Feeling a little run down or like your immune system is taking a hit? Or are you getting ready for festival season and looking to amp up your immunity? This is my go-to recipe for preventing illnesses, building immunity, and nourishing my body… I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a natural at-home remedy made with whole, nutrient dense foods.
I’m sure you’re familiar with some version of this tonic whether you’ve had it as a juice, tea, or concentrated shot, but most recipes do not use the lemon in its entirety and mine includes the lemon peel, seeds, and pulp as well as all the pulp and fiber from the ginger! I love to have a jar on hand, but freezing them into cubes is the ultimate pro-tip and the best way to ensure nothing goes to waste. Having a quick and easy immunity boost on hand is also so clutch… oh the things that bring us joy as we grow older!
Besides how quick, easy, and cost effective the preparation is, here are some reasons why I try to drink this a few times a week, if not everyday:
Lemon peels contain anywhere from 5-10x more vitamins than your average lemon juice. If you can believe it, just 1 tablespoon of lemon zest will contain approximately 9% of your daily vitamin C ~ talk about saying goodbye to your vitamin C* pills and replacing them with real whole foods that are actually potent!
They contain limonene, beta carotene, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. In short:
Limonene: The compound that gives lemon peels their citrus aroma; has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties as well as supporting digestive health, reducing stress, and anxiety.
Beta carotene: An antioxidant that helps protect the body and fight free radicals from oxidizing and damaging cells; also important for eye health, immune function, and skin health.
Magnesium: An essential mineral that is important for bone health, muscle function, and nerve function; may also help regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Potassium*: An electrolyte that is important for muscle function, heart health, and nerve function; aids in reducing high blood pressure and helps prevent muscle spasms by helping maintain and regulate fluid within the body.
Calcium: Helps regulate nerve functions, normal heart rhythms, and aids in blood clot prevention; also crucial for maintaining and building healthy teeth and bones!
*Important note: If you happen to be a cancer patient, one should verify with an oncologist that high doses of vitamin C are okay as it can interfere with certain types of chemo and immunotherapies.
High doses of vitamin C is also not recommended with those that have severe COVID complications as it can interact with common blood thinners that are used in hospitals such as warfarin.
Additionally, people with hyperkalemia should avoid potassium rich diets as it can cause serious symptoms such as irregular heartbeat, muscle cramping, or even stop your heart.
Ginger is a flavorful and aromatic root that has been used for both culinary and medicinal purposes for centuries. Today it is popularized as a highly effective nausea antiagent, digestive aid and inflammation reducer, which can also help reduce pain.
Ginger’s powerful antimicrobial properties encourage a healthy gut flora, which aids in preventing bacterial infections and diseases such as strep, e.coli, salmonella, and the list goes on.
It contains plant compounds (phenols) and gingerol is the most abundant.
Why is this important? Gingerol provides anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory
Properties, including powerful antioxidants that help reduce free radical activity which will encourage healthy aging.What is a free radical? In layman's terms, a free radical is a molecule that damages the body’s healthy cells and could eventually lead to a host of different diseases, chronic illnesses and faster aging.
Raw Honey or Manuka Honey are some of nature’s delights. They are straight from the source, all natural, and unpasteurized sweeteners that contain powerful health benefits. Both are often used medicinally and have similar healing benefits like boosting immunity, reducing inflammation, relieving coughs/sore throat, and encouraging wound healing. The difference would be that Manuka is a bit more expensive and also popularized specifically for its antibacterial properties.
Manuka Honey
Specific honey that comes from the Manuka bush in New Zealand
Known for its antibacterial properties; often used to treat wounds and infections, also known to be great for acne
Contains a compound called Methylglyoxal (MGO), MGO is a potent antibacterial property that can help fight against bad bacteria or other pathogens.
Below you’ll find two versions on how to make the lemon-ginger paste! The first will be more elaborate, with the reasons behind why I do it a certain way, and the second will be straight to the point!
LEMON PEEL GINGER PASTE
w/ additional notes
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Lemon
- Ginger
- Blender or food processor
Note: I recommend a 1:1 lemon to ginger ratio to start, otherwise if you’re like me and can handle the heat, 1:2 lemon to ginger ratio!
Directions:
The key is to thoroughly soak and scrub all your ginger and lemon with vinegar water because we want to clean off all the dirt, bad bacteria, and any chemicals it may have been washed down with before hitting the grocery stores.
A blender will work but a food processor is best - I like to process the ginger first as it is much more fibrous and you’ll need to stir and push the ginger down a few times. I take my time here because we will be ingesting this and the finer it is, the easier it will go down. Sometimes adding some of the lemon juice will help grind the ginger down, but do not add the whole lemon peel until you’ve reached your desired texture.
Next, you’ll add your well washed lemons and blend until it becomes as smooth of a consistency as you can get it. You’ll need to stir and push down the sides to make sure everything is mixed in well. I can handle my pulp being a little chunky, but my roommate really hates it, so I pulverize it until it's a fine paste. Once you’ve reached your desired consistency, that is literally it - sometimes I’ll add a little black pepper and fresh turmeric or an orange if I happen to have it on hand, but I usually stick to the OG recipe because lemon, ginger, and honey are staples in my kitchen.
STRAIGHT TO THE “PASTE”
w/o additional notes
Wash lemons and ginger extremely well.
Peel ginger if you desire, otherwise chop into smaller pieces and throw into the food processor.
Process until your desired consistency (the more pasty it is the easier it will be to drink).
Roughly chop up your lemons and add into your processor with the ground down ginger.
Process until your desired consistency. Make sure to continuously push down/stir the pulp that rises up the side!
That is literally it.
HOT LEMON-GINGERADE TONIC
Ingredients You Will Need:
- Lemon Ginger Paste
- Hot Water
- Raw or Manuka Honey
Note: I enjoy mine tart, but you can always go sweeter!
Directions:
Boil water
Scoop 2-4 tbsp of lemon ginger paste into cup
Pour hot water over lemon ginger and stir; let it sit for 5-10 minutes
Once water isn’t piping hot, add in 1-2 tbsp of raw or manuka honey
Stir and enjoy!