As we’re heading towards cold season, and I’m currently living with an insufferable Italian with a cold, I thought I’d share my recipe for my Té Orribile (Horrible Tea). This is the name that the aforementioned Italian gave it, and if he would just give in and drink it, his cold would be gone by now. It is an acquired taste I’ll admit, but for me, and everyone who dares drink it, it’s very effective in clearing sinuses, coughs and sore throats. I usually only need one or two for my cold to disappear.
When I was a kid I loved making potions. As I’ve gotten older I’ve steered away from mixing milk, washing up liquid and orange juice (it never did taste that nice), and tried focusing more on ingredients containing healing properties. A lot of my inspiration comes from my mum, who always has a remedy for me to drink when I’m feeling ill; whether its bicarbonate of soda for nausea, sage tea when I have a sore throat, or citricidal when I have a stomach bug – 9 times out of 10 the remedies work. Mum knows best! We like to encourage our bodies to use their natural healing instincts and have always preferred using natural and homeopathic medicines for what ails us.
For one serving:
Ingredients
- 4 tsp organic apple cider vinegar
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1 tsp locally and ethically sourced honey
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- Hot water
Method
Mix all ingredients together in a mug that makes you happy – like my map mug pictured, fill with hot water and stir.
Health benefits
Apple cider vinegar is packed with health benefits. It can kill many types of harmful bacteria, lower blood sugar levels, reduce cholesterol and fight diabetes. It can improve your heart health, hel
p you lose weight and even help fight cancer cells. It’s recommended to have at least 1-2 teaspoons mixed with 5-10ml of water every day.
Cayenne Pepper can act as a natural pain killer, help fight infections and boost your metabolism.
Lemon is a great source of vitamin C, which helps protect the immune system; helps to maintain the pH balance of the body, and is a natural detoxifying agent.
I stress in opting for locally and ethically produced honey. A lot of mass produced honey isn’t ethically sourced, and has been bulked out with sugar, losing it’s health benefits. Natural honey can alleviate allergies, coughs and is rich in antioxidants; these healing properties make it a great ingredient for when fighting a cold.
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