Being sick with a sore throat, I took it upon myself to discover the best tea for a sore throat.
I love drinking tea when I have a sore throat or am sick. The steam clears your sinuses, the smell is relaxing, and a warm cup is incredibly soothing on the throat.
But could there be more than just these benefits?
It turns out, different herbal teas have properties that help them alleviate some of the pain and irritation present with a sore throat.
Keep in mind that different types of tea provide relief in different ways. Often, a blend will help more than one single ingredient. If you are interested in tea bag blends for a sore throat, jump down to Tea Bag Blends.
Table of Contents
Best Tea for a Sore Throat
Benefits of Drinking Tea for a Sore Throat
All warm tea is naturally soothing. Tea also helps keep you hydrated, which is important when you are sick.
Traditional teas such as green and white tea are packed with antioxidants that help protect your body from harmful toxins in the environment. These antioxidants may help keep you healthy when you are sick.
Different herbal teas also provide their own benefits. Some dissolve into a gel-like substance called mucilage. This gel coats your throat and eases irritation.
Other herbal teas are anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, or work as decongestants.
Tea can also be combined with a number of other ingredients to boost their effects:
- Citrus such as lemon and orange add vitamin C to your drink
- Raw honey is antibacterial and may help regulate your immune system
- Apple cider vinegar is good for digestion and overall health
- Baking soda can help kill bacteria and yeast when used as a gargle
Let’s take a look at some of the most effective teas for a sore throat.
1. Slippery Elm
Slippery Elm comes from the bark of the slippery elm tree native to Eastern North America.
The Native Americans used slippery elm to soothe wounds, boils, ulcers, and burns.
When steeped in water, slippery elm bark releases a gel-like substance called mucilage. This gel can soothe a sore throat by coating the mucous membranes of your throat cells1.
There are relatively few studies done on slippery elm, but all that have been done look positive2.
Slippery elm has been approved by the FDA as a safe substance. It is sometimes sold in pill form, but the bark can be used to make tea infusions.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 12-16 oz water
- 2 tablespoons slippery elm bark or powder
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Optional: 2 teaspoons loose leaf green tea
Directions
- Heat water in a pan until boiling.
- Turn heat to simmer and add ingredients.
- Steep for 5 minutes.
- Filter out bark and tea leaves and enjoy!
Where to Buy
Slippery elm root can be found in certain natural grocers and online. My recommendation is this powder from Starwest Botanicals:
No products found.
2. Licorice root
Licorice is a flowering plant native to Southern Europe and parts of Asia. It is used as a flavoring agent, particularly in licorice rope candy. Licorice is unrelated to both anise seed and star anise, despite their similar taste.
The ancient Egyptians used licorice to help ease coughs in a way similar to how the cough medicine Mucinex works.
Licorice root can also work to reduce inflammation and irritation. Several studies have used a licorice root gargle on patients undergoing throat surgeries to see if it could reduce pain after the operation.
One double-blind study compared a licorice root gargle to sugar water3. The group given licorice root had 45% fewer complaints of sore throat 4 hours after the study, which was better than the placebo group.
You can drink licorice root tea in small quantities or use it as a gargle, but drinking too much can have negative side effects. I recommend talking with your doctor if you have existing health conditions.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 12-16 oz water
- 2 heaping tablespoons chopped or ground licorice root
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Optional: orange peel shavings
Directions
- Heat water in a pan until boiling.
- Turn heat to simmer and add ingredients.
- Steep for 5 minutes.
- Filter out ingredients and enjoy!
Where to Buy
Licorice root is often sold in ground form in natural grocery stores. It is also sold in bag form and is included as an ingredient in many tea blends. This powder from Banyan Botanicals is a great option:
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3. Marshmallow root
The marshmallow plant belongs to a genus called Althaea. It grows in North Africa, Western Asia, and Europe.
As you might expect, this plant is where marshmallow puffs got their name. Ancient civilizations boiled the root and combined it with honey to create a kind of sweet syrup. The French took this syrup and modified it into something closer to what we have today by adding eggwhite meringue and several other ingredients.
Ancient Egyptians would use marshmallow syrup to treat sore throats and coughs. They also used the root for wounds and burns.
Marshmallow root works in a way similar to slippery elm to treat sore throats. The root contains a high amount of mucilage that turns into a gel when boiled in water. This gel coats coats the mucous membranes within your throat and helps ease inflammation4.
There was also a German study done that demonstrated a cough-suppressing effect from marshmallow root extract5.
If you are sick with a sore throat and cough, marshmallow root tea can be an effective combo.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 12-16 oz water
- 2 tablespoons chopped or ground marshmallow root
- Optional: 2 teaspoons peppermint leaf
Directions
- Heat water in a pan until boiling.
- Turn heat to simmer and add ingredients.
- Steep for 5 minutes.
- Filter out root and leaves and enjoy!
Where to Buy
Marshmallow root can be found in specialty herbal stores or online. I recommend this extract powder from Bulk Supplements:
No products found.
4. Honey Lemon Tea
This recipe is a combination of a number of ingredients that help super-charge your fight against illnesses.
Citrus fruits such as lemon and orange are a great way to add vitamin C to your diet. They are also packed with antioxidants.
Ginger has potent anti-inflammatory properties that help relax and soothe a sore throat.
Raw honey is anti-bacterial and helps regulate the immune system.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 12-16 oz water
- 2 teaspoons green tea
- 2 teaspoons loosely chopped ginger root
- 1/2 lemon squeezed or about 1 tablespoon of juice
- 1 tablespoon of raw honey
Instructions
- Heat the water to boiling on the stovetop.
- Turn heat down to simmer and add all ingredients.
- Steep ingredients for 3 minutes.
- Turn off heat and strain off ingredients into a cup.
- Add lemon slice for garnish and enjoy!
5. Peppermint tea
Peppermint is a mix between watermint and spearmint. It is a leafy plant that grows in Europe and the Middle East. The leaves of the peppermint plant are used to make infusions.
The primary ingredient in peppermint is menthol and is great for settling a stomach ache and easing sore muscles. In fact, it is frequently used to treat IBS6.
Menthol is also soothing for the sore throat. It possesses minor anti-inflammatory effects and may help break down the annoying mucus that collects at the back of your throat.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 12-16 oz of water
- 4-6 grams chopped peppermint or 2 peppermint tea bags
- 2 teaspoons loosely chopped ginger
- 1/4 lemon squeezed or 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
Instructions
- Heat the water to boiling on the stovetop.
- Turn heat down to simmer and add all ingredients.
- Steep ingredients for 5 minutes.
- Turn off heat and strain off ingredients into a cup.
- Add lemon slice for garnish and enjoy!
Where to Buy
Peppermint can be bought in tea-bag form in most grocery stores or fresh leaves online. Frontier Co-op has a great blend on Amazon.
6. Ginger root
The ginger plant is native to Asia. The roots of the plant are what is used for cooking and making tea infusions. Ginger has a pungent and almost hot (but not spicy) taste and flavor.
It has been used throughout Asia as an herbal remedy for thousands of years. Ginger belongs to the same family as Turmeric and shares many of its anti-inflammatory properties.
Ginger works in a way similar to aspirin to help reduce a swollen throat and ease the pain7.
Ginger root is also high in antioxidant content.
There is a single metric that can be used to measure the overall antioxidant properties of a plant. This metric is called the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, or ORAC for short. The ORAC value of raw ginger root is 14,840 per 100 grams8, which is pretty high.
The antioxidants in ginger help eliminate environmental toxins so that your body can focus all its energy on fighting off infections.
Check out Best Teas to Cure Your Cold or Flu for more info on the benefits of ginger when you are sick.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 12-16 oz water
- 2 teaspoons green tea (optional)
- 2 teaspoons loosely chopped ginger root
- 1/2 lemon squeezed or about 1 tablespoon of juice
- 1 tablespoon of raw honey
Instructions
- Heat the water to boiling on the stovetop.
- Turn heat down to simmer and add all ingredients.
- Steep ingredients for 3 minutes.
- Turn off heat and strain ingredients into a cup.
- Add lemon slice for garnish and enjoy!
Where to Buy
Ginger is available as a root in the produce section of most grocery stores. There are also many bagged teas that include ginger as an ingredient.
7. Turmeric
Turmeric is in the same plant family as ginger. It is a flowering plant that is native to India and Southeast Asian.
Similar to ginger, the root is used as a cooking spice in Asian cuisine. Most Indian curries use Turmeric as an ingredient.
Turmeric has been garnering attention in the medical community recently for its anti-inflammatory properties. The active ingredient in turmeric is called curcumin and is used in a number of anti-inflammatory supplements.
Curcumin doesn’t get absorbed into the blood very well on its own, but it can be combined with certain ingredients to help with absorption. One of these ingredients is called piperine and is found mostly in black pepper.
There are a number of ways to boost absorption even more than consuming piperine. A number of curcumin supplements use certain fats called phospholipids to help carry curcumin into the blood.
I take one of these supplements daily. It is called Meriva Curcumin and is sold by Thorne. You can find it on Amazon here. There is already promising research backing it9.
Another similar option is called Theracurmin and has promising research behind it as well10. Theracurmin is also available on Amazon in a number of different forms. This is currently the top rated variety.
The anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric may help ease the swelling and inflammation present with a sore throat.
Turmeric is also incredibly high in antioxidants11. These antioxidants may help eliminate environmental toxins.
However, some of the health claims of curcumin have come into concern as of late. A meta-analysis of curcumin that came out in 2017 concluded that it was an unlikely lead for reducing inflammation12.
I personally sense some bias from the authors when reading that analysis. Evaluate the evidence yourself and make an educated decision.
Recipe
Combine 1 tablespoon of chopped turmeric root and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper for every 8 oz of water. Boil the turmeric and black pepper for 5 minutes and strain off the ingredients into a cup. Add some honey to improve the taste.
Where to Buy
Turmeric root is an orange root found in the produce section of most grocery stores. It is also included in a number of tea blends as a ground spice.
8. Echinacea
Echinacea is a flower in the daisy family. It grows only in eastern and central North America in dry prairies and wooded areas.
People drink echinacea tea because of its immune boosting effects. The research behind these effects is tentative. Each blend of echinacea is slightly different. Some blends utilize different parts of the plant and others used different types of echinacea.
One meta-analysis of 14 studies published in 2007 concluded that echinacea had a moderate beneficial effect on the immune system. The chance of getting a cold was lower and duration of existing colds was shortened13.
However, another meta-analysis of 24 studies published in 2014 came to the conclusion that echinacea was ineffective for treating colds because of the large inconsistency of results14.
It’s a bit confusing when meta-analyses conflict like this. I think it can be concluded that certain blends of echinacea have a moderate benefit on the immune system while other blends are ineffective. There is no consensus on what makes a blend effective.
Echinacea tea shouldn’t be used to replace standard medical care, but it is a safe tea to drink and can make a good addition when you’re sick.
Where to Buy
Echinacea can be found online or in most grocery stores as a tea bag. It is also included in many different immune-boosting tea blends. Yogi has a great echinacea blend available here.
9. Green Tea
Matcha Green Tea
Green tea is a traditional tea that comes from the camellia sinensis plant. It is an unoxidized tea and has a gentle, grassy flavor.
There are no direct effects of green tea on a sore throat, but warm tea is soothing on a sore throat. Green tea is also packed with antioxidants.
Antioxidants help eliminate compounds called free radicals that accumulate in the body. These free radicals are produced within the body but also come from the environment in the form of car exhaust, cigarette smoke, and other forms of pollution.
When free radicals bind to the tissues and DNA within a cell, it causes havoc and sometimes leads to cancer. Eating foods high in antioxidants and drinking tea are a great way to minimize the impact of free radicals on your body.
To read more about the anti-cancer properties of green tea, check out my Types of Tea article.
Getting antioxidants when you are sick may also allow your body to focus on fighting off infections instead of dealing with cell damage caused by free radicals.
How to Prepare
Green tea is best prepared by steeping loose leaf tea in water that is roughly 175° F/80° C for 2 to 3 minutes. Take a look at my How to Brew Tea article for more tips and info.
Where to Buy
Green tea bags can be found in just about any major supermarket. However, if you want to get some high quality loose leaf tea, it can be found in natural grocers and online. When buying online, I recommend Harney & Sons.
You can also buy high quality green tea directly from China through Yunnan Sourcing. Sort by Best Selling to help narrow the results. Keep in mind that Yunnan Sourcing will take a bit longer to ship.
10. Chamomile
Chamomile is a daisy-like plant that originates form Europe.
There are no direct benefits from drinking chamomile tea for a sore throat, but it is a soothing and relaxing tea that is great to sip before bed. It is caffeine free and can help calm the nerves.
In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, chamomile extract was found to be effective for helping ease anxiety15.
Chamomile is thought to work in a similar way to many anti-anxiety medications by acting as a benzodiazepine ligand. However, the research behind chamomile tea is still limited.
If you’re interested in other anxiety-reducing teas, take a look at my article on Best Teas for Anxiety and Stress Relief.
Chamomile tea is a great bedtime tea when you are sick because of its calming effects.
Where to Buy
Chamomile is sold in most stores in bagged form. It is also included in a number of tea blends and can be bought online.
Other Teas
Other teas I came across while researching this article include:
- Horehound
- Cherry Bark
- Eucalyptus
- Fenugreek
- Fennel seed
- Chrysanthemum
None of these teas had much research behind them. In addition, most are uncommon and hard to find without ordering online. A number of these ingredients make appearances in proprietary blends.
Tea Bag Blends
Proprietary blends often combine many of the ingredients we’ve listed above to create an extra-effective blend. These blends can be bought in some stores and most are available online. Here are the blends I recommend:
- Yogi Throat Comfort
- Traditional Medicinals Throat Coat (with Lemon Echinacea)
- Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Throat Tamer
- Choice Organic Throat Cozy
No products found.
Conclusion
The best herbal tea for a sore throat is slippery elm. When brewed in hot water, the bark releases slippery mucilage that coats and soothes a sore throat.
You can boost the effects of herbal blends by adding citrus, raw honey, apple cider vinegar, and/or baking soda.
Certain tea bag blends combine many of the herbal ingredients above. This gives you the unique benefits of each. I recommend Yogi Throat Comfort for its delicious flavor.
Tea is not a cure-all and can’t replace standard medical care. Remember to consult your doctor before consuming herbal remedies.
References
Last update on 2023-09-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- http://www.jbc.org/content/104/1/163.short
- https://www.ejmanager.com/fulltextpdf.php?mno=17581
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23921656
- http://sphinxsai.com/2013/JulySept13/phPDF/PT=57(1378-1385)JS13.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1615030
- http://www.bmj.com/content/337/bmj.a2313.short
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16117603
- https://www.superfoodly.com/orac-value/ginger-root-raw/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21194249
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1064748117305110
- https://www.superfoodly.com/orac-value/spices-turmeric-ground/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5346970/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17597571
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4068831/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19593179
