How to Make Detox Tea at Home

Make detox tea at home in about 2 hours and 10 minutes by refrigerating cold-brew tea, ginger and lemon in water for 2 hours.

What is detox tea?

Detox tea is a name for tea marketed or prepared as a way to support the body’s natural detoxification. This homemade version is simply an unsweetened, flavored drink; it is not a medical treatment or a necessary part of a cleanse.

Your liver and kidneys do most of the body’s detoxification, while the lungs and gut also help eliminate waste. Sweat removes only trace amounts. Tea can contribute to hydration, but there is no evidence that this recipe removes toxins from the body.

For more on ingredients and products sold under the name, see herbal detox tea.

How do you make detox tea at home?

This recipe makes about 1 litre, or just over 4 US cups. It uses a tea bag labeled for cold brewing, so check the package before you start; choose one that can brew within the 2-hour infusion time.

Ingredients

• 1 litre water, about 4¼ US cups
• 1 cold-brew tea bag, or the number specified on the package for 1 litre of water
• 1 lemon, about 100 g, thinly sliced
• 1 piece fresh ginger, about 2.5 cm or 1 inch long and 10 g, thinly sliced

Choose a caffeine-free cold-brew tea if you want to avoid caffeine. Rooibos is one option, provided the product is labeled for cold brewing.

Steps

1. Wash the lemon and ginger under running water, rubbing their surfaces to remove visible dirt. Use clean hands, a clean knife and a clean pitcher.
2. Slice the lemon and ginger thinly. Leave out the lemon peel if you prefer a less bitter flavor.
3. Pour the water into the pitcher and add the lemon, ginger and cold-brew tea bag. Use the amount of tea recommended on the package for the volume of water.
4. Refrigerate the pitcher for 2 hours. Remove the tea bag when its package directs, while leaving the lemon and ginger in the refrigerated water for the rest of the infusion.
5. Strain out the lemon and ginger after the infusion. Serve the tea cold, or gently warm a portion if you prefer it hot.
6. Store the remaining tea covered in the refrigerator and drink it within 24 hours. Discard it sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy or sour-smelling, or if it has been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

The 2-hour refrigerated infusion gives the lemon and ginger time to flavor the water. If you choose to infuse them for longer, strain the lemon by 4 hours; the peel and pith can make the drink bitter.

The flavor depends on the tea bag as well as the produce. If the result is stronger than you like, dilute a serving with water; if it is too mild, check whether the tea package recommends a different number of bags for the batch size.

How often can you drink detox tea?

There is no medically recommended detox-tea schedule. If the ingredients agree with you, you can enjoy a cup as part of your usual fluid intake; you do not need to drink it daily, have it on an empty stomach or follow a cleanse plan.

Plain water is also a suitable way to stay hydrated. If you like the taste of tea, keeping a batch in the refrigerator may make a refreshing alternative to a sweetened drink.

Check the tea label for caffeine, especially if you are sensitive to it or drink tea later in the day. Caffeine content varies by product, and a tea described as a detox blend is not necessarily caffeine-free.

If a healthcare professional has advised you to limit fluids, ask how this tea fits into your allowance. It counts toward your fluid intake just like other drinks.

What are the benefits of detox tea?

The clearest benefit of this recipe is that it provides fluid. Staying hydrated supports normal body functions, including the work of the kidneys; the tea does not need special detox ingredients to do that.

The recipe is also unsweetened. Its lemon and ginger add flavor without requiring sugar, although adding a sweetener or squeezing in lemon juice will change the drink. The amount of flavor and other substances transferred from the ingredients will vary with how they are prepared and steeped.

Some tea and ginger products are studied for health effects, but findings about a particular ingredient, extract or dose do not establish that this homemade tea has the same effect. There is no evidence supplied for a detoxifying benefit from this recipe, and it should not replace meals, medication or medical care.

Who should be careful with detox tea?

Avoid this recipe if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. Lemon may aggravate acid reflux for some people, and ginger or tea can cause stomach discomfort; use less of an ingredient or leave it out if it bothers you.

If you take warfarin or another blood thinner, ask a healthcare professional before using ginger regularly, particularly in concentrated products. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are making tea for a child, check with a healthcare professional before using unfamiliar herbal blends; their ingredients can differ considerably.

Skip detox tea products containing senna or other stimulant laxatives for routine detox use. They can cause cramps, diarrhea and dehydration, and they are not needed for the body’s normal detoxification. If you have kidney disease, have been told to restrict fluids, or take medicines that affect fluid balance, ask your clinician what is appropriate for you.

Stop drinking the tea if it causes discomfort. Seek medical help promptly for signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat, and see a healthcare professional if symptoms persist or concern you.