My Winter Trinity…

There is something about the power of three. Many cultures have their own trinity: a combination of three ingredients that serve as the backbone for building flavor in their dishes.  In Creole/Cajun cooking, the Holy Trinity is a combination of onion, celery and bell peppers. The version in French cooking is called mirepoix and is made up of onion, carrot and celery. In Spain, their sofrito is typically comprised of garlic, onions and tomato.

I have discovered my own trinity of sorts which blends my cooking world and my medical world: ginger, lemon and honey. Instead of building flavors for a dish, I’m using them to build my immune system. As we are in the throes of cold and flu season, these three ingredients are the basis for a more natural way of managing the miserable-feeling symptoms that a virus can cause.

When my son was much younger, I was always on the lookout for homeopathic remedies as over-the-counter cold medications are not suitable for children under the age of six. When your child is little, sick and it’s the middle of the night, it’s nice to have some weapons in your arsenal. Of course, Tylenol and Motrin are great for fevers and pain, but what about sore throats, coughing and nausea? I first found the aforementioned combination in the kid-focused Weelicious cookbook…and it worked like a charm. Let’s take a look at the ingredients:

Ginger—either fresh or powdered—is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, fights nausea, and is a powerful antioxidant; you can also buy it as a single ingredient in teabag form. Crystallized ginger is fresh ginger cooked down and coated with sugar; it is a therapeutic ‘candy’ that is a kid-friendly, anti-nausea alternative with a slightly spicy kick. My son pops the bite-sized bits like…well, candy.

Lemon has similar antibacterial and antioxidant qualities due to its Vitamin C and it is known to improve digestion. Lemon just enhances so many things both sweet and savory—and it’s healthy for you; it’s the ultimate multipurpose food.

Honey, preferably raw and from a local source, is not only a mighty antioxidant—seeing a pattern here?—but also has antibacterial and antifungal properties. It. Is. A. Powerhouse. It can help ease sore throats and can quell coughs (either mixed in a liquid or eaten straight off the spoon). Please note that honey is not recommended in children under one year of age or those with compromised immune systems due to the risk of botulism poisoning.

Alone they can serve a specific purpose, but mixing the components of this winter trinity together with hot water creates a tasty, soothing drink that hits cold and flu symptoms from multiple angles. Hot liquids, in general, are comforting when you are sick because they not only soothe the nose and throat but also prevent dehydration and decrease congestion; it’s a win-win. The best part? This is not an ‘every 4-6 hours’ kind of treatment. Since the ingredients are all natural, you can drink it as often as you need—AND, it’s safe for children over the age of one. (If your stomach is sensitive to too much acid, you may need to spread out your servings due to the acidity of the lemon juice).

Does the word tea not appeal to your child? Does lemonade garner a more receptive response? Mix the trinity with hot water, let it cool and pour it over ice…voila, ginger lemonade.

These remedies are not suggested in lieu of seeing a physician, but they can help in the interim of seeing a doctor and/or in addition to medications prescribed by your or your child’s physician.

Ginger, lemon and honey are three potent ingredients that can help defeat the symptoms of a virus and help you get better, faster. While my research initially began for ways to help my young son, I found out that this trio is great for people of all ages—and they are my go-to every time I’m feeling under the weather. Wishing you a healthy, happy holiday and new year!

WINTER TRINITY TEA aka: GINGER HONEY LEMON TEA
Peeling fresh ginger is a piece of cake, take a spoon and just scrape off the peel.

1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled, and sliced (or one pure ginger tea bag)
1/2 lemon, scrubbed well and sliced thinly
1 Tablespoon of raw honey, or to taste
Hot water

Place pieces of ginger and slices of lemon in a mug. Pour water into mug, mash the lemons slightly with a spoon; add honey to taste and stir. You can strain out the solids or leave them in. (If you are using a tea bag, brew the tea in hot water for 5 minutes with the lemon and ginger slices. Remove teabag and stir in honey). Enjoy.