6 Best Herbal Tea Recipes for the Winter
If you want to keep yourself refreshed all day with a healthy beverage, then herbal tea is your ultimate choice. While there are various types of tea available in the market, people who prefer a healthy lifestyle might want to go for herbal tea. Packed with antioxidants and various nutrients, herbal teas come with numerous health benefits. Some of the major benefits of herbal teas include a better immune system, reduced inflammation, glowing skin, and many more!
When we say herbal tea, there are many varieties of herbal tea in the market. So, which one is best for you? Well, it depends on which benefit you are looking for from your cup of tea. Let us remember that the health benefits differ from one type of herbal tea to another. For overall benefits in winter, tulsi herbal tea and lemongrass herbal tea can be ideal choices.
While one can enjoy a few cups of herbal tea daily, drinking it during the winter is considered to be beneficial. In this blog, we will discuss how herbal tea helps strengthen your immunity during winter and also some herbal tea recipes for winter.
Drinking Herbal Teas in Winter Benefits
What’s better than a perfect cup of tea to keep yourself warm during winter? It is seen that people tend to consume tea in a greater amount during winter as compared to other seasons. Studies have shown that it is better to go for herbal tea rather than milk/black tea as it is free from caffeine. So, it is recommended to drink 2 to 3 cups of herbal tea a day during winter to keep yourself warm and hydrated.
Also, it is very common to experience a cold, cough, sore throat, etc. during winter. So, it is very beneficial to intake the beverage with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties in this season. Herbal teas such as tulsi herbal tea, lemongrass herbal tea, green tea, peppermint tea, and Hibiscus tea contain plenty of antioxidants to fight off viruses and bacteria. Moreover, herbs like lemongrass and tulsi are very rich in vitamin C, the nutrient best for boosting your immunity. With the consumption of these wonderful herbal teas during winter, you are much less likely to fall sick.
If overproduction of phlegm is the issue that you are facing when you suffer a cold and cough, then it is recommended to go for tulsi or holy basil herbal tea as tulsi herb has been identified as effective for clearing out the lungs. Moreover, Tulsi herbal tea also helps in enhancing breathing during the common cold.
Drinking a cup of herbal tea during the winter will help you keep away from many health problems that are especially seen in cold weather as they are packed with antioxidants. Since winter is just around the corner, we are here to help you choose and make the best herbal tea for winter. Let’s find out the recipe for the best herbal tea for winter.
Herbal Tea Recipes to Strengthen Your Immunity
Nepal Lemongrass Herbal Tea
Lemongrass oil has been used for producing different medicines as it is full of healthy nutrients.
With a mild citrusy taste, this refreshing lemongrass herbal tea has ginger notes that are great for providing warmness to your body during the winter season.
Lemongrass Herbal Tea Recipe
Nepal lemongrass herbal tea can be prepared in 2 ways. We have named it the Decoction Method and the Normal Steeping Method. Both of the methods are very easy to prepare. Let’s learn one by one.
Decoction Method
Step 1: Boil 12 oz. water in a pot.
Step 2: Put 1.5 teaspoons of lemongrass herbal tea in boiling water and let it boil for approximately 4 minutes.
Step 3: You will notice the tea color turned into a lemony yellow color. Turn off the heat.
Step 4: Rest for steeping for one minute. Enjoy your lemongrass herbal tea.
Normal Steeping Method
Step 1: Boil 12 oz. water in a pot.
Step 2: Take a steeping cup and place 1.5 teaspoons of lemongrass herbal tea into it.
Step 3: Pour boiled water from the pot into the steeping cup containing lemongrass herbal tea.
Step 4: Steep it for 5 to 7 minutes approximately.
Step 5: You will notice the tea color turned into a lemony yellow color. Enjoy your lemongrass herbal tea.
Note: You can add honey and ginger to the tea as your preference for enhancing flavor and taste.
Ginger Tea
Ginger tea is also a type of herbal tea that is good for the common cold. Along with this, it is also beneficial for people with digestive issues. A beverage that comes with numerous health benefits, ginger tea is not only easy to prepare but is also a very good alternative to black tea.
Ginger Tea Recipe
Step 1: Cut about 1 inch of ginger and slice it into small pieces. Peeling the ginger is completely your choice.
Step 2: Add the ginger slices to one cup (about 200ml or 6.7628 oz.) of water.
Step 3: Now, boil the mixture on high heat and when it starts to boil, let it simmer for at least 5 minutes on low heat.
Step 4: Pour the tea into a cup by straining it with a strainer
Step 6: Enjoy your hot cup of ginger tea
Tulsi Herbal Tea (Holy Basil Tea)
Tulsi herbal tea is made using the Tulsi holy basil plant, the ancient anciently popular as Ayurveda that protects the body from outer dangers. The tea with peppery and floral notes has a fresh lemony and spiced taste.
Tulsi Herbal (Holy Basil) Tea Recipe
Tulsi Herbal Tea can also be prepared in 2 methods: the decoction method and the normal steeping method.
Decoction Method
Step 1: Boil 12 oz. water in a pot.
Step 2: Put 1.5 teaspoons of lemongrass herbal tea in boiling water and let it boil for approximately 4 minutes.
Step 3: Turn off the heat. Rest for steeping for one minute. Enjoy your Tulsi herbal tea.
Normal Steeping Method
Step 1: Boil 12 oz. water in a pot.
Step 2: Take a steeping cup and place 1.5 teaspoons of lemongrass herbal tea into it.
Step 3: Pour boiled water from the pot into the steeping cup containing lemongrass herbal tea.
Step 4: Steep it for 5 to 7 minutes approximately.
Step 5: You will notice the tea color turned into a rusty copper color. Enjoy your Tulsi herbal tea.
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea is one of the most loved herbal tea that is caffeine as well as calorie-free. This tea is a popular beverage for winter as it helps keep your body warm and also cures colds and coughs. This herbal plant has a cooling taste and a warming aftertaste. Peppermint tea aroma has a unique ability to open nasal passages. Menthol present in peppermint tea has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that may also contribute to the relief of these symptoms.
Peppermint Tea Recipe
Step 1: To prepare peppermint tea using fresh peppermint leaves, grind 5-6 leaves of fresh peppermint leaves. Then, use a spoon or mortar to coax out the aromatic peppermint oil that flavors this refreshing drink.
Step 2: Boil one cup (200ml or 6.7628 oz.) of water and let it cool for about 2 minutes. This is because you can get the best flavor of peppermint leaves in hot water, not in cold water.
Step 3: Now, pour the warm water into a cup and add the ground tea leaves into it.
Step 4: Let the peppermint tea steep for about 7- 8 minutes. Note that fresh peppermint tea leaves require longer steeping time as compared to dried peppermint tea leaves. The flavor of the peppermint depends on the steeping time. The longer the steeping time, the stronger the taste will be.
Step 5: Add sugar or honey as per your preference and enjoy your peppermint tea.
Hibiscus Tea
Hibiscus tea is another herbal tea that is packed with numerous health benefits. Just like Chamomile tea, it is prepared by infusing the hibiscus plant in boiling water. This tea tastes like cranberries and can be enjoyed both hot and cold. Among hundreds of hibiscus spices, Hibiscus Sabdariffa is popularly used to prepare hibiscus tea. Research has uncovered a range of health benefits linked to drinking hibiscus tea, showing that it may lower blood pressure, fight bacteria, and even aid weight loss.
Hibiscus Tea Recipe
Step 1: The very first step in preparing Hibiscus tea is to get some fresh hibiscus flowers and collect all the petals from the flowers. Now, wash the petals and rinse them well with flowing water.
Step 2: Now, boil water in a kettle and add the water over the fresh Hibiscus petals in another jar. Then, let the petals steep until the petals change from red to yellow. This will take around 10 minutes. DO NOT steep the petals for more than 10 minutes as it might result in a bitter taste.
Step 3: Remove all the petals and pour the tea into a cup and enjoy it.
Green Tea
Green tea is one of the most popular beverages that is made from unoxidized leaves and is one of the least processed types of tea. Green tea is rich in antioxidants and beneficial polyphenols. Green tea has been used widely in China and India to treat bleeding and heal wounds, aid digestion, improve heart and mental health, and regulate body temperature. Green tea has also been used for weight loss and helping with Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's.
Green Tea Recipe
Step 1: Pour some water into a saucepan and start to boil it on high heat.
Step 2: Once the water is boiled, turn off the heat and add the green tea leaves to the water.
Step 3: Then cover the mixture for a minute.
Step 4: Now, strain the tea into a teacup.
Step 5: Add sugar or honey as per your preference. This step is optional.
Step 6: Start enjoying your perfect cup of green tea.
Boost Your Immune System
Herbal tea is best for the immune system as they are high in oxidants and great for hydration. They are also rich in antiviral and antibacterial properties that can help prevent you from getting sick. Drinking your herbal tea hot helps soothe your throat and provides a warm sensation to your body.
According to Harvard Health, flavonoids present in tea can also protect your body against free radicals generated by pollution, cigarette smoke, and ultraviolet rays. Similarly, herbal tea including holy basil herbal tea and lemongrass herbal tea can decrease inflammation and it contains high levels of antioxidants, which both support overall immune function.
Herbal tea is readily available in various forms in the market. If you are looking for the best Himalayan herbal teas you can always find them at Danfe Tea. You can enjoy the unique flavors of premium quality tea varieties that originate in a uniquely pristine climate of the foothills of the mighty high Himalayan mountains.
Buy the Finest Loose-Leaf Teas from the Himalayas
Danfe Tea brings you the finest loose-leaf teas in the Himalayas. With robust flavors and many health benefits, we invite you to try our high-quality black teas. These teas are available in 2.5-3.5 oz or 1 lb variants. We also offer monthly subscriptions to these products.
