24/07/2025

Fighting viruses with ginger juice tea

Another cold on the way?

Fresh ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a tried and tested household remedy that has proven effective against a number of viruses in laboratory tests. In addition, the gingerols and shogaols contained in ginger have a strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, even small amounts of gingerol put certain immune cells (neutrophils) on alert so that they are better able to fight off bacteria.

The head of the Detox Clinic Lübeck, Dr Leonie Nahberger, recommends ginger juice tea based on a recipe by Stephen Harrod Buhner, especially against viral infections. In addition to ginger juice, it contains honey, which has an antibacterial effect like ginger, and lemon juice, which also supports the immune system with vitamin C.

And this is how it's made:

  • 50 ml freshly squeezed organic ginger juice (made with a juicer, preferably a slow juicer); alternatively, grate a carrot-sized piece of ginger root
  • Pour 300 ml hot water over it  
  • Add 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper and leave to cool slightly
  • Add 1 tbsp organic honey
  • Squeeze ¼ organic lemon and add the juice
  • Leave to cool slightly, then add the lemon zest to the water

Drink 1-2 cups of the ginger juice tea once a day

Ginger juice tea can be drunk, for example, for viral cold infections or as a preventative measure. Despite its positive effects, ginger is not suitable for everyone. Anyone taking blood-thinning medication or suffering from gallstones or diabetes should consult their doctor or therapist before regular or high-dose use. The same applies to pregnant women in late pregnancy..

You can also read Dr Nahberger's tip on oral coffee enemas for colon cleansing.

Read more

Literatur:

Andersen, G., et al.: [6]-Gingerol Facilitates CXCL8 Secretion and ROS Production in Primary Human Neutrophils by Targeting the TRPV1 Channel. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2023, 67(4): e2200434

Buhner, SH: Pflanzliche Virenkiller. Immunstärkung und natürliche Heilmittel bei schweren und resistenten Virusinfektionen. Herba Press 2020 

Mohammad Amin Aminifard, MA et al.: The Antiviral Potential of Zingiber officinale (Ginger): A Comprehensive Literature Review, Current Traditional Medicine 2025, 11, 2, e061023221859 

Yücel, Ç., et al.: Immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory therapeutic potential of gingerols and their nanoformulations. Front Pharmacol. 2022, 5, 902551