I can easily drink tea all day long, but I like to have some caffeine-free sipping options on hand as well—sparkling water, a chamomile infusion, or ginger water. Ginger water is new in my kitchen. I make it by the liter and drink it at room temperature—plain or with a squeeze of lemon juice. A splash of sparkling water is nice. For a little sweetness, you could stir in a tablespoon or two of honey before the water cools.

So why ginger water? It is tasty yet gentle, and I find it to be simultaneously soothing and revitalizing. I rehydrate with a glass first thing in the morning, and I often have another in the afternoon. Drinking ginger water helps me to feel healthy, but if it weren’t delicious, I wouldn’t drink it. It’s my no-sugar ginger lemonade.

Inspirations

The Chopra Institute lays out the benefits of ginger here.

If you’re craving something sweeter, I recommend Chocolate and Zucchini’s recipe for ginger lemonade.

Ginger Water

Created by aconnolly24 on May 5, 2018

More than a recipe, this is a method. Use a little less or a little more ginger, more or less water. You could also boil the water and ginger on the stove top for a stronger ginger flavor. I leave the pitcher of ginger water on the counter during the day and put it in...

Category: Asian Inspired, Tea and other Drinks

Ingredients

3 inch piece of ginger
1 L filtered water

Instructions

Peel ginger with the back of a spoon
Slice ginger and place in large bowl
Bring water to a boil, and pour over ginger
Steep until water has cooled to room temperature, about 45 minutes
Strain through a sieve and pour into pitcher
Drink at room temperature or chilled. Ginger flavor is more pronounced when water is at room temperature.

I am sorry to say that Peter was not very well during the evening. His mother put him to bed, and made some camomile tea; and she gave a dose of it to Peter! —The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter

With her strong connection to the natural world, Beatrix Potter knew that chamomile was just the thing to ease her mischievous protagonist. Preparing and sipping herbal infusions is soothing and healing. But we needn’t wait for upset to benefit from them!

In the last few years, I have liberalized my consumption of chamomile and other tisanes. I admit to getting a little bored with plain water. I crave variety. I always keep a few herbal teas on hand, and chamomile is one of my “fun” hydration options. I find chamomile to have herbaceous, subtly floral notes. Warm, it calms me. At room temperature, the drink tastes more botanical. Chilled chamomile tea is refreshing and cooling.

Studies on the health benefits of chamomile are intriguing. Yet even without reading up on the medicinal uses of this dainty flower, we can choose to use it in healing ways. As we prepare tisanes, we connect with the plant and the people who grew and harvested it. Drinking a chamomile infusion is hydrating, and that in itself is therapeutic. Peter’s mother instinctively knew that chamomile would help her little rabbit. We, too, can trust ourselves to reach for the tin of chamomile when we need to rebalance, rehydrate, or rejuvenate.

Inspirations

Miss Potter, a charming biographical film about Beatrix Potter

Blog post on chamomile and other tisanes, by tea expert Bruce Richardson