Fresh Ginger and Garlic Tea

Why people make this tea

During flu season, Bro Niu regularly re-shares this recipe because almost every household already has the two key ingredients: fresh ginger and garlic. Both are among the most well-researched culinary herbs in the world — garlic contains allicin, which has demonstrated antimicrobial and antiviral properties in laboratory research, while ginger contains gingerols and shogaols that are associated with anti-inflammatory and immune-supporting effects. In traditional Chinese food therapy, this combination is used specifically to “scatter wind-cold” — to warm and open the body’s defences when you feel a chill coming on, or to support the whole family proactively during a flu outbreak. It takes just 10 minutes to make and tastes pleasantly warming with the rock sugar.

Bro Niu notes that during particularly severe flu seasons, when cases are rising rapidly, this kind of proactive approach — alongside good sleep, balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and good hygiene — is the most sensible strategy.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suitable for the whole family including young children; for infants and very young children, use smaller amounts (3 slices ginger, 4 garlic cloves, 1 bowl water)
• Double the recipe for a whole family serving
• Those with yin deficiency with internal heat — characterised by dry mouth, thirst, a feeling of heat from the mouth and nose, and a tendency toward inflammation — should avoid this tea. For this group, Bro Niu suggests using 5 qian of daqing ye (isatis leaf) with 1 liang of mung beans instead

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Fresh ginger with skin (sheng jiang): Warm and pungent; traditionally associated with dispersing cold and wind from the exterior of the body, warming the stomach, and supporting qi circulation. Keeping the skin on is important — the skin is considered to have a slightly different energy that helps balance the overall action.
• Garlic (suan zi): Warm, pungent, and antimicrobial; one of the most well-studied natural foods for immune support. In Chinese food therapy, garlic is used to “kill pathogens,” support qi circulation, and help the body expel external invaders.
• Rock sugar (bing tang): Neutral in nature; added simply for palatability and to moderate the heat of ginger and garlic slightly, making the tea easier for children and sensitive stomachs.

Ingredients (2 bowls — 1 serving)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Organic fresh ginger (with skin)	5 slices	Wash well; keep skin on
Garlic cloves	8 cloves	Peel and lightly crush
Rock sugar	A few small pieces	To taste; adjust sweetness

Method

1. Wash the fresh ginger and cut into 5 slices — leave the skin on.
2. Peel the garlic cloves and lightly crush each one with the flat of a knife.
3. Combine ginger and garlic in a small pot with 4 bowls of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. Add rock sugar and stir until dissolved; the liquid should reduce to about 2 bowls.
6. Drink warm. For the whole family, double all quantities.

Bro Niu’s tips

This tea is most useful for those whose flu or cold involves digestive discomfort alongside the respiratory symptoms — a feeling of fullness in the stomach, nausea, or poor appetite alongside the chills and body aches. Those with a hot constitution (dry mouth, feeling of heat in the face and throat) are better served by a cooler approach like daqing ye and mung bean water. If your child is already running a high fever, this warming tea is not appropriate — focus on cooling approaches and see a doctor. Rock sugar can be omitted or reduced for those who prefer a less sweet drink.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Cherrty): My 3-year-old just had influenza A and the fever broke, but now the coughing has got worse — what soup should I make? Bro Niu: Try simmering 1 whole onion (peeled and sliced) and 4–5 crushed garlic cloves in 4 bowls of water, reduce to about 1.5 bowls, and give your child a portion spread over the day — continue for 3 doses. This combination is traditionally associated with fighting bacteria and viruses and can also help with the cough.

• Q (Ann): My 3-year-old just finished her Tamiflu course for influenza A. Can she drink this tea? What can I give her to protect her health going forward? Bro Niu: Try giving her 4 qian of reed root (lu gen), 1 liang of fresh barley (sheng yi mi), 1 cored pear, and a little rock sugar in 5 bowls of water, simmer down to 2 bowls — this will help clear residual heat and nourish the lungs after illness. Give for 3 doses. For regular immune maintenance once she has recovered, look for Yu Ping Feng San granules from a Chinese herbal pharmacy — give it 2 times per week.

• Q (Joyce Tang): My baby is 8 months old with a runny nose. Can she have this tea? Bro Niu: Yes — for an 8-month-old, reduce to 3 slices of ginger and 4 garlic cloves, and use a little less sugar. Fine to try.

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Published January 16, 2018 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.