Top Ten Sick Tea To Fight Cold

Tea

Tea

Updated on 11/1/2024
Martin AlvarezBy Martin Alvarez
Nutritionist/Dietitian Professional Guide
Learn More about Martin Alvarez

When you have the sniffles, coughs, aches, and pains that come along with a winter cold or the flu, you may not feel like doing much more than curling up on the couch under a fleece blanket with a box of Kleenex and your trusted buddy Netflix. But let's add one more vital element to that sneezing scene: a mug of scalding hot tea. Because of Grandma's go-to home cure, people who suffer from colds have had better relief from their symptoms for thousands of years. To begin, the warm beverage can relieve the irritation in your throat and help break up any congestion in your chest. If you add a couple of drops of local honey to the mixture, you will have a natural cough suppressant. You might also add some lemon juice to your water to obtain a healthy dose of vitamin C, which may shorten the length of your cold.

According to Jaclyn London, MS, RD, CDN, author of Dressing on the side, one of the essential healing properties of tea may be that it keeps you hydrated. Tea has been shown to have several health benefits (and Other Diet Myths Debunked). "When you're unwell, eat fruits and vegetables that are high in water content and drink a tonne of fluids," advises London. “At least 10 cups a day should come from sources that are not sweetened, including tea.”

Try one of these ten varietals that are guaranteed to calm you down:

1. Peppermint

Tea

Tea

It just takes a few sips of peppermint tea to begin to feel the benefits of this beverage. The menthol included in peppermint leaves has been shown to have a mild anesthetic effect on the throat, which can help suppress coughing (which is why peppermint appears in many cough drops). In addition, researchers from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have revealed that peppermint has substantial antibacterial and antiviral activity when subjected to laboratory testing. Even while we don't know whether or not those lab results apply to people, we don't see why a cup of minty tea couldn't help!

2. Chamomile

Tea

Tea

Because flavonoids extracted from the chamomile plant have a sedative effect, the plant's dried flowers have been used for a number of centuries to help people drift off to sleep. Chamomile is a beautiful option to consider consuming if you want to improve your chances of having a restful night as you work to recover from a cold. There is also some evidence that the tea helps as an anti-inflammatory, so feel free to drink as much of it as you like.

3. Echinacea Tea 

tea

tea

Echinacea is a traditional medicine used by people indigenous to the Great Plains region, and it is derived from a flower that blooms in North America and is purple. According to a number of scientific studies, taking an echinacea supplement can minimize your risk of acquiring a cold by as much as 58 percent, and it can shorten the duration of a cold by more than a day. The process of making it into a tea could be an appetizing method to obtain all the health benefits it offers.

4. Ginger-Based Tea

tea

tea

Ginger tea is a popular choice among singers for the treatment of sore throats since its bioactive components have anti-inflammatory properties and may also prevent infection-causing germs from multiplying. Ginger is renowned for its ability to calm queasy stomachs, which is useful if an upset stomach accompanies your cold.

5. Elderberry Tea

tea

tea

Elderberries, much like other small, dark berries, are loaded with antioxidants that are beneficial to one's health. In fact, the polyphenol content of elderberries is even higher than that of cranberries and blueberries. Elderberry syrups and extracts have been the subject of research that has shown they help shorten the duration of cold and flu symptoms and lessen their intensity; their flavor is delicious when added to fruity teas.

6. Slippery Elm Tea

tea

tea

Mucilage is a sticky, gel-like substance that helps ease an itchy and sore throat. Slippery elm bark is recognized for having a lot of mucilage, which can sound a little unpleasant, but it is a well-known fact. The National Institutes of Health reports that slippery elm may be one of the active chemicals found in throat lozenges. Therefore, if you feel like taking a break from those cough drops, you might want to try this soothing drink to sip on instead.

7. Licorice Root Tea

tea

tea

Licorice root tea is something you should try if you prefer things that are more on the sugary side. In traditional Chinese medicine, licorice root, also known as Glycyrrhiza glabra, is a commonly used herbal cure. Licorice root has been demonstrated to have antibacterial and antiviral properties, which may assist in healing after a severe cold. Licorice root is most commonly used to treat gastrointestinal problems such as indigestion.

8. Marshmallow Root Tea 

tea

tea

Marshmallow root, much like slippery elm, is rich in mucilage, which has the ability to soothe an inflamed throat. When scientists were investigating the effects of marshmallow root in the year 2020, they made the exciting discovery that the herb also possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This is just one more reason to enjoy this soothing tea whenever you are feeling a little under the weather.

9. Green Tea

tea

tea

There are various health benefits associated with drinking green tea, including the ability to help your body fight against infections. There is some evidence that drinking green tea could help prevent influenza as well as the common cold. Green tea is rich in antioxidants and has antiviral properties; however, more research has to be done before this can be definitively stated. Pour some for us, if you please.

10. Lemon Tea

tea

tea

As was just pointed out, the vitamin C content of lemons is what gives them the ability to ward off colds. You can squeeze it into your favorite herbal blend if you want to, but you can also squeeze half a lemon into hot water to make your own "tea" if you prefer. Either way, you can use the juice to make a beverage. Because lemon water has a rather tart flavor, you might wish to sweeten it with some of your preferred honey to make it more palatable.