Best Tea For a Cough: Top Ten Teas to Try!
Nobody likes cold and flu season. It comes in quickly and hits us hard with irritating flu and cold symptoms. Runny noses, sore throats, watering eyes, fevers, and of course, that nagging cough that we just can't seem to shake - even if we take a hot shower, lay in bed, or sleep all day.
Fortunately, there are several ways to ease cold and flu symptoms, and drinking tea is one of them. In this article, we're going to explore the many health benefits of tea and how it can be an effective cough remedy and soothe your sore throat at the same time.
Before taking any new supplement, herbal medicine, or food, talk to your doctor. Some teas may affect prescription medications or cause allergic reactions.
The Top 10 Teas For a Cough
Chinese and Indian medicine have used herbal remedies like tea for centuries. A lovely cup of tea can do wonders, from soothing an irritated throat to treating respiratory illnesses and easing a productive cough. The following teas are loaded with all that protective goodness your immune system needs to fight a cold or flu.
#1. Licorice Root Tea
Licorice root tea comes from the root of the licorice plant. It is slightly bitter and salty, with sweet undertones. Licorice root tea has been used historically in China as a herbal remedy to combat a harsh cough.
Studies show that a warm cup of licorice tea has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties. It is also one of the best herbal teas to support the immune system and help prevent the replication of harmful pathogens, stopping cell death and reducing respiratory infections.
How to MAKE it:
In a cup of boiling water, steep a one-inch piece of licorice root for about 10 minutes. Add some honey or lemon juice to adjust the tea's flavor. For instant relief, gargle with a cup of warm liquid. Your sore throat and cough will be a thing of the past in no time!
#2. Ginger Tea
The amazing and mighty ginger tea helps relieve cold and flu symptoms such as nausea, problematic coughs, sore throat pain, and more! Fresh ginger also contains many beneficial anti-inflammatory properties. You'll notice many sore throat remedies like ginger cough drops available at almost every pharmacy.
Drinking a cup of tasty ginger tea can help relieve a cough and aid in chest and throat inflammation, providing open airways for better breathing. Ginger is also loaded with antioxidants and bioactive compounds that help fend off invading pathogens.
How to make this it:
Bring 10 oz of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add a one-inch piece of fresh or dried ginger to the water and simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat and add some honey to naturally sweeten the tea and give it some extra immune-system-boosting properties.
#3. Thyme Tea
This tea may not be as well-known as the other teas on our list, but it is just as effective. Thyme tea comes from the thyme herb plant, and it is a great way to relieve congestion and relieve your cough.
In a recent study, thyme tea helped treat acute bronchitis with a productive cough. The results showed that this tea helped patients recover from their coughs faster than those who took a placebo.
How to make it:
To help relieve cough and cold symptoms:
Bring a cup of water to boil in a saucepan.
Remove it from the heat, add roughly 2-3 sprigs of thyme, and steep for about 8 minutes.
Add some cinnamon to balance the flavors, then strain into a cup using a fine mesh strainer.
#4. Chamomile Tea
Most tea drinkers have had a soothing cup of chamomile tea at least once in their lives, but some have enjoyed several cups of this delicious, sweet floral tea. Chamomile is loaded with antiviral and antibacterial properties. Drinking this tea helps open the airway, relaxes the throat, and reduces throat infections.
How to make it:
Making chamomile tea is easy. Use two teaspoons of fresh flowers or one teaspoon of dried flowers in one cup of boiling water. Steep the flowers for five to 10 minutes, or steep them longer for a more robust potency. Add lemon juice or honey for added flavor.
#5. Green Tea
Green tea has had a long history of having health benefits. Considered one of the "true teas" since it, along with black, white, and oolong, all come from the Camellia sinensis plant. The only difference between these teas is the amount of processing and oxidization.
Teas from this plant have antioxidant properties. One of the antioxidants green tea contains is Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Studies show this plant compound has anti-inflammatory properties and works as a natural cough suppressant.
How to make it:
Never pour boiling water directly onto the delicate leaves when using fresh green tea leaves. Use recently boiled water that has stood for a few minutes. Let your brew steep for a few minutes for a light and refreshing cup, or steep it slightly longer for a stronger flavor.
#6. Peppermint Tea
Another popular herbal tea to sip is peppermint tea. This herb is also popular in many cough medications, such as drops and cough syrup. Several refreshing and invigorating sensations come from taking peppermint, and it offers many health benefits.
Peppermint helps open the airways, reduces inflammation, and helps soothe a scratchy throat. You can also add some peppermint oil to a diffuser to clean the air and help you breathe better, especially when you have a cold.
How to make it:
For treating a cough, try this peppermint tea remedy.
Add a handful of fresh peppermint leaves or a few drops of peppermint oil to a pot of hot water.
Steep for about five minutes, and remove the pot from the stove.
Drape a towel around your head, lean over the pot and inhale the steam to loosen congestion and reduce coughing.
#7. Marshmallow Root Tea
Marshmallow root tea contains mucilage. Mucilage is a thick, gooey substance that will help coat the inside of the throat, reducing throat pain. It is also great at treating cough symptoms such as an annoying tickle in your throat. This tea contains many pain-relieving properties and can also help treat acid reflux caused by the common cold.
How to make this tea:
Add one teaspoon of marshmallow root to a cup of hot water and steep for around 5 minutes. Allow it to cool slightly, but drink it as a hot tea so it can coat and soothe your throat to give you instant relief.
#8. Slippery Elm Tea
Slippery elm tea comes from a particular species of elm tree's inner bark. Native Americans have used slippery elm for centuries as herbal medicine to treat various ailments. Like marshmallow tea, it contains mucilage and is one of the best teas for lubricating a scratchy throat and taking care of that persistent cough. It may also help fight respiratory tract infections.
How to make this tea:
Slippery elm tea typically comes in a powdered form. Add a teaspoon of the powder to boiling water. Steep the brew for three minutes before drinking this warm tea.
#9. Honey Tea
Honey tea is not exactly herbal tea; it's a mixture of raw honey and warm water. Honey tea is a natural cough suppressant and helps reduce throat pain caused by constant coughing. Many cold and flu products include honey as one of the main ingredients, so it makes sense that drinking a nice cup of tea made from honey will offer similar relief. A study of 105 children showed how honey was just as effective as cough medicine in reducing coughs.
How to make this tea:
Heat a cup of water in a pot on the stove. Add one teaspoon of raw honey to the warm water, stir thoroughly, sip and enjoy. You can also add honey to your favourite herbal tea to have a sweeter tea with all of the added cough-controlling benefits of the honey.
#10. Lemon Tea
Another one of the herbal teas on our list is not tea at all. Made with hot water and lemon juice or lemon slices, this "tea" contains a lot of Vitamin C. Vitamin C will give your immune system a necessary boost to help fight colds and the flu. Lemon tea is also one of the best teas containing anti-inflammatory properties.
How to make this tea:
Get your daily dose of Vitamin C in minutes! Simply boil a cup of water with a few lemon slices, let steep, add some honey for sweetness, sip, and enjoy.
Is Tea a Suitable Aid For a Cough and Sore Throat?
Drinking a nice cup of tea is a great way to warm our insides and soothe our aching bodies. And many of these teas are excellent at eliminating cold or flu symptoms. You can quickly ease coughing, sneezing, and sore throats with hot tea. Next time you're feeling under the weather, get some great herbal teas like these to help you feel like new again!
