Green tea cold and flu recipe

The Tea Detective
Uncovering and Exploring the Facts About Tea

Kicking Colds & Fighting Flu Brew

The name says it all. This green tea recipe is great to use if you've already
succumbed to a cold or bout of influenza and can help shorten the duration,
and ease the uncomfortable symptoms.

Drinking three to four cups of
tea a day is also a great regi-
men to follow to boost the
immune system, keeping your
body strong and healthy and able to ward off
many diseases and illnesses, preventing them
from taking hold in the first place.

Tea is packed with disease fighting ingredients
like powerful polyphenol EGCG (epigallocatechin
gallate), flavonoids, saponins, vitamin C, and
zinc, to name just a few.

Together with flavonoids found in tea, vitamin C
has ten times the power to help fight cold and
flu viruses. Adding an extra dose of vitamin C
from the lemon in this recipe gives it an even
bigger kick.

Honey also contains a special sugar that when mixed with inhibin found in human saliva, unlocks
antibiotic substances, and working together with tea, helps soothe a sore throat.

You can substitute green tea with black, white, oolong, or any favorite tea you may prefer.
Because white and green teas receive minimal processing they are higher in some active
ingredients, but really any tea will work just fine.

One other optional ingredient you may like to add to your bedtime cup of tea (for adults), is a
shot of brandy. Together with the hot tea, lemon, and honey, brandy acts to soothe your sore
throat, help lessen coughing, and help you relax and get a better nights sleep. (That's why
alcohol is one of the main ingredients in night-time cold remedies), only I guarantee the tea will
taste much better. If adding brandy to the recipe, I prefer using black tea, rather than green,
but it's purely a matter of taste and choice. Enjoy.

Ingredients
8 oz cold water
2 tsp loose green tea or 1 tea bag
the juice of 1 small lemon wedge
1 tblsp honey (or sweeten to taste)

Directions
1. Heat water to approximately 160 degrees
2. Pour water over tea and let steep for about 4 min.
3. remove tea bag or infuser
4. squeeze in juice from lemon wedge
5. add honey
6. *optional-for adults (add 1 shot of brandy)

(If using loose leaf green tea you can repeat for 2nd brew)

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