I have been drinking fresh (organic Meyer) lemon juice in water, daily for many years, and more often when I feel a cold coming I treat myself to a homemade hot and healthy lemon and ginger tea. Here is my simple recipe for fresh homemade lemon and ginger tea. As I sit here taking in the fragrance and enjoying the tasty tea I hope this article encourages you to take an extra minute to make your own, as it is so easy.

Hot Ginger & Lemon Tea
Ingredients:
- One cup water (filtered)
- Fresh squeezed juice from half a lemon (add grated zest or slices of organic lemon as well if you wish)
- 1 (heaped) teaspoon grated fresh ginger (should be juicy and crunch when grated)
- 1 teaspoon unpasteurized honey or to taste (optional) or a small amount Stevia

Directions for Lemon Tea:
- Grate ginger (about a square inch) and place in glass mug
- Add fresh lemon juice
- Then add boiling hot water or,
- ... add cold water, and microwave for one and a half minutes
- For either 3 or 4 - let steep 3 minutes
- Scoop out grated ginger, add a slice of lemon

There you have it - so satisfyingly simple. Hot lemon and honey is also a good combination by itself but if you feel out of sorts or have an upset tummy adding the ginger will help. Lemon tea the way it should be - sweet and natural.
Notes
- Making your own lemon drink, without the chemicals, is really better for you than a store-bought packet
- If you prefer make a larger batch and let it cool in the refrigerator for a refreshing iced lemon/ginger drink
- An extremely simple and enjoyable beverage for company is a simple soda with the juice of half a lemon and a slice of lemon and mint for decoration - also a great thirst quencher on a hot summers day
- A healthy and refreshing start or finish to your day is a glass of warm water with fresh juice from half a lemon
- Before juicing or peeling your lemon, wash thoroughly as even organic lemons may be sprayed with bee's wax, carnauba or coated with a resin or wax - the rind can be kept to make refreshing, old-fashioned lemon rind tea
- Freeze your lemon juice in ice-cube trays, or even whole, for convenient use later
- Left over lemons have a use beside the compost - my mum rarely wasted any food and when her hands were rough from gardening she would save the left over lemon halves and rub her hands for a minute and this would soften and refresh her hands
- Benefits of a "lemon a day" include remedies for coughs, colds and sore throats; relieving sunburn to being used as a hair rinse as well as relieving an upset stomach and dizziness.
"Find out what the facts are, and make your own decisions about how to live a happy life and how to work for a better world"
The last sentence in his book "How to Live Long and Feel Better" by Nobel winning scientist and author, Dr. Linus Pauling (1901 - 1994)

Links
- Health benefits of lemon which has 64% of your daily requirement of Vitamin C
- Absolutely nothing can compare with a freshly picked lemon from your own tree - try growing a lemon tree in a container
- Meyer lemons
- Ginger - the plant or root
- Good for what ails you - ginger - Maryland Medical Center
- Just check out all the vitamins and minerals packed into this small fruit
- Lemons contain Vitamin C, an antioxidant which fights free radicals and boost your immune system
- High dose Vitamin C still a controversial topic for the treatment of cancer
- Lemons are a source of both antioxidants and flavonoids
- Studies on lemon oil extract and its use in cosmetic dermatology
Nutritional value of One Lemon (medium)
- Calories 15
- Carbs 5 grams
- Fiber 2 grams
- Potassium 75 mg
- Vitamin C 40% of US Daily value
- Calcium 3% of US Daily value
- No fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, protein, Vitamin A or Iron and definitely "gluten-free"!

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