Best Tea for A Cold

Oct 05, 2021
Best Tea for a Cold

 

As much we many of us would like to admit that the events of 2020 didn’t change our normal, something as simple as a cold and flu can have quite different effects on social relationships than it use to. A home remedy for the cold and flu are now even more important than they were prior to C-vid. 

 

Making sure you are stocked up on Awesome Berry Syrup along with having your apothecary full of these cold and flu herbs is very important as we head into fall. We have taught many who want to dive deeper into cold and flu herbs how to blend their own teas. While you might think my answer to everything is to drink tea, you might be surprised what a tea infusion will do for a sore throat or upper respiratory issues. Having the best tea for a cold on hand is a great way to prepare for this fall and winter!

 

Before we start:

This herbal information is just that, information. This blog post and I DO NOT INTEND to treat, cure, or diagnose any disease or illness. This is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. Please consult a physician before using herbs medicinally.

 

This post also contains affiliate links. Translation: We get a little kickback for sharing certain products, at no additional cost to you, should you choose to purchase said items. And - thank you for supporting our farm and family! Read the full disclaimer here.

 

 

Cold and Flu Symptoms

While people that have strong healthy immune systems are not prone to catch as many colds, colds and the flu are fairly common, especially in the fall and winter. The reason that we are more prone to getting colds and the flu in the winter is that the winter air is so much drier. The drier the air is the most hospitable are our immune systems to germs. Winter also creates conditions in the environment that weaken the immune system making it more susceptible to catching a cold or flu. Such as the weather being much colder allowing germs to thrive for longer than they would in the heat of the summer.

 

A weakened immune system is one way we catch these germs but we can also catch them by being stressed out, not sleeping enough, having a weak digestive system, mold exposure (which is higher in the winter), and traveling.

 

So how do you know if you have cold and flu symptoms especially with other viruses’ going around?

 

Cold and flu symptoms include, but are not limited to:

 

  • Malaise (just generally feeling not sell)
  • Sore Throat
  • Cough
  • Feeling congested
  • Mild Headache
  • Body Aches
  • Sneezing
  • Runny/Stuffy Nose
  • Fever (mostly for the flu)
  • Chills or Night Sweats (also flu)

 

 

Health Benefits of Tea

So how does tea help if you are battling one of these symptoms? First and foremost tea is a warm hot drink which in and of itself combats the cold of winter. Heat kills off germs and by frequently sipping on a hot cup of tea. You are tackling those germs at the start of your digestive system before they can even go any further. 

 

Tea is also one of the best ways to get herbs into your system because it is the most easily digestible and when we are talking about colds and flu, those herbs are also in direct contact with the areas that get hit the hardest.

 

While black tea does have antioxidants in it, as well as the possibility of feeding the good bacteria in your gut, and is certainly better for you than coffee, black tea isn’t the one I would pick during a cold or flu.

 

While the debate is still out on whether green tea (white tea) or herbal tea is better, in the case of the good ole cold or flu herbal tea is the route we want to take. 

 

While there are a great many herbs that are beneficial during colds and flu, and we dive more into those in our Medicinal Teas in Small Spaces E-Course, today I want to cover just a few specific herbs that are great to have on hand.

 

 

Ginger Tea- Ginger has natural antibacterial properties and is excellent for a sore throat. Ginger is also known as an anodyne meaning that it helps to bring pain relief. There are so many wonderful things that Ginger does that we don’t have time to list here in this post but we dive deep into in our Herbal Studio monograph. Ginger is one to have for the common cold for sure!

 

Peppermint Tea- If you know me, you know I’m never without my friend peppermint. While it is great for digestion is also wonderful for that congestion that is often experienced during colds and flu. Peppermint is relaxing and can help bring relief to aches and pains. 

 

Licorice tea- Licorice is my go-to tea for sore throats. As soon as I think my throat is a little scratchy I’m brewing up some licorice tea to coat and soothe my throat. Licorice is also antiviral and antimicrobial meaning it will kill off those germs in your throat while soothing it. Licorice has so many different wonderful things it does plus it’s naturally sweet and tasty to boot!

 

Sage tea- Sage is great for those sinus issues that are causing a ton of congestion, making it hard to breathe and sleep at night. While it doesn’t rank super high on the tasty list it brings a lot of medicinal benefits with it. A cup of sage tea will have you breathing better in no time.

 

Yarrow tea- Yarrow is one to keep on hand for fever as it can be beneficial for any type of fever and aid your body in naturally reducing the fever. It’s a little earthy in flavor and much easier to get down than sage;



Cold and Flu Tea Blend

Cold and Flu Tea Blend

Author:
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 7 MinTotal time: 12 Min
Brew up a nice warm cup to coat your throat and relax!

Ingredients

  • 1 part Peppermint Leaf cut/sifted
  • 1 part Licorice Root cut/sifted
  • 1/4 part Yarrow 
  • 1/16 part Ginger Root cut/sifted

Instructions

  1. Blend all of the botanicals in a bowl making sure to mix until evenly distributed.
  2. Steep 1 tsp in 6-8 oz of boiling water for 5-7 minutes. Sip 7 enjoy!
  3. Store remaining tea in an airtight jar out of direct light. Good for up to 18 months in proper storage conditions.


 

We have taught hundreds of people how to blend their own cup of medicinal tea that is just right for whatever may be ailing them. If you would like to take a sneak peek at the fun make sure you check out our free tea blending workshop here. If tea blending isn’t your thing but you are looking for some teas that have some of the above-mentioned herbs in them here are a few of the favorites that we keep on hand in our tea cabinet:

 

 

 

I’m curious to know, what do you stock your cold and flu cabinet with? Are they over-the-counter meds, herbal concoctions, a mix? Share your favorites with me below!

 

Other posts you may enjoy:



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