Teh O Halia

I love Ginger Tea or more specific, 'Teh O Halia'. Once, I forgot to mention the 'O' when ordering one (just said 'teh halia'), and a ginger flavored tea with milk was brought to me. Iiieeewww.... it's not to bad actually except for the fact I don't like milk. In my opinion, you can get the best ginger tea in any 'mamak' restaurant. You can also make it yourself. There's a step-by-step guide on how to make one here but for my favorite Teh O Halia, I would add half a teaspoon of tea to it. The ginger can be sliced or crushed lightly, whichever way you prefer.



I thought this is a well-known Malaysian thingy but during one of my trip to KK, in one restaurant, the girl looked puzzle when I ordered 'teh O halia' but she still took my order. When my 'teh O halia' came, almost half the glass was filled with sliced ginger. I thought its quite funny but can only laugh silently since I was alone.



For instant ginger tea anytime, anywhere, now there's a powdered Ginger Tea with Honey from In-Comix. It tastes OK except for the strong Chinese herbs smell that might drive some people away. I'm OK with it though. Here is some info about ginger.

The scientific name of ginger is 'Zingiber officinale'. Among the common uses of ginger mentioned in Herbs for Health section in What You Need To Know About website are:



1. Nausea - Flu, motion and morning sickness.

2. Arthritis / Rheumatism - Warms and promotes circulation. Also has an analgesic effect.

3. Respiratory - Warms and clears upper respiratory congestion.

4. Digestion - Improves appetite, promotes bile flow, calms stomach upsets.

5. Circulation - Reduces platelet "stickiness"

6. Anti-Oxidant - lowers lipid peroxidation.



Warnings: Do not use if taking anti-coagulants.



Source : Ginger - Zingiber officinale

I can attest to no. 3. I have asthma and allergies. Sometimes when the inhaler doesn't work or the sneezes didn't stop, a hot ginger tea will do the trick. Also refer to extracts below for more benefits of ginger.

Ginger has been revered in Indian and Chinese civilizations for over 5000 years for its powerful health imparting properties. In fact, Indian ginger is said to have the most potent medicinal properties. Due to such a prolonged belief, research on ginger benefits was natural. Sure enough, the results were on expected lines:

Danish researchers found that ginger can block the effects of prostaglandin - a substance that cause inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain and can lead to migraines.

Ginger was found to be effective for relieving the severity of nausea even in cases of pregnancy.

Many women claim that ginger tea helps rid them of menstrual cramps.

It has anti-inflammatory properties that can lessen the pain of rheumatoid arthritis.

Respiratory infections - it is well known for its warming action on the upper respiratory tract, so it has been used to treat colds and flu.

It has been found to be effective in cramps caused by stomach gas. Ginger also stimulates digestion.

It has a wholesome effect on the circulatory system as it makes the platelets less sticky and is of great benefit in case of circulatory disorders.

As a mood enhancer, ginger's cineole content may help contribute to stress relief.

It is a great mouth freshener and ginger tea has vastly refreshing properties.



Source : Benefits of Ginger

Disclaimer : The above info is just for reference. It's not medical advice.