Published: · Modified: by Natalie Battaglia · This post may contain affiliate links.
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With only 4 ingredients, this homemade ginger lemonade is so simple to make. It's low sugar, healthy and oh so delicious.
It's no secret that I love low sugar drink recipes. But what I love even more are low sugar drinks with health benefits.
This easy ginger lemonade is the perfect drink to serve health-conscious guests, because it contains all the good stuff and no hidden nasties. Even better, it is so simple to make, and can be made in advance.
this recipe
This recipe is:
- Easy: with minimal, easy to source ingredients you can make this recipe with little to no experience in the kitchen!
- Healthy: with cleansing lemon, and nutrient rich ginger, this simple lemonade is not just refreshing, but good for you too.
- Low in sugar: this recipe is sweetened with monkfruit sweetener, which is an all-natural sweetener with zero net carbs. Which means this lemonade super low in both calories and sugar. Note: you can use regular sugar, or another sweetener if you prefer, just be mindful of the sugar content.
- Perfect for guests: make a double batch of this lemonade in advance and spend less time prepping and more time entertaining when your guests arrive.
What is ginger lemonade?
Traditional lemonade is made with lemons, sugar and water – which makes it delicious but lacking in nutritional value. Many people think that lemonade is fizzy, likely due to what is stocked on the supermarket shelves these days! But traditional lemonade is still, so I’ve kept that tradition alive for this recipe.
Ginger and lemon are a match made in food pairing heaven, so it makes sense to combine the 2, and I bet you’ll agree the outcome is delicious!
If you love all things ginger, be sure to check out my ginger mocktails, they are always a hit. Or, if you’re more of a lemon lover, don’t miss my healthy lemon mocktails.
Ingredients
Who doesn’t love a recipe with minimal ingredients?! This drink calls for only 3, plus water.
Freshly squeezed lemon juice: I used 1 cup of lemon juice which was just enough for me. If you prefer more of a tart flavour, feel free to add more. You will get the best result if you juice the lemons just before assembling the drink. Please, I beg you, do not use bottled lemon juice. I am yet to find a good one. Even if the ingredients say ‘100% lemon juice’ they always taste very chemically and just…not like real lemons.
Of course, if you have found one you absolutely love, use it – and please leave me a comment below with the name, because I’d love to find one.
Fresh ginger: again, the fresher the better for this ginger lemonade. I love storing my ginger in a zip lock bag in the crisper area of my fridge. Don’t peel it, just leave it whole and it will keep for weeks.
Monk fruit sweetener: there are many reasons I adore monk fruit sweetener but primarily – it acts as a 1 to 1 sugar replacement, has zero net carbs and tastes just like sugar. Monkfruit is also naturally occurring so there are no hidden nasties. I honestly think it is one of the best sweeteners on the market.
I used the classic powdered monkfruit sweetener for this recipe.
What about a drink garnish?
It’s no secret I love easy drinks garnishes, and I also believe some nice glassware actually makes drinks taste better – ok ok I know that is not entirely true. But let’s face it, we really do eat with our eyes sometimes right?
For lemonade I think keep it simple. I used some simple lemon rounds for mine. If you wanted to get super fancy you could try an easy lemon twist and an edible flower.
How to make it
Slice the ginger into rounds about 4-5 millimetres thick. There is no need to peel it.
Place ginger, water and monkfruit sweetener into a medium size saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Bring to a low simmer. Turn the heat to low, cover, and leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes.
Remove from heat and leave to infuse for a further 15-30 minutes. The longer you infuse, the strong the ginger flavour will be.
Remove the ginger and add the lemon juice to the saucepan. Give it a gentle stir.
Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Serve over ice.
FAQ's
I don’t have monk fruit sweetener. What can I use?
Honey is a great replacement. You can use it the same way I used the monkfruit sweetener – by adding it to the saucepan with the ginger and water. Keep in mind the honey is darker in colour so the final colour will be darker than what is photographed.
You can also use Stevia, coconut sugar, or your choice of sweetener. Refer to the instructions on the pack for conversion amounts.
Can I make ginger lemonade in advance?
Yes! I do believe that fresher is better for this recipe, so ideally make it the same day you are going to serve it. But if you need to, a day ahead is fine too.
Can I make this into a sparkling lemonade?
Sure. To do this, halve the water content, then proceed to make the recipe as per instructions. After chilling and right before serving, add 2 cups of sparkling water to the pitcher and stir gently.
Other delicious lemonade recipes to try:
- Easy Raspberry Lemonade
- The Best Strawberry Lemonade Recipe
- Easy Rose Lemonade
- Lavender Lemonade Recipe
I hope you love this simple ginger lemonade as much as I do!
The Best Ginger Lemonade
A healthy ginger lemonade made with fresh ginger, lemons and monkfruit sweetener, so it's low sugar too.
5 from 6 votes
Author: Nat
Print Pin Rate
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2.5-3 inches fresh ginger unpeeled
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ⅓ cup powdered monk fruit sweetener or alternative (see notes)
- 4 cups water
Instructions
Slice the unpeeled ginger into rounds about 4-5 millimetres thick.
Heat ginger, water and monkfruit sweetener in a medium size saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Bring to a gentle simmer. Turn the heat to low, cover, and leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes.
Remove from heat and leave to infuse for a further 15-30 minutes. The longer you infuse, the strong the ginger flavour will be.
Remove the ginger and add the lemon juice to the saucepan. Give it a gentle stir.
Refrigerate for at least an hour, then serve over ice.
Notes
- For the best result, use fresh lemon juice instead of bottled - the bottled never tastes as good!
- I used powdered monkfruit sweetener for this recipe. If you don't have monkfruit sweetener, honey is a great replacement. Just be mindful the honey is darker in colour so may change the colour of the lemonade. You could also use Stevia, coconut sugar or your choice of sweetener but may need to adjust the quantity. Refer to the instructions on the packet for conversion amounts.
- Want to make it a sparkling lemonade? Just halve the water content then proceed to make the recipe as normal. Right before serving, add 2 cups of sparkling water and stir gently.
Nutrition
Serving: 250g | Calories: 18kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
NUTRITIONAL VALUES ARE ESTIMATES ONLY AND DO NOT INCLUDE CARBS FROM SUGAR ALCOHOLS.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Mention @themindfulmocktail or tag #themindfulmocktail!
