Cleansing Lemon and Ginger Herbal Tea

My daily first-thing morning cleanser with steeped fresh herbs and dried spices sweetened with raw honey

Hi, I’m Sue and I write about the beauty and ingenuity of Nature, and how we can deepen our connection for our optimum health and wellbeing. Discover more Nature-inspired content on Spiral Leaf, Twitter and my video Nature Channel.

Cleansing Herbal Tea

There is no better way to cleanse our inner bodies and set ourselves up for the day (or for a good night's sleep) than with a gentle cleansing herbal tea made with fresh lemons, chopped ginger, freshly grown herbs and raw honey.

Soon after I made this herbal tea part of my morning (and evening) routine, my hay fever disappeared and has not returned since. This is mainly due to the addition of natural Propolis Tincture, a gift from the bees to inhibit histamine release by activated mast cells rather than blocking the activity of histamine.

All the nutrients in this ingredients are extracted by steeping in near to the boil filtered water with a spoonful of honey added for a refreshing and healing herbal tea at any time of day.

I enjoy taking the time to learn about natural ingredients and herbs for my own good health but always do your own research to make sure they are suitable for you.

1) Basic ingredients for healthy cleansing

1 x juice of half (or whole) a Lemon (cup or pot)

1 x 3-5” piece of sliced fresh Ginger

1 x cup (or pot) of filtered water

1 x tsp (or tbsp) of Artisan Raw Honey

9 x drops of Propolis Tincture (to reduce and remove heyfever)

2) Optional cleansing spices and fresh herbs

3 x springs Mint

3 x sprigs Lemon Balm

3 sprigs Lemon Verbena

5 x sprigs Thyme

5 x tips of fresh new Nettles

3 x leaves of Dandelion (flower heads and stalks)

5 x flower heads of Red Clover (flower heads and stalks)

3 x tsp x Dried Star Anise

3 x tsp x Dried Cloves

3 x tsp x Black Peppercorns

3 x tsp x Fennel Seeds

Tea steeping options

1) Cup or Mug - add dry ingredients, steep in hot water, add honey, drink warm or cool.

2) Tea Pot or Cooking Pot - as above, pour out drinks or simmer in pot and cool.

3) Large pot for a batch (increasing ingredients accordingly) to steep or simmer, then cool to store in the fridge to drink cold or warmed up. [No microwaves as they jangle up the cells and molecules, and make it too hot].

Tips for making a perfect herbal tea

1) Wash the lemon well to remove any remnants of pesticides (etc).

2) Use well-filtered water (a ZERO water jug is a good option) - not an affiliate link.

3) Use nearly boiling water and leave to steep in cup (teapot) for 15-20 minutes. You can also gently simmer if you are making a batch to cool and store in your fridge.

4) Use organic RAW Honey that has been processed naturally by artisans using traditional methods without any additives or preservatives being added.

5) Use organic RAW Propolis if you suffer from hayfever, which this will remove this over time.

6) Use only fresh herbs and ingredients for best effects.

Cleansing and healing benefits

All the ingredients have health benefits which I have described briefly below with the main nutritional benefits and some of the conditions they can help with.

Fresh Lemon Juice

Lemon water (or herbal tea) is the best way to hydrate, purify and revitalise your body every morning before eating or drinking anything else. It reverses sluggish fatty livers, cleans the kidneys, spleen, thyroid and gallbladder. It also purifies the lymphatic system.

A daily cup of lemon juice will wake up your tissues and cells so that they can carry nutrients and compounds to where they are most needed more efficiently. Lemon juice is a fantastic source of absorbable vitamin C, it is highly mineralised and loaded with calcium so it's good for your teeth and kills any bacteria that causes tooth decay.

Fresh Ginger

Ginger contains a bioactive called Gingerol which is a natural component of ginger root. This supports gastrointestinal motility which is the rate at which food exits the stomach and continues along the digestive system. Ginger is known to soothe an upset stomach and it speeds up digestion and prevents food lingering too long in the gut. Gingerol contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. which boost immunity with antimicrobial and antifungal properties.

Ginger is known to exert a variety of powerful therapeutic and preventive effects. It has been used for thousands of years for the treatment of hundreds of ailments from colds to cancer. A few thin slices in your first herbal tea of the day can be highly beneficial. 

Organic Raw Honey

Raw Honey is naturally collected honey hasn't been pasteurised (heated to high temperature), processed or micro-filtered (filtered under high pressure through a micro-filter to remove small particles like pollen). I buy my Raw Honey and Propolis Tincture from Raw Artisan Honey because it tastes so delicious and is produced by independent beekeepers who filter their honey only with a coarse filter to remove large particles like beeswax.

Raw honey provides a minute amount of protein with trace elements of Sodium and potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, copper,zinc iron, manganese, chromium, B vitamins and vitamin C and K.

Organic Raw Propolis

Bees make Propolis by gathering resin from cone-producing evergreen trees. They blend the resin with wax flakes and pollen then take it back to the hive to patch holes, seal cracks and build panels in the hive. This antiseptic barrier protects the hive from contamination and external invaders.

Used for thousands of years by folk medicine practitioners, Propolis has a wide range of antibacterial, antifungal and anti-viral properties used to prevent respiratory tract infections, common cold symptoms and middle ear infections. The key here is prevention with 10 drops in my lemon cleansing tea every morning has permanently removed my hay fever.

Please note: the above links for Raw Artisan Honey and Propolis Tincture are not affiliate links but purely my personal preference having bought products from them for several years. I always prefer to buy local Raw Honey when it is available.

Fresh Lemon Verbena

Lemon Verbena is a powerful medicinal herb containing a high concentration of antioxidant compounds, including verbascoside, nerol, geraniol, and citral. Traditionally used to make as a soothing tea to aid digestion and to alleviate colds, flu and break a fever, Lemon Verbena can also be made into an ointment or a poultice to disinfect wounds and speed up healing, and to relieve joint pain caused by inflammation.

Fresh Lemon Balm

This beautifully abundant herb with a soft lemon flavour looks like mint and grows just as well in a large pot topped up with plenty of water. Considered a heal-all by naturopaths due to being high in trace minerals such as boron, manganese, copper, chromium, molybdenum, selenium and iron.It is a B12 conserving herb which means it monitors your stores of this vitamin and keeps your body from using it all up.

The gentle cleansing properties of this herb reduces sensitivity in the gut and digestive organs which helps to improve sleep, reduce anxiousness and counteract histamine reactions.

Fresh Thyme

This powerful medicinal and potent anti-bug herb destroys pathogens such as the flu, enteroviruses and noroviruses and pathogens that may have crossed the blood-brain barrier or spinal cord to cause neurological problems. It also helps to remove bacterial and fungal infections with a high vitamin C content for increased immunity, potassium for healthy cells and manganese for bone development and blood health.

Fresh Red Clover Flowers

Red clover produces wonderfully brightly coloured flowers which contain many nutrients, including calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, zinc and vitamin C and A, and some B vitamins.  They also provide a rich source of isoflavones which are compounds that act as phytoestrogens - plant chemicals similar to the female hormone estgrogen.

Red Clover is used in herbal medicine as a blood cleanser, for balancing estrogen levels, to treat whooping cough, and to soothe skin inflammation such as eczema. It is also used as part of anti-cancer herbal preparations due to the isoflavones being found to potentially stop cancer cells from growing and killing cancer cells in test tubes.

Fresh New Nettle Tips

The nettle leaf is an effective antiflammatory herb that revives the organs with healing phytochemicals and alkaloids. Rich with bone-building and bone-protecting herbs such as silica, the nettle leaf has a further 40 trace minerals which means it can be used as a pain reliever and cleansing agent for a host of infections, skin conditions and hormone imbalances.

Nettle tea in particular supports the kidneys, helps to reduce inflammations and alleviate skin conditions. It is also a rich source of iron and other beneficial minerals which may help anaemia with the vitamin C helping the body to absorb the iron it needs. Due to being rich in cholorophyl, nettle leaves help in converting sunlight into energy which makes it idea for building up the blood.

Dandelion Leaves & Flowers

Every single part of this miraculous plant full of healthy acids and healing alkaloids is a powerful spring cleaner for our bodies in Spring and any time of year. Each part of the plant has a varying degree of bitterness and this very feature lends its restorative properties.

Raw or braised or added to stews, the leaves purify the blood; the stems are the second bitterest part of the plant providing powerful cleaning action for the spleen, liver and brain; the root is the bitterest which forces the organs to purge on the deepest level for an intensified purification. 

My favourite is picking fresh Dandelion blooms and steeping them in cold filtered water overnight to release their minerals which I will write about in another blog post.

Dried Star Anise

An impressive source of several powerful bioactive compounds, all vital contributors to good health.

The most valuable component are flavonoids and polyphenols, and other major health-promoting compounds including:

• Linalool

• Quercetin

• Anethole

• Shikimic acid

• Gallic acid

• Limonene

Together, these compounds may contribute to the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of Star Anise.

Dried Fennel Seeds

Benefits are innumerous with aromatic essential oil that possesses antibacterial properties that help to freshen your breath and kill harmful bacteria. Fennel Seed essential oils also stimulate the secretion of digestive juices and enzymes that improve digestion.

They contain Anethole, Fenchone and Estragole that act as antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory, working wonders for constipation, indigestion and bloating.

Black Pepper Corns

Black Pepper is called the King of Spice for good reason. When steeped in your tea or enjoyed in other ways, benefits for your body are numerous. Here are some of the facts about this amazing spice.

• Helps in losing weight

• Detoxifies your body (for alkalinity)

• Prevents cancer

• Gently cleanses intestines and stomach

• Potassium helps in regulating heart rate and high blood pressure

• Helps in producing red blood cells

• Rich in vitamin B and produces calcium

• Prevents constipation

• Prevents skin deformation & wrinkles

Adding a pinch of black pepper to your daily diet can keep you healthy and using this as a weight-loss supplement is the best way for you to lose weight.

I hope you feel inspired to try this simple (or deluxe) cleansing herbal tea.

It’s best served first thing in the morning and last thing before bed as a refreshing and nourishing twice-daily cleanse. Lemons especially are not acidic but alkaline.

They are full of calcium, vitamins, minerals, essential nutrients and the lemon juice is particularly helpful for its teeth building, cleaning and strengthening properties.

Make sure you give your tea time to steep, feel the goodness and enjoy!

Futher Reading

Citrus Metal Detox Remedy by Sue Cartwright

Going Organic is A Journey by Sue Cartwright

Cleanse to Heal by Anthony Williams, Medical Medium