5 Best Teas for a Sore Throat
on Dec 20, 2020, Updated May 25, 2022
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The best teas to drink when your throat is feeling scratchy and sore. They’ll help to soothe and ease a cold with every sip.
Sore Throat Teas
Drinking hot tea when you have a sore throat or a cold helps to keep you hydrated and most importantly prevents your throat from getting too dry, which can cause more pain.
From chamomile to fresh ginger tea from scratch, here are the best teas for a sore throat.
RELATED: 15 Hot Tea Drinks to Warm You Up
Ginger Tea from Scratch
Made with fresh ginger, lemon, and honey, this caffeine-free tea is my go-to when I have a scratchy throat. Here’s why:
- Honey soothes and coats the throat. It’s also antimicrobial (kills or slows the spread of bacteria or viruses).
- Ginger is warming has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. It also can give your immune system a boost, reducing the number of days you have a sore throat.
- Lemon is packed with vitamin C which can speed your recovery time.
Chamomile Tea
An herbal tea without any caffeine, chamomile is the first tea most people reach for when they want to relax.
- It’s soothing and calming.
- Is know to have anti-inflammatory (reduces swelling) and antimicrobial (kills or slows the spread of bacteria or viruses) properties.
- Chamomile goes great with honey, which can soothe your throat so feel free to add a couple of teaspoons.
Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea (Cold Buster)
A former Starbucks secret menu drink, this caffeinated drink became so popular it made it onto the official menu. Here’s what’s in it:
- Honey will help soothe a painful throat.
- Jade Citrus Mint Tea is a green tea with flavors of mint and lemon verbena. Green tea has a ton of antioxidants and may improve blood flow.
- Peach Tranquility Tea is an herbal tea with peach, chamomile, and citrus flavors. Chamomile is soothing and has anti-inflammatory properties which can help reduce swelling.
- Lemonade with vitamin C may reduce the number of days you’re sick with a sore throat.
Peppermint Tea
A caffeine-free herbal tea, peppermint is a great tea to drink when you have a sore throat.
- It contains menthol, which may give you relief from any pain and burning sensations.
- The menthol may work as a decongestant to help shrink swollen blood vessels and tissues in your throat.
- Peppermint is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral.
Honey Citron Tea
A popular and traditional Korean cold remedy, this caffeine-free tea is made with yuzu, a citrus fruit that is a mix of lemon, orange, and grapefruit.
It’s easy to buy a jar of this at an Asian market or online, but you can also make it at home, from scratch! It’s super easy to make a batch but it does require tracking down the hard-to-find yuzu.
- Yuzu is a citrus fruit that’s jam packed with vitamin C, which may shorten the time you’re sick.
- Honey coats your throat, preventing it from drying it out, making it easier to drink and eat without too much pain.
