There is nothing quite as satisfying on a chilly day than sipping on a warm cocktail. I have put a spin on the traditional Hot Toddy by making it with ginger and green tea. This boosts the health benefits and gives it a different, but equally delicious, flavor profile. You can also just make a healthier green tea by adding the spices and skipping the rum.
Green tea is chock full of free polyphenols, especially flavonoids. In addition to being antioxidants, green tea polyphenols stimulate the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the small intestine, liver and lungs. This means that green tea is really good for you, with anticancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging benefits.
Green tea has more health-boosting benefits than black tea. While it is the polyphenols that are responsible for the major health benefits in green tea, it also contains vitamins C, D, K and riboflavin; as well as respectable amounts of the minerals calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, sodium and nickel. All this and it has only 1 calorie per six-ounce cup.
Ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory, and is a well-known spice for digestive ailments. It has been used for centuries for its medicinal benefits. Ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties help with arthritis relief.

Green Tea & Ginger Toddy
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz golden rum
- 1 super antioxidant green tea bag or green tea of choice
- 1 tsp raw honey
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 4 slices fresh ginger root peeled
- 6 oz boiling water
- 1 lemon wedge and a shake of ground cinnamon for garnish
Instructions
- Place tea bag in a mug with honey, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, cloves and ginger slices. Pour hot water over the tea mixture and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain into clean mug, add the cinnamon stick and cloves but remove ginger slices. Stir in rum and garnish with lemon wedge and ground cinnamon. Sip and relax!