1. Chai Tea
While the coffee shop variety of chai tea is certainly not healthy (way too much sugar, loads of full-fat milk), this homemade chai recipe is. It yields eight servings, meaning each cup has just over a teaspoon of sugar. Plus, it’s brewed with many nutrient-packed herbs and spices.
A cup of hot milk gets a flavor boost when you steep it with anise seed (a traditional Dutch preparation) or vanilla bean. Add a spoonful of sugar or honey to taste and you’ll have a warming, caffeine-free drink that’s a perfect nightcap.
As avid coffee drinkers, we would never call coffee just a winter beverage. But we would be quick to sing its praises, including the fact that it’s been shown to lower your risk of liver cancer, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. For the biggest health boons, skip the supersized, overly sweetened coffee-shop drinks and go straight for the black stuff.
Ginger contains compounds that stimulate the immune system. Use fresh ginger to make warming ginger tea.
Frothy milk isn’t just for espresso. Even herbal tea can get in the game, as this recipe proves. A splash of milk gives you an extra hit of protein and calcium, while the herbal tea itself can have a variety of health benefits depending on the type you use.
Apple cider is just juice with a fancier name, meaning it’s got all the natural sugar of apples without any of the healthy fiber. But this Hot Spiced Cider Tea uses cider to sweeten a spice-infused black tea, making it a winter warmer that we can get behind.
You made it to the end of the list and now you’re glad you did — mulled wine, people! While any mention of alcohol and health needs to have the standard caveats (moderation, etc.), this recipe for mulled wine gives you a helping of resveratrol — the main antioxidant found in red wine — along with the antioxidants in ginger and cinnamon. Skal!
Kerri-Ann is a registered dietitian who writes on food and health trends. Find more of her work at kerriannjennings.com or follow her on Twitter @kerriannrd or Facebook.
from Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog http://ift.tt/1KzNmNd
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