School is starting and in the hurricane of making lunches, new routines, school pictures, school supplies, and sleep deprivation something sneaky creeps in: sick ass kids – which can often lead to sick ass adults. A new friend was coughing up a lung this weekend and it dawned on me that in our 5 years here, I never posted how to make chinola tea for colds and/or other gripe (pronounced gree-peh) type issues and believe me, it’s a game changer.
You might be wondering what chinola is?
English speakers would know it as passion fruit. Some Spanish speakers would know it as maracuyá (or maracujá) or also granadilla. Here it’s known as chinola and they use it for everything. Chinola cheesecake, chinola dressing, and my favorite, chinola margaritas. It’s delicious.
chinola tea for colds = unicorn tears (aka magical)
A couple of years back I had a b*tch of a cold. It might as well have been arrested for stalking because it wouldn’t go away. One of our Dominican friends told me that, here, many people drink chinola tea for colds. I had had this stalker cold for long enough and I was desperate to find a remedy. Maybe it was a coincidence that I woke up the next day feeling 100% better, but I blame the unicorn tears (aka magic chinola tea).
WHY DO I THINK IT WORKS?
Chinola is high (H I G H) in vitamin C. Onion is known to boost your immune. The World Health Organization has even recognized onions for the ability to relieve flu like symptoms such as cough, congestion and bronchitis (I totally looked this up.) [1]. Say what?!
Did you just say onion?
I did. But don’t worry, it’s undetectable. The chinola flavor is so robust you don’t taste anything else. It’s actually really tasty and we’ve since started making it on the regular or when we are starting to feel run down. You could also doctor it up. Husband has played with the recipe and added ginger into one batch or cayenne pepper into another. All you taste is the chinola. We’ve even had our kids drink it thinking it’s juice.
Well Got on with it… how do I make it?
Sooooo easy.
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Ingredients you’ll need for Chinola tea:
3 chinolas (washed well)
½ red onion
1 cinnamon stick (we didn’t have a cinnamon stick so we used cinnamon powder)
4 cups of water
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Directions to make chinola tea for colds:
Pour 4 cups of water into pot.
Chop 3 chinolas in half and put into the pot.
Put ½ onion into pot.
Put cinnamon stick (or desired powder) into pot.
Boil for 20 minutes.
Strain.
Add honey or sugar to taste, if desired.
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Pour yourself another: Cool shades made in DR and what comforts me when I’m homesick.
- World Health Organization. Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants: Bulbus Allii Cepaei.
Drinking the Whole Bottle
why am I just seeing this? that.is.so.EXCITING! I swear by Chinola Tea and wish it was an option here in Mexico! When are you visiting?
Russell
Just came on here looking for a remedy to my cold, and I find Jen Legra’s advice at the top of the search?? Yes Jen! I’ve always had this made for me, but know I’m sick and alone and need to make it for myself. Thank you!