Ginger and turmeric tea is a warm, gently spicy drink made by simmering the two ground roots in water and finishing it with coconut milk and a little honey. It takes about fifteen minutes, costs very little, and is a pleasant alternative to coffee on a cold evening. The recipe is below.
This tea often travels online with big promises attached: that it dissolves kidney stones, cleanses the liver, beats colds better than medicine and kills cancer cells. None of those claims holds up. Ginger does have some genuine research behind it, mostly for nausea, and that evidence is worth knowing. But a cup of spiced tea is a nice drink, not a treatment.
How to make ginger and turmeric tea
This makes one generous mug.
Ingredients
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 cup (about 250 ml) water
- Coconut milk, to taste (2 to 4 tablespoons is a good start)
- Honey, optional
Method
- Bring the water to the boil in a small pan.
- Stir in the ginger and turmeric, lower the heat and let it simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk and warm it through without letting it boil hard.
- Pour through a fine sieve or tea strainer into a mug, since ground spices leave a gritty sediment.
- Sweeten with honey once it has cooled slightly, if you like.
Variations worth trying
- Fresh roots: use a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger and a smaller piece of fresh turmeric, thinly sliced or grated. The flavour is brighter and more peppery.
- A pinch of black pepper: piperine, a compound in black pepper, increases how much curcumin from turmeric the body absorbs. It also rounds out the taste.
- Other milks: dairy, oat or almond milk all work. Coconut milk adds richness because of its fat.
- Lemon and cinnamon: a squeeze of lemon or a cinnamon stick in the simmering water gives a lighter, chai-like cup.
Turmeric stains, so rinse your pan, strainer and mug straight away.
What research says about ginger
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been used in traditional medicine for centuries, for everything from indigestion to colds. Modern studies have tested it for a handful of uses, and the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) summarises them like this:
- Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: research suggests ginger may help. This is its best-supported use, but pregnant women should check with their doctor or midwife before taking ginger supplements.
- Menstrual cramps: ginger supplements may reduce how severe the cramps feel.
- Chemotherapy and post-surgery nausea: it is uncertain whether ginger adds anything to standard anti-sickness treatment.
- Motion sickness: most studies have not found it helpful.
- Knee osteoarthritis: oral ginger might ease symptoms, but much of the research is of poor quality.
Two things are worth noticing. First, most of these studies used concentrated ginger supplements in measured doses, not a quarter-teaspoon in a mug of tea. Second, NCCIH reports no good evidence for colds and flu, immune strength, heart disease or asthma, all of which are commonly claimed for ginger online.
And turmeric?
Turmeric gets its yellow colour from curcumin, which has been studied heavily in the lab. In people, the picture is much less exciting. NCCIH concludes that there is not enough evidence to say turmeric or curcumin helps with any health condition. There are early, encouraging results for knee osteoarthritis pain and for mouth sores during cancer treatment, but the better-quality trials needed to confirm them have not been done.
Curcumin is also poorly absorbed on its own, which is why supplement makers add piperine or use special formulations. In the small amounts used for cooking, turmeric is a spice and colouring, not a dose of medicine.
Checking the popular claims
“It dissolves kidney stones”
There is no good evidence that ginger or turmeric tea dissolves kidney stones. The advice from the US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases centres on drinking enough fluid, mainly water, cutting down on salt, getting enough calcium from food, and, for some stone types, limiting high-oxalate foods and animal protein. Turmeric is reported to be relatively high in oxalate, so people with a history of calcium oxalate stones may want to keep turmeric supplements in check and ask their doctor. Kidney stones can be very painful and sometimes dangerous, so they need medical care.
“It cleanses the liver”
Your liver and kidneys clear waste continuously; no drink is needed to switch that on. Ironically, concentrated turmeric and curcumin supplements have been linked to a small number of cases of liver injury, according to reports collected by the US Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network. Culinary amounts are not the concern, but high-dose products are not risk-free.
“It prevents cancer and destroys cancer cells”
Many substances kill cancer cells in a laboratory dish; very few become useful treatments. There is no reliable evidence that ginger or turmeric tea prevents or treats cancer in people. Anyone with cancer should discuss any supplement with their oncology team, because some can interfere with treatment.
“It beats colds and flu better than medicine”
No trials show this. A warm drink can soothe a sore throat and help you stay hydrated, which is a real comfort when you are ill, but it does not shorten a cold or replace a flu vaccine or antiviral medicine when a doctor recommends them.
“It supplies oxygen, vitamins and minerals”
Ginger contains small amounts of vitamins and minerals, but a quarter-teaspoon of the dried spice provides almost none. It certainly does not provide oxygen. Coconut milk adds some fat and calories, and honey adds sugar.
Safety notes
In food amounts, ginger and turmeric are safe for most people. A few cautions apply, especially if you start drinking several cups a day or switch to supplements:
- Ginger can cause heartburn, stomach upset or diarrhoea in some people.
- Turmeric can cause nausea, reflux or loose stools at higher doses, and supplements may be unsafe in pregnancy.
- Both may interact with some medicines, including blood thinners. If you take regular medication, are pregnant or have a health condition, talk to a doctor or pharmacist before using either as a supplement.
- Honey should not be given to babies under 12 months.
The bottom line
Ginger and turmeric tea is cheap, warming and easy to make, and if it helps you drink more fluids or replaces a sugary drink, that is a small win. Ginger may genuinely help with pregnancy nausea and period pain, though mostly in supplement form. Beyond that, enjoy the tea for what it is and leave the big claims behind. For kidney stones, liver problems or cancer, the right next step is a conversation with a doctor.
The recipe was widely shared in 2016 by the sites All About Better Life and Healthy Food House, along with the health claims discussed above.
Sources: NCCIH: Ginger; NCCIH: Turmeric; NIDDK: Eating, Diet and Nutrition for Kidney Stones.
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