Herbal & Flower Teas

Red-Skin Garlic and Fresh Ginger Tea

traditionally used to support the body against seasonal colds and flu

In short: Red-Skin Garlic and Fresh Ginger Tea is a herbal & flower tea that traditionally used to support the body against seasonal colds and flu. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness. Total time about 30 min. Key ingredients: brown sugar.

Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Makes
2 cups
Red-Skin Garlic and Fresh Ginger Tea

Why people make this tea

Red-skin garlic is a variety with a notably stronger aroma and, traditionally, a more potent antimicrobial quality than the standard white-skin type. The combination of garlic and ginger has been used in Chinese households for generations as a warming, protective tea during cold and flu season. Modern research backs up what traditional cooks have long known: garlic contains allicin and a range of sulfur compounds that have been shown to inhibit a broad spectrum of bacteria and viruses, including flu viruses, and to work even against some antibiotic-resistant strains. Ginger adds its own warming, surface-releasing properties to the mix.

What studies say about the key ingredients

Traditional use is not the same as clinical proof. Here is the strongest human research we found for each ingredient, limitations included.

  • Garlic · Randomized controlled trial, 120 participants · 2016
    Gamma-delta T and NK cells proliferated better and were more activated than with placebo. The number of illnesses did not differ significantly, but cold and flu severity and missed days were lower.Limitation: Cold and flu outcomes were self-reported in daily diaries, and the dose was a concentrated extract that is not comparable to dietary garlic.PubMed 26764332 · 2 more garlic studies
  • Ginger · Meta-analysis, 23 studies · 2022
    Overall, acute and delayed nausea and vomiting did not differ significantly between ginger and control groups. A subgroup taking 1 g/day or less for over four days had less acute vomiting (OR 0.30).Limitation: Clinical heterogeneity between trials required subgroup analyses, and the authors state that sufficiently large, high-quality RCTs are still needed.PubMed 36501010 · 3 more ginger studies

From the Nourilo Research Library. Findings come from specific doses, extracts and populations and may not apply to a home-cooked recipe.

Safety first — read before you cook

This is a traditional food, not a treatment. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist before making it a regular part of your diet if you:

  • are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are cooking for a young child;
  • take regular medicines — especially blood thinners, blood-pressure, diabetes or immune-suppressing drugs;
  • have a kidney, liver or heart condition, or a known food allergy.

Stop eating it and seek advice if you notice an allergic reaction or feel unwell. Safety notes reviewed 8 October 2026 · How we write safety notes

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