Make a Hot Soothing Lemon Drink

Hot lemon beverages can be very soothing, particularly when you aren’t feeling well. The hot water and steam can relax and soothe a sore throat. Lemon is high in vitamin C, which may help boost your immune system. There are a variety of natural ingredients you can add to hot lemon beverages for additional health benefits. A few of the most popular are honey, ginger, and cinnamon. Honey can soothe a sore throat, ginger may help loosen chest congestion, and the aroma of cinnamon can help open up clogged sinuses.

Ingredients

Soothing Honey and Lemon Drink[1]

  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey
  • 1/2 cup (60 ml) hot water (or more)

Serves: 1

Lemon Ginger Drink[2]

  • 4 tablespoons (60 grams) freshly grated ginger root
  • 1-2 lemons, freshly squeezed
  • 1 quart (936 ml) hot water

Serves: 6 to 8

Cinnamon Hot Toddy[3]

  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) honey
  • 2 ounces (60 ml) hot water
  • 1 stick of cinnamon
  • 1 slice of lemon
  • 3 whole cloves
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 1.5 ounces (45 ml) of bourbon (optional)

Serves: 1

Steps

Making a Honey Lemon Drink to Soothe a Sore Throat

  1. Squeeze half a lemon. Cut one fresh lemon in half. Squeeze one of the lemon halves over a tablespoon until you’ve filled it. Put the tablespoon of juice into a mug. Lemon juice is high in vitamin C, which may help boost your immune system.
    • Lemon juice also has antibacterial properties and may help with breaking fevers and relieving sore throats.
    • Check to make sure you didn’t get any lemon seeds in your mug. If you see any, remove them.
  2. Measure out the honey. Put the two tablespoons of honey into the mug with the lemon juice. Honey, along with having antibacterial properties, coats and soothes sore throats.[4]
  3. Boil ½ cup (60 ml) water. Fill a tea kettle or pot with ½ cup (60 ml) water. Put it on the stove under high heat until it begins to boil. Remove the kettle or pot from heat.
  4. Pour the hot water over the lemon and honey. After boiling the water, carefully pour it over the lemon and honey that's already in your mug. Stir the ingredients together gently. Allow the beverage to cool for about five minutes before you begin drinking it.
    • You can always add more lemon juice, honey, or hot water to taste.
    • If you're experiencing an illness, the hot water can help to relax your throat muscles.

Creating a Lemon Ginger Drink to Soothe Congestion

  1. Grate the ginger. Use a knife to cut the root into several manageable pieces. Remove the skin by scraping the root with the edge of a spoon. Discard the skin. Scratch the peeled ginger rapidly across the tines of a fork. This will shred the root's flesh into small bits.[5]
  2. Put one quart (936 ml) of cold water into a saucepan or pot. Add the grated ginger. Freshly grated ginger is warming and can help loosen and expel mucus and chest congestion.
    • Ginger may also reduce swelling, improve circulation and provide antibacterial properties.
  3. Put the saucepan over medium heat. Cover it until it comes to a boil. Remove the saucepan from heat. Allow the ginger to steep in the hot water for 10 to 15 minutes.
  4. Slice and juice the lemons. While you’re waiting for the water to boil, prepare the lemon juice. Slice the lemons in half, then squeeze each lemon half over a clean bowl. Squeeze until the fruit stops yielding juice.
    • Check your bowl for lemon seeds and discard any that may have fallen in.
    • Set the freshly squeezed lemon juice aside for now.
  5. Strain the ginger from the hot water. After the grated ginger has steeped in the hot water for 15 minutes it will need to be removed. Hold a mesh strainer over a large bowl or pitcher. Carefully pour the hot water through the strainer.
    • The water will go into the bowl and the grated ginger pieces will be caught in the strainer.
    • Discard the grated ginger bits after straining them out.
  6. Add the lemon juice and serve. Pour your freshly squeezed lemon juice into the bowl or pitcher of hot ginger water. Stir gently to combine the ingredients. You will have six to eight servings. Pour one serving into a mug and serve immediately. Sip on the remaining mixture throughout the day, warming it up in the microwave if necessary.
    • Add a spoonful of honey (or to taste) to your mug, if you like. Honey will coat and soothe a sore throat.
    • If you have any leftovers, put the liquid in an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator. The beverage will be good for up to three days.

Making a Comforting Cinnamon Hot Toddy

  1. Boil the water and slice the lemon. Put a kettle of water on to boil. Use a sharp knife to slice one lemon in half. Cut a circular slice about ¼ inch thick. If you like, you can take one of the halves, squeeze out the juice and add that to your beverage with the slice. Set the slice aside for now.
  2. Measure out the honey and bourbon. Place both ingredients into a mug. If you have a sore throat, the honey can help to coat and soothe it.
  3. Pour the boiling water into the mug. Once the water begins to boil, remove it from heat and pour it over the honey and bourbon. Drop the lemon slice into the mug, along with one cinnamon stick and three whole cloves. Cinnamon can help relieve pain from a sore throat. It's also very high in antioxidants and the scent of cinnamon can help to open up clogged sinuses.[6]
    • The cloves can relieve pain and they have antibacterial properties, too.
    • Do not substitute clove oil for the whole cloves. The oil might upset your stomach.
  4. Allow the mixture to steep for five minutes. Stir the liquid gently with the cinnamon stick or a spoon. Let it steep. Sprinkle the drink with nutmeg and serve immediately. Stir the beverage once more. Take a pinch of nutmeg and sprinkle it over the top and serve the beverage immediately.
    • Feel free to remove the cloves before consuming, although they are perfectly safe to swallow and may provide additional health benefits.[4]
    • You can always add lemon juice or additional honey to taste, if you like.



Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/honey_and_lemon_tea/
  2. ↑ http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2014/10/soothing-lemon-ginger-drink-colds-congestion.html
  3. ↑ http://allrecipes.com/recipe/40401/hot-toddy/
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://everydayroots.com/sore-throat-remedies
  5. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/05/how-to-grate-ginger_n_6249162.html
  6. ↑ http://news.health.com/2014/11/21/health-benefits-of-cinnamon/
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