skip the eye-watering shots of apple cider vinegar and start the day with this flavorful and healing lemon, ginger & turmeric detox tea.
Do you go to the bathroom regularly? Yup, we’re getting real personal here. Sure, it’s not exactly dinner party chatter, but that’s why I saved this conversation for a drink recipe and not a food recipe :).
Did you know that a healthy bowel transit time is between 12 and 24 hours, from intake of food to elimination? Believe it or not, the average American’s bowel transit time is 48 to 96 hours. To really take this all in, imagine what you ate for breakfast yesterday morning sitting in your tummy at 98 degrees….gross right?!
I used to think that going #2 once every 2-3 {sometimes even 4-5 days} was totally normal. Now the thought of that terrifies me because substances that are supposed to be eliminated get absorbed back into the bloodstream. Gross? Yes. But also not good because this can interfere with and irritate your entire system.
All that said, being healthy really starts with the gut and proper digestion, absorption and elimination of our food — all of which makes up our metabolism.
Which is why I love this morning tonic, lemon, ginger & turmeric tea. Sipping warm lemon water is one of the ways I started becoming more regular {aka going #2 every morning}. Now that I’m accustomed to my morning lemon water, I’ve started playing around with some new recipes to not only increase the flavor, but overall health benefits of my morning tonic.
lemon, ginger & turmeric detox tea
So what are the health benefits of this lemon, ginger, and turmeric detox tea? Let’s break it down ingredient by ingredient since there are only 5 ingredients.
- Lemons – can aid the body in removal and prevention; from flushing out the kidneys to preventing kidney stones and urinary tract infections. Also a good source of vitamin C which is one of the most ‘important antioxidants in nature’.
- Ginger – my go-to for any type of tummy trouble. Ginger increases the speed at which food empties from the stomach into the intestines; therefore, it helps with indigestion, acid reflux, bloating, and gas. It’s also super effective in helping with inflammation.
- Turmeric – another powerful anti-inflammatory, high in antioxidants. Curcumin, the main ingredient in turmeric, supports the immune system in its ability to fight infection and it has pain relieving properties {good-bye headaches}.
- Cayenne – not only will it add a spicy kick to this tonic, but it will take care of your insides too. It can help with inflammation and weight loss, and give your immune system a boost with its high content of beta-carotene.
- Cinnamon – more antioxidants to help fight infection. And cinnamon has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity thus promoting more stable blood sugar levels.
So I know I recently mentioned I’ve started drinking more coffee as part of ‘project get my happy back,’ but not a morning goes by where I don’t sip on this lemon, ginger and turmeric elixir. And it’s not just for mornings you can sip on this caffeine-free tea all day!
I personally like to make this recipe in bulk on Sunday’s and then I store it in a large mason jar in the fridge. Every morning and throughout the day, I mix 1/4 cup of this concentrated tea with 6 oz hot water.
With benefits like removing toxins, increasing antioxidants, enhancing digestion and boosting immunity, why wouldn’t you start your day off with this daily detox lemon, ginger & turmeric tea?!
For more on gut health check out these 5 ways to improve your digestion naturally from my favorite dietitians over at simply nourished recipes.
- 6 c water
- 1 chunk fresh ginger {approximately 5-6" in length}
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 6 fresh lemons
- peel the ginger and dice into thin slices.
- in a large pot or saucepan over high heat on the stove combine the peeled and sliced ginger and water. bring to a boil. then turn to low heat and let simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
- after 10 minutes, add the cinnamon sticks, turmeric and cayenne and simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes; stirring occasionally.
- then remove from heat, let cool and strain.
- this makes about 6 cups of a concentrated version of the detox tea which you can store in a glass container in the fridge. you can drink this concentrate warm or cold and add ½ fresh lemon juice right before you enjoy.
- i personally like to add ¼ c of this mixture to ½ fresh lemon juice and 6 oz hot water.
what’s your morning ritual or tonic of choice? tell me in the comments below!
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Girl!! Haha, I felt like you were talking SPECIFICALLY to me with your intro! I take those shots of cider vinegar (and have been for the past 6 months) …and yessss they’re so eye watering!! But this looks amazing!! And so healthy too! Thanks for sharing love!
xoxo Cailee!
Haha! This made me giggle! Seriously I occasionally choke down some ACV shots myself, but I never really like it! However, I do love sipping on this tonic every morning and throughout the day! Give it a try! xo-Lindsey
Haha you made me lol so hard! i Typically drink an ACV drink each morning to get the job done (lol) but i would love to try this too! sounds so refreshing!
Glad this gave you a good giggle Rachel! I still my occasional shots of ACV when I know I’m going to be eating lots of raw veggies, but I love starting my mornings off with this warm tonic — sweet and spicy! Let me know what you think if you give it a try!
Thanks for sharing this Lindsey! I love these kinds of posts. I should incorporate the water warm/lemon drink into my morning routine. Right now, I make pour over coffee and take it with me to the gym. I should probably work this type of drink in more often! xo
Sam
Don’t get me wrong Sam, I love my coffee to {I’m a french-press kind of gal}! But I like hydrating with at least 32 oz of water {1 nalgene} and 8+ oz of a warm lemon water tonic before I have my coffee :)! Give it a shot and let me know what you think! xo-Lindsey
Great Post! Definitely going to give this a try Linds!!
It’s one of my favs! Have a big batch in the fridge now :)!
I was just wondering if you put the lemon in the concentrated recipe or just add the lemon when you drink it every morning? Thanks ☺
Hi Dawn! Great question, make the tea mixture without the lemon and then add 1/2 fresh squeezed lemon to your cup right before enjoying the tea. So I personally make a large batch of the detox tea and then I add 1/4 c of the tea mixture to 4-6 oz hot water + 1/2 squeezed fresh lemon! Hope that helps answer your question! Thanks Dawn! xo-Lindsey
Thank you 🙂 That’s what I did.. sooo delicious!!
Perfect! So glad you love this detox tea recipe as much as I do Dawn! It’s how I start every morning! xo-Lindsey
hi – just finding this thread – when is best time to drink? I made a batch today and didnt try any – is before bed or when wake up best?
Hi Melissa! I like to have mine first thing in the morning and sometimes before bed too — really it’s great any time of day! But especially a warm mug in the morning to get things moving in the body! Hope that helps! xo-Lindsey
Hi, I was wondering if you can use ground cinnamon instead of the sticks? I really want to try this, but only have ground cinnamon! Thanks!
Hi Patty! Yes, you can absolutely use ground cinnamon for this recipe. I just prefer to use cinnamon sticks so there’s not so many floating particles at the bottom of your tea {with ground turmeric + cayenne + cinnamon there can be a lot of little floaters at the bottom of your drink if you don’t strain it well}. But you can absolutely use ground cinnamon! Enjoy, and I hope you love this tea as much as I do! xo-Lindsey
This is wonderful! The ground cinnamon worked just fine, I used about 1 1/2 teaspoons. It’s a bit more spicy than I usually like, but the more I sip on it, the more satisfying it is! I can see making this a regular habit! Thanks!
Patty! I’m so glad you like it! Yes, feel free to modify as you see fit {decrease cayenne or turmeric if too spicy}. Otherwise I like to dilute mine a bit too with warm water in the morning! It’s the first thing I sip on everyday and I love it! So glad you like the recipe and I hope you make it a daily ritual too! xo-Lindsey
Hello,
I was just wondering how long does a batch last in the fridge before it spoils?
Hi Tasha! So sorry for the delay in my response as I was traveling this past weekend, but this will stay good in the fridge for up to 2 weeks {don’t add the fresh lemon to the mix; add 1/2 a fresh lemon right before you’re ready to enjoy}! Hope that helps and I hope you love this detox tea as much as I do! xo-Lindsey
Hi i read your post and this detox drink recipe really works..i have been doing this for two weeks now and i have been feeling less lethargic..it also eases my sore throat..it also helps me to maintain my desired weight. I prefer to bring to a boil ginger and cinnamon then add a little zest of lemon and a teaspoon of honey before drinking. I drink twice a day, on an empty stomach and before i sleep..Thanks lindsey!
Leny! I’m so glad you’re loving my detox tea recipe! It’s seriously my cure all whenever I feel a sickness coming on! I love the idea of adding a little lemon zest too! Thanks so much for sharing! xo-Lindsey
Hi Lindsey!
I make mine a little different just because in my journey to decrease inflammation and pain I want the full benefits of the ginerve and turmeric.
I use
1 Gallon water
4 inches ginger just peeled stays whole not cut
1/4 cup turmeric ground
3 juiced lemons and 1/2 cup lemon ju ice
1tsp cayenne
1 1/2 top cinnamon
1/2 cup local honey and truvia if I need more sweetness
I boil 4 inch piece of peeled ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne .
I pour the most of the liquid into my gallon glass container. The rest I put in blender with whole ginger piece, lemon juices .
I I stir that back into gallon jug and add Honey and stevia as needed..
I recently was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and believe this is going to help me with muscle tightness.
I would love to here your thought on the way I prepare mine.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Hi Kimberly! Thanks so much for checking out my recipe and sharing your own spin on this detox tea. I love it and I may just have to give your recipe a try when my next batch runs out. Sounds like another great way to get all the Ginger and Turmeric benefits! Thanks for sharing. –Lindsey
Thanks if you make it let me know if you had to tweak it . My sister in law added fresh pineapple. For natural sweetener instead of honey or stevia
I am so excited that you got back to me.
I am on a quest just to be fit. I can’t let pain take over my life I am fighting like a girl!
Yes, I’m still working on finishing up my batch, but I’ll let you know if I give your’s a try next! And I personally like mine just as is (no sweetener, the lemon adds enough sweetness for me). I love you determination to prioritize your health and fitness!!! xo-Lindsey