Apart from keeping you cosy, warm beverages provide you with great health benefits like helping with digestion, boosting your immune system, etc. So, if you need a healthy substitute for your favourite hot drinks, there are numerous options that will keep you warm this winter without packing on the calories and keeping you away from cold and flu. Give these recipes a try and experience a healthier version of your wintertime favourites.
Hot Water and Lemon Infusion
Ingredients:
● 1 to 1 1/2 cups boiling water
● Juice of 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon
● 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
● Pinch red chilli powder or cayenne (boosts metabolism)
● Pinch coarse sea salt
● Pinch raw cane sugar like Sucanat
Directions:
1. Mix the lemon juice, turmeric, red chilli powder or cayenne, sea salt and raw cane sugar together in a mug and stir well.
2. Drink the mixture.
Why it works:
This hot drink is known for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of turmeric whereas the hot water and lemon combination removes the toxins from the liver and kidney.
Potent Cold Fighter
Ingredients:
● 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
● Dash cinnamon
● Dash turmeric
● Dash nutmeg
● Dash cayenne pepper
● Freshly ground ginger
● 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
● 1 dash stevia
Directions:
1. Heat the almond milk in a saucepan.
2. Add all ingredients and mix well.
3. Consume the drink while hot.
Why it works:
Cinnamon and nutmeg are considered to be warm and stabilize the blood sugar levels. Cayenne pepper stimulates the metabolism and internal heat. Turmeric and ginger possess anti-inflammatory properties and keep the stomach good.
Hot Apple Cider with Cinnamon
Ingredients:
● 1 cup cider and a cinnamon stick.
Directions:
1. Pour cider and add a cinnamon stick to it.
2. Heat it gently.
3. Drink it.
Why it works:
Apple cider contains vitamin C and iron along with the fibre pectin, which helps to reduce the cholesterol. Vitamin C supports the hale and hearty functioning of the immune system and adrenal glands. Cinnamon helps in digestion and can optimize the blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.
Hot Ginger Tea
Ingredients:
● 3 ounces thinly-sliced ginger root
● 1 cup water
Directions:
1. Boil the ginger root with water and then strain.
2. Add honey to taste.
3. Consume while hot.
Why it works:
Ginger helps in digestion and can ease discomfort related to osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia, which are usually wearisome in cold weather. It is known to relieve a cough.
Hot Turmeric Milk
Ingredients:
● 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
● 1/2 cup light coconut milk (from the can)
● 2 tablespoons raw honey
● 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
● 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
● 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
● 1 black peppercorn
● 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
● Pinch cayenne
● Pinch nutmeg
(Optional: 1 tablespoon chia seeds)
Directions:
1. Mix all the ingredients in a blender and process for about a minute.
2. Heat the liquid mixture on a low-medium flame.
3. Serve immediately.
Why it works:
Turmeric has lots of benefits but the compound curcumin is great to treat the inflammation and joint pain.
Immune Boosting Spicy Coconut Tea Stimulant
Ingredients:
● 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
● 1/2 cup filtered water
● 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
● 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
● 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
● 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
● Dash cayenne
● 1 Rooibos teabag of choice
● Optional Secret ingredient: One drop pure cinnamon essential oil
● 1 cinnamon stick, for serving
Directions:
1. Take a small saucepan and add all the ingredients excluding the cinnamon essential oil, if being used to a slow simmer.
2. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Now remove from heat and mix in cinnamon essential oil.
4. Strain, if required, or dispense directly into a teacup to sip and enjoy.
Why it works:
The drink helps in treating inflammation and digestive discomfort. Moreover, it provides anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-oxidant protection.
These drinks will definitely take the freeze out of you and heat you up from the inside out. With amazing super-spices like cinnamon and ginger, these are both healthful and curative. These healthy hot drinks are certainly going to help you to keep off a cold or flu.