have some fun functional food drink recipes for you.
Each of these healing drinks contains one of my favorite roots!
Keto Ginger Hot Chocolate
My Keto Ginger Hot Chocolate recipe unites the superpowers of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate with spicy ginger to create the best hot chocolate recipe.
This low-carb hot chocolate recipe is important for a number of reasons.
First, when you’re feeling under the weather, it’s critical to cut back on sugar which can be highly inflammatory.
Second, antioxidant-rich dark chocolate and decongesting ginger will perk you right up if you have a cold or cough coming on. Ginger and chocolate are incredibly magical together.
Turmeric Tea
Turmeric Tea is one of my favorite hot drinks to sip on. The rich golden hue of turmeric brings me so much joy in addition to knowing I am drinking something that is healing for my body.
I wrote a post compiling The Best Turmeric Health Benefits because turmeric is such a magical super spice. Turmeric contains curcumin which has a multi-organ systemic effect with the following actions:
- Improves Digestion
- Enhances Brain Function
- Regulates Hormones
- Relieves Joint Pain
- Prevents Cancer
- Anti-Aging for Skin
Dandelion Coffee
Over the years, I’ve had many of you ask me how to make dandelion coffee. My Dandelion Root Coffee recipe is basically a very strongly brewed dandelion tea. Dandelion is a fantastic liver cleanser and blood purifying herb.
Dandelion root is also a useful remedy for stomachaches, and in herbal medicine is said to be beneficial for hypoglycemia and high blood pressure. On top of that, this is a caffeine-free coffee. Wins all around!
Your Favorite Hot Drinks
I love all of the hot drinks above, and I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about each of the healing roots they contain.
Dandelion, turmeric, licorice, and ginger are some of my all-time favorites when it comes to Ayurvedic healing and Functional Medicine. What are your favorite hot drink recipes?
This post is an oldie but goodie from the archives, I first shared Ginger Tea with Licorice Root way back in 2007!
Helena says
Where can you find licorice root? Ginger i can find easily in any grocery store.
Elana says
Halena, if you click on the bold text that says “licorice root” in the ingredients portion of the recipe you can go to the site that I buy mine from :-)
Irene Adamson says
I have always loved licorice anything. I used to make licorice root tea and loved it. I ran into a problem when first finding Autoimmune Protocol and Paleo. I read about the TH1 TH2 balance and the conditions on each side of that balance. The condition I battle is on the TH1 side along with MS, Crohn’s Disease, Psoriasis,Sjoren’s Syndrome, Celiac Disease, Lichen Planus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and others. It is encouraged to avoid foods/herbs/supplements that exacerbate those conditions. Licorice is on the list of thing to avoid if one’s condition is on the TH1 side. My question: I wonder how you manage to still enjoy licorice tea and maintain your health? Please share your secret so that maybe I can enjoy an occasional cup of licorice tea.
Thank you! ❤
Here’s a link to the article that is my sourse. https://www.thepaleomom.com/guest-post-by-mickie-trescott-what-is-the-role-of-th1-and-th2-in-autoimmune-disease
Elana says
Irene, thanks for your comment. My T cells are in the normal range although I have MS, Hashimoto’s, and Celiac Disease, so this is not personally a concern for me. But, I think it’s far more important to stick to simple things like a low-carb diet and reduce sugar and carb intake which are known to be hyper-inflammatory with numerous studies supporting this factor, than to eliminate items like licorice that are helpful in so many ways. Aside from respiratory and digestive support, licorice contains a substance that sustains the adrenal glands by inhibiting the enzymes that break down cortisol, preventing it from becoming inactive. Furthermore, I cannot find any scientific papers on licorice interfering with immune function or creating autoimmune issues. Finally, my Ayurvedic mentor recommended licorice to me in the early 1990s, and recently the naturopathic doctor at my neurology practice reminded me of its importance.
Kristy Broders says
Does it really have that many calories? I fast every day but thought teas were noncaloric so I drink tea during my fast. Any insight to this?
Elana says
Kristy, thanks for your comment! I’m a little confused as we haven’t posted any nutrition information for this recipe yet. Can you let me know what you’re referring to :-)
Liana says
I found a Yummly page with your recipe, saying 440 calories per serving: https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Ginger-licorice-tea-345640?prm-v1
That might not be what Kristy is referring to, but I suspect those calories would only count if you ingested the licorice root and ginger instead of straining them out.
Elana says
Liana, thanks for your comment! I think this would be the caloric content of licorice candy, not even close for licorice tea :-)
christine says
hi I’ve bought licorice powder how much would you recommend for 1 cup a day 1 each for my daughter and I I can’t find any that use the powder thankyou
Elana says
Christine, thanks for your comment! I haven’t tried that in this recipe so not sure :-)
Michelle says
I just ordered dried licorice- glad to know it can be tasty with fresh ginger! ?
Elana says
Michelle, it’s amazing :-)
Julie says
I have made your tea but I can’t use it all at once. How can I store it to drink it later?
Elana says
Hi Julie, we store it in the refrigerator in a glass mason jar, when kept this way it will last for a couple of days.
Marcia says
I believe licorice has gluten in it. Does Licorice Root?
Dawen says
Licorice-the-candy has wheat flour in it, either for jelling up or for preventing the pieces from sticking to each other. Licorice root does not have gluten. Gluten is only found in certain grains and foods that have been contaminated with gluten flour. :)
SHAWNEE says
Drinking more than a cup of licorice tea may affect cortisol levels in a bad way. Licorice tea contains glycyrrhetinic acid which inhibits a renal enzyme called 11?eta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 which converts biologically active cortisol to inactive cortisone. The glycyrrhetinic acid in licorice tea can inhibit renal 11?-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-2 ( HSD11B2) which causes cortisol levels to go up. This in turn can cause the immune system to plummet as well as cause weight gain issues and a number of other symptoms related to elevated cortisol levels.
rada tome says
Hi
where can I order some licorice root??
Pls reply I am diabetic and it helps my sugar levels.
Thanks a million
Rada
Lorraine says
Do you cut off the tough outer skin of the ginger? By the time I am done with this, the amount of ginger is so small!