We fully admit to being avid tea drinkers all round, but there’s just something extra special about sipping a delicious hot tea on a chilly fall or winter morning. In fact, we actually incorporate tea into our health routine in the colder months because we find it easier to avoid colds and aches if we take advantage of the natural health benefits of various different types of tea infusions.
If that sounds intriguing to you too, then check out these 15 awesome DIY winter teas that are completely delicious and packed full of enough natural nutrients to keep you healthy this season!
1. Ginger and turmeric tea
Homegrown and Healthy guides you through the process of making a uniquely flavoured tea that will actually help you naturally boost your immune system to fight off cold and flu! You’ll need:
- 2-3 cups of water (boiled)
- 1 tsp of powdered ginger
- 1 tsp of powdered turmeric
- one lemon (juiced)
2. “Immunitea”
Perhaps you’re in need of an immune system boosting tea but you’re concerned that you won’t like the taste of the one above? Then maybe it’s time to take advantage of the health fighting power of plants, herbs, and flowers instead! Real Food Outlaws suggests combining the following ingredients in water and setting them to boil:
- Elderberries
- Elderflowers
- Chamomile
- Rose hips
- Astragalus
- Echinacea
3. Cold and flu fighting apple green tea turmeric tonic
Maybe you liked the effects the turmeric tea we mentioned above had, but it needed a little bit of a taste enhancer for you? Then you might prefer this apple green tea version from A Harmony Healing! You’ll need:
- 4½ cups of purified or spring water
- 1 large organic Fuji apple (cut into wedges)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp of organic turmeric powder or a 2-inch piece of fresh turmeric (peeled and cut into chunks)
- A 2 inch piece fresh, peeled ginger (cut into chunks)
- 2 tsp of organic virgin coconut oil
- ⅛ tsp of cayenne pepper
- ⅛ tsp of black pepper
- ½ tsp of pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp of raw honey
- 2 organic green tea bags
- 2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
4. Winter Chai tea
As if regular Chai tea blends weren’t delicious enough, this particular recipe is specifically concocted with cold fighting ingredients in mind. Thanks to Real Food Outlaws for this one! You’ll need:
- 4 cups of darjeeling or rooibos Tea
- 1 cup of cinnamon chips
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup of ground nutmeg
- 1 cup of ginger
- 1 cup of cardamom pods
- 1/2 cup of whole cloves
- 4 vanilla beans (cut into small pieces)
5. Vitamin C boosting immune tea
There are lots of immunity boosting teas out there, but if you’d been to your doctor recently and learned that your main issue is a vitamin C deficiency, then you might be particularly interested in this one from Recipes to Nourish! You’ll need:
- 4 tbsp of rose hips
- 1 tbsp of lemongrass
- 1 tbsp of cinnamon chips
- 1 tsp of hibiscus flowers
- 1 tsp of fennel seed
- ½ tsp of lemon peel
- 4 cups of filtered water
- Ice (optional- this tea can be enjoyed cold)
- Raw honey or fresh fruit juice (optional for taste- kids might like theirs better sweetened)
6. Homemade black apple tea
Black tea is just plain delicious. It’s got a dark, rich flavour that can’t be beat, but sometimes it’s nice to add a fun twist, even to your favourite things. We love that The Greenbacks Gal added apples! You’ll need:
- 1 sweet organic apple (Honey Crisp, Gala, or Fuji work well)
- 2 tbsp of lemon juice
- 2 tsp of turbinado sugar
- 1/2 cup of loose leaf black tea
- 15 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks (broken)
7. DIY after-dinner digestive tea
Digestive tea is a great know-how recipe for any season, but it’s particularly handy for the fall and winter when you’re eating Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. According to A Delightful Home, you’ll need:
- 1 parts spearmint leaves
- 1/8 part dried licorice root
- Cloves and fennel to taste (to enhance flavour and digestive power)
8. Tummy tamer tea
Just in case you aren’t a fan of how the above tea tastes but you still need something natural to help settle your stomach, here’s an alternative “tummy tamer” from Natural Living Mama! You’ll need equal parts of:
- Calendula (to soothe and heal the intestinal lining and reduce inflammation)
- Fennel (to help treat indigestion and calm the intestines and stomach)
- Marshmallow rot (to soothe irritation of the mucus membrane and coat the stomach in order to protect the soft walls from acid and irritants)
- Chamomile (to reduce inflammation and calm the stomach)
9. Autumn tonic tea recipe
Everything about this tea from Natural Herbal Living screams “autumn”. It tastes like fall, smells like the holiday season, and will help you fight cold germs too! You’ll need:
- 4 parts nettle leaf
- 3 parts spearmint leaf
- 3 parts lemon balm
- 2 parts mullein leaf
- 2 parts (combined) dandelion leaf and root
- 2 parts red clover blossoms
- 1 part rosehips
- 1 part Ginger Root (dried, cut, and sifted)
10. Soothing lemon tisane
Lemon tea , like this on by Frugal Granola, is great for all kinds of things. For example, it calms the stomach, soothes the throat, and helps clear the nasal passages. You’ll need:
- 3 parts lemongrass
- 1 part lemon balm
- 1 part lemon peel
- 1 part chamomile
- 1/8 part stevia leaf (cut)
11. Pregnancy safe headache tea
Who knew something as simple as a brewed tea could help with headaches, even when you’re pregnant and therefore have to work with certain dietary restrictions? Real Food Outlaws knew! In equal parts, brew the following herbs together:
- Chamomile
- Skullcap
- Lemon balm
- Lavender
- Lemon Peel
12. Calm kid tea
Particularly if they’re cooped up inside on extremely cold days, sometimes kids need a small hand calming down before bedtime. One of the best ways to help them relax, keep them warm, and boos their immune system is through a natural homemade tea like this one from Natural Living Mama! You’ll need:
- 1 part chamomile
- 2 parts catnip
- 1 part Lemon Balm
- A pinch of stevia or a teaspoon of honey (to taste)
