A warm cup of tea is the craving of many for soothing a sore throat. Even those who generally stay away from tea, would long to reach out for a steaming cuppa. The warmth, texture, flavor, aroma, and goodness of herbs make tea for sore throat the choice for healing.
Nature has given us so many options and blends to choose from that can suit our taste and need. Taking pain medications and expensive treatments can be a thing of the past. Let us go back to our roots and look at how we can naturally treat sore throat. Making a healthy choice has become so easy with simple remedies and easy to get ingredients.
Go ahead and take full advantage of what nature has to offer you. Let us look at some of the best tea for sore throat.
Causes Of Sore Throat
A sore throat or Pharyngitis occurs due to inflammation of the pharynx. This can be due to various causes such as
- environmental allergies
- food sensitivity
- bacterial infection
- viral infection
You generally get the virus when touching something infected or breathing air that is contaminated. When the virus is inside your body, it creates congestion and the mucus in your throat starts irritating the delicate tissues making them feel sore.
You will feel the following common symptoms
- Coughing
- Fever
- Cold
- Fatigue
- Body ache
Though viral needs to run its course to completely cure, drinking herbal tea for sore throat will give relief to the symptoms and soothes the pain. Before having a look into what kind of tea is good for a sore throat, let us see some of the benefits.
Benefits Of Drinking Tea For Sore Throat
The main super property of herbal tea is antioxidants. This property helps in fighting external viruses from entering the body. It aids in boosting the immune system and expedites healing. Some herbal teas also act as an anti-inflammatory and reduce pain and swelling in the body.
Since tea is in liquid form, it keeps throat moist and hence the scratchy feeling will not be there. It also keeps you hydrated and the warmth soothes the pain in the throat.
Using honey with tea adds more benefits since honey is a natural anti-bacterial agent. It is a time-tested home remedy which has been used for ages around the world for the treatment of cold, cough and sore throat. Combined with the goodness of tea, it is a perfect cure for a sore throat and its symptoms.
To get maximum benefits out of the herbal tea, it can be combined with other ingredients.
- Citrus fruits like lemon or orange which adds vitamin C to the drink.
- Adding apple cider vinegar helps in easy digestion and general overall health.
- Baking soda, when used as a gargle, kills bacteria and yeast.
Now let us move on to the list of best tea for sore throat and how to make them.
What Kind Of Tea Is Good For A Sore Throat?
There are many types and combination of herbal teas that can help soothe a sore throat. Some are then are given below.
1. Green Tea
Green tea comes from the camellia Sinensis plant. It is a traditional tea full of anti-oxidants. These anti-oxidants eliminate the free radicals that are accumulated in the body due to external pollution and dust. The warm tea also has a soothing effect on the pained throat.
How To Prepare?
- Bring a cup of water to boil.
- Add a spoon of green leaf to the boiled water.
- Switch off and let it steep for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add ½ spoon of honey and drink once warm.
2. Turmeric
Turmeric is a root and belongs to the ginger family. The main ingredient in turmeric is curcumin which gives its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. It is also high in anti-oxidants which helps in eliminating free radicals.
The anti-inflammatory property of turmeric makes it’s an excellent pain and swelling reducing agent.
How To Prepare?
- Add one spoon of turmeric powder to a cup of water.
- Add ½ teaspoon of black pepper powder.
- Bring water to boil and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Strain the water and drink warm.
- Adding honey improves taste.
3. Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea is found to have anti-inflammatory properties which reduce swelling and redness. It also abundant anti-oxidants. Tea can be prepared with both fresh and dried chamomile flowers.
How To Prepare?
- Add Chamomile to a cup of water
- Bring water to boil.
- Switch off and let it steep for 5 minutes.
- Strain and drink warm.
4. Licorice Root Tea
Licorice root soothes the mucous membrane and is a natural expectorant. It can cure a dry cough and helps in breathing comfortably. It has been used for ages for a cough and sore throat.
How To Prepare?
- Bring water to boil.
- Add 2 spoons of licorice root powder.
- Simmer for 2 minutes and switch off.
- Let it steep for 5 minutes.
- Strain and drink warm.
5. Ginger Tea For Sore Throat
Ginger has been used in various home remedies for thousands of years. Its spicy flavour and anti-inflammatory properties give soothing as well as a healing effect for sore throat.
How To Prepare?
- Bring a cup of water to boil.
- Add 2 teaspoons of green tea
- Add 2 spoons of grated ginger.
- Let it simmer of 2-3 minutes.
- Switch off and squeeze ½ lemon.
- Add 1 tablespoon of honey
- Drink warm ginger tea for sore throat.
6. Peppermint Tea For Sore Throat
Being rich in menthol, it provides a cooling sensation. It also has antibacterial properties which clear any bacterial infection in the throat.
How To Prepare?
- Add a handful of mint leaves to water
- Bring water to boil.
- Add ½ spoon of grated ginger.
- Switch off and let it steep for 5 minutes.
- Strain and add honey
- Drink warm peppermint tea for sore throat.
7. Honey Lemon Tea
Drinking tea with honey for sore throat is an effective remedy. Further, the combination of raw honey and lemon is excellent for a sore throat. While honey has anti-bacterial property and builds the immune system, lemon is loaded with vitamin C which is very effective in warding off infections. Together, they work towards providing relief to a sore throat.
How To Prepare?
- Bring water to boil.
- Add ¼ teaspoon of grated ginger.
- Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Switch off and squeeze lemon juice.
- Add 1 tablespoon of honey and drink warm.
Precautions To Be Taken While Drinking Tea For Sore Throat.
- If you are taking any medications, kindly check with our doctor before taking herbal tea since it can interfere with certain medications.
- Herbal teas should be taken in moderation. Over intake could lead to other problems.
- The herbs need to be procured from a reliable source. Any contamination may affect your health.
- In case the throat sore persists, it advisable to consult a doctor and get diagnosed.
- Piping hot tea for a sore throat is not a good idea. Herbal tea needs to be warm and not hot when drinking. If it is taken too hot, the soft lining in the throat can get burnt and worsen the condition.
- Herbal tea needs to be taken fresh for an effective remedy. Making in bulk and storing may not provide the required nutrients.
Keeping the above points in mind, choose the herbal tea for a sore throat that is suitable to you and enjoy your cup.
Read Next – Sore Throat Remedies that Work Like a Charm!
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