Winter Warming Tea
A Chinese Medicine Inspired Recipe
With ginger, cinnamon, cardamom & star anise
Ingredients (serves 2–3 cups)
- 3–4 slices fresh ginger
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 2 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 star anise
- 500–600 ml water
- Optional: a teaspoon of honey, added once the tea has cooled slightly
Method
Add all the herbs and spices to a small pot.
Pour over the water and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cover and simmer for 10–15 minutes, allowing the flavours to deepen.
Strain into cups and sweeten with a little honey if you wish.
Why This Tea Supports the Body in Winter (According to Chinese Medicine)
Winter is the coldest, most Yin season of the year, and the body benefits from warmth, rest, and nourishment. This blend uses warming, aromatic spices that gently support circulation and help protect the body from cold.
Ginger (Shēng Jiāng 生姜)
Fresh ginger is warm and dispersing. It helps to move Qi, warm the centre, and gently drive out surface cold. It’s often used in winter to support digestion and to take the chill out of the body after being outdoors.
Cinnamon (Ròu Guì 肉桂 or Guì Zhī 桂枝 depending on the plant part)
Cinnamon warms the channels and supports the movement of Yang. In cold weather, when the body can feel sluggish or tight, cinnamon helps encourage warmth to flow outward, supporting circulation and easing cold hands and feet.
Cardamom (Bài Dòu Kòu 白豆蔻 / Shā Rén 砂仁 in its broader category of aromatic herbs)
Cardamom is aromatic and gently warming. It awakens the digestive system and supports the transformation of food into usable Qi. In winter, when digestion can slow down, cardamom provides lightness and movement to counter the heavy, damp tendencies of the season.
Star Anise (Bā Jiǎo 八角)
Star anise is warm, fragrant, and supportive of our internal systems. It helps to ease stagnation, encourage circulation, and bring a comforting depth to the blend. In cold months, its warmth helps counter internal cold and supports a sense of steadiness.
A Seasonal Note
In Chinese medicine, winter invites us to conserve energy, eat warm foods, and choose gentle daily rituals that keep the Yang fire supported. A tea like this offers not just warmth, but a moment of pause — a small act of seasonal care.
Read more about self care during winter or for more information ask your Acupuncture practitioner.
Photos by Mareefe and Eva Bronzini from Pexels