When it's cold outside and the rain keeps falling, warm drinks are the perfect solution. They not only warm you up but also boost your energy and boost your immunity. In this article, we'll present three suggestions for autumn infusions that will help you get through the colder weather.
Firstly, turmeric
The first drink worth exploring is a golden turmeric infusion, perfect for autumn and winter evenings. Turmeric, or rather curcumin, the most well-known active ingredient in turmeric, has anti-inflammatory properties, making it a great ingredient for autumn and winter drinks. It also has antibacterial and antiviral properties. These benefits make this spice especially worth considering during autumn and winter, when colds and illnesses are more common. It's best to incorporate turmeric into your diet in the form of infusions or as an ingredient in winter drinks.
Below is a recipe for a warming drink with a beautiful golden color. To prepare it, you'll need ginger, turmeric powder, lemon, and honey. Peel a small piece of ginger and grate it. Place it in a pitcher and pour boiling water over it. Cover and steep for a few minutes. Then remove the ginger. Squeeze the lemon juice into the pitcher, add a pinch of turmeric, and once the drink has cooled, add honey to taste. Mix everything thoroughly, and it's ready to serve.
The Power of Ginger
Another product worth introducing into our diet, not just in the fall and winter, is ginger. Ginger has many valuable properties, ranging from aiding digestion, relieving nausea, reducing swelling, improving concentration, supporting the circulatory system, and boosting the immune system. Ginger is excellent in the kitchen. You can add it to meats, sauces, or soups, but in this post, we'll focus on infusions. Ginger is an ideal ingredient for aromatic tea. To prepare it, you need your favorite tea leaves or simply its essence, a pinch of fresh ginger, a small orange, a few cloves, and a piece of cinnamon bark.
To prepare this winter drink, pour the tea essence or leaves into a jug and steep. Then peel the ginger, cut it into slices, and add it to the tea. Blanch the orange and grate the zest. Add it, along with the squeezed juice, to the tea. Finally, add the cloves and cinnamon. Cover the jug and set aside to steep.
Of course, ginger, like any other food, isn't suitable for everyone. Due to its spicy nature, it should be avoided by those struggling with gastrointestinal issues, such as ulcers. Furthermore, ginger has natural blood-thinning properties, which should also be considered, especially if you're already taking medications with similar effects .
Warming cardamom
The final ingredient in this review of autumn and winter infusions is cardamom. Cardamom has similar benefits to the previously mentioned turmeric and ginger, demonstrating blood pressure-lowering, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, cleansing, and anti-cancer properties. Interestingly, cardamom is also considered an aphrodisiac. A popular drink containing cardamom is masala chai. To prepare such a drink, it's best to use ready-made spice blends with carefully balanced proportions of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. You'll also need good quality black tea, milk, honey, or sugar. In a small pot, bring water to a boil, add your tea and the spice blend. Set aside and steep. Then strain. Bring to a boil again, add the honey or sugar, then the milk. Stir, and you're done.
Autumn doesn't have to be cold and dreary. Simply introduce healthy drinks into your diet that will not only add a bit of color to this autumn season, but also—importantly—warm you up!
Beata and Patrycja – creators of the blog Z Pamiętnika Dietetyka (Dietetics' Diary) , authors of a book about healthy eating, and sisters in private. They are a harmonious duo, despite their different worldviews. Beata, a dietitian by profession, loves to set high goals for herself, which is why she turned to dietary catering as a career, wanting to take care not only of her own health but also of all Warsaw residents. Patrycja, on the other hand, has a journalism degree and loves cooking and documenting her adventures in the kitchen. She works on the artistic side of the blog daily, and as she herself admits, nothing is impossible for her. She always strives for her goal, even though it's often uphill.
