Pineapple Ginger Iced Tea

*This Pineapple Ginger Iced Tea is free of refined sugars and is a refreshing way to give your body an icy dose of anti-inflammatory benefits.

Over the years my family has consumed our fair share of fresh pineapple. It’s readily available in our markets all year long and every single one of us just loves it’s juicy tropical flesh. Along with all of the pineapple eaten comes the slightly disheartening fact that of all the pineapple that we eat, half of it gets thrown away. I’m referring to the skins and core, of course.

This is such a shame, if you really stop to think about it. The most powerful nutrition that a pineapple has to offer is found in the highest concentration in it’s core. The core is full Bromelian , an enzyme that contains anti-inflammatory properties and also improves the digestion process. The skin of a pineapple is also full of nutrition and blood cleansing benefits. What s shame to throw all of that away!

I use the skins and core to make a sweet, lightly spicy tea that I serve year-round. In the winter we drink the tea hot, and in the summer we drink it cold over ice. Both ways are delicious! The preparation methods are the same. If you’d like a hot tea, simply let it cool for about 5 minutes before straining it, add lemon and honey and serve. Being that we are currently in the summer season, we’ll be drinking glasses of this tea over ice!

To add to the anti-inflammatory properties already present in the pineapple, I add fresh ginger root and turmeric root to the tea as well. Ginger and turmeric are both full of anti-inflammatory benefits making this tea not only a delicious beverage, but a beneficial beverage to sooth ailments, as well. Ginger makes the tea just slightly spicy and the turmeric adds a bright yellow color to the tea which makes it look oh-so pineapple-y. You don’t get much color from simmering the pineapple alone, so this natural color added by the turmeric is a total bonus.

Any time one of my family members or myself are feeling under the weather, I make them this tea. Everyone loves it’s flavor and the color is so bright and cheerful. But even if you aren’t drinking it for it’s benefits, pineapple ginger tea is simply a wonderful beverage to drink any time of the year, iced or cold.

Note: *pineapple skin and core can be frozen if you find you have more than you can use or want to make tea at a later time. 

More Icy Drink Recipes:

Raspberry Rhubarb & Rose Shrubs

Immune-boosting Peach Iced Tea

Mint & Black Cherry Limeade

Cantaloupe & Watermelon Lemonade

Peach Carrot Lemonade

Strawberry Coconut Lemonade

Pineapple Ginger Iced Tea

 

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Serves: Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 Pineapple (organic, if possible), washed well
• 1" piece of Fresh Ginger
• 1 small Turmeric Root (about 2" long)
• 8 cups Water
• Juice of 1 small Lemon
• ¼ cup Raw Honey, plus more as needed
• Ice

Instructions

1. Place your pineapple on your work surface and cut the leafy top off. Discard top. Cut the bottom of the pineapple off, as close to the base as possible, and discard.
2. Cut the skin off of the pineapple and place in a large saucepan. Cut the pineapple flesh from around the core and save for another use (like eating!). Cut the pineapple core into thin slices and place in the pan with the pineapple skins.
3. Thinly slice the ginger and turmeric root and place in the pan with the pineapple.
4. Add 8 cups of water to the pan. Place on the stove over medium/high heat and bring to a boil. Once the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to a slow simmer and cover the pan. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
6. Pour the tea through a fine mesh strainer into a large pitcher and discard solids.
7. Add the lemon juice and honey to the tea and whisk until the honey is dissolved. Taste and add more honey if a sweeter tea is desired.
8. Serve over ice!

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