Best Tea for a Cold and Flu

Sipping on a warm cup of herbal tea may be just your cup of tea! Herbal teas used for cold and flu not only help to eliminate the chill but help to alleviate post nasal drip, sinus congestion, sore throats, and fevers. There are many herbs that help to ward off cold and flu viruses. Some of my popular herbal teas for this purpose include echinacea, elderberry, elderflower, ginger, lemon balm, oregano, peppermint, thyme, and yarrow. In my opinion, this recipe is the best teas for a cold and flu to get you feeling better again in no time.

In addition, there is overwhelming evidence of the benefits of ingesting certain herbs for their healing properties. I’ve listed some of the most popular herbs I like to use in my tea to boost the immune system and ward off colds and flu.

Let’s take a deeper look at some of the health benefits of these herbs:

1. The purple daisy-like flowers and leaves of the echinacea plant provide medicinal properties from the roots, leaves and whole plant. Echinacea has gained its popularity for boosting the immune system, treating colds and flu, coughs and bronchitis, fevers, fighting infection, helping to speed wound healing and reducing inflammation. Herbal medicine usually uses two species of echinacea: E. angustifolia and E. purpurea and depending on the species will determine which form will provide the most benefit for the condition.

2. Elderberry comes from a tree that bears purplish-blue berries in autumn. The flowers, bark, roots, and berries are all used for medicinal purposes. Elderberry is best known for its benefits in treating colds, upper respiratory infections such as bronchitis, as well as fevers and some viruses. Elderberry has shown to be effective in stimulating the immune system and to speed up recovery by as many as three days.

3. Ginger root is one of the most versatile healing agents known today. It has played an important role in medicine by stimulating the cleansing of the body through perspiration, is an expectorant and astringent. It is also effective in treating sore throats, colds, nausea, vomiting, pain and inflammation. This versatile root is used in cooking, making herbal teas and chewy lozenges.

4. Oregano is another kitchen spice that is often overlooked as an herbal remedy and healing food. It has potent antibacterial and antifungal properties making it an outstanding treatment for colds, flu, viruses, and fevers.

5. Thyme is another miraculous kitchen spice that not only adds flavor to soups, dishes and dressings but offers potent antifungal and antioxidant properties. It is known to help many health conditions, including helping to cure respiratory ailments such as bronchitis and seasonal allergies. This compound has a wide-ranging positive effect on the body thereby reducing strain on the immune system.

6. Yarrow has been touted as a healing agent since the beginning of the human race. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and immune-stimulating properties. This herb is often combined with echinacea, elderberry, ginger and peppermint leaf in remedies used for cold and flu relief due to their synergist benefits.

7. Lemon balm is a member of the mint family and indigenous to the Mediterranean and West Africa regions. Lemon balm has antibacterial and antiviral properties and a mild sedative. It is used for external wound healing and highly recommended as a tea for inducing perspiration and relieving fever due to colds and flu. The medicinal oils that come from the dried leaf, fresh leaves, and the whole plant provide health benefits for many other conditions from Alzheimer’s disease, stress and anxiety, herpes, insomnia to IBS.

8. Peppermint teas are commonly used to treat queasy stomachs and to help with digestive issues. Its purpose in treating colds and flu is to assist with breathing difficulties and sinus congestion. It is also found in homeopathic remedies for treating colds.

The noteworthy health benefits of these herbs include their ability to boost the immune system, reduce respiratory issues, ward off infections, viruses, and bacteria, and reduce the recovery time without the use of prescription drugs.

Each one of these herbs offers remarkable healing properties to naturally fight colds and flu. Individually or collectively, they are sure to help ease the discomfort and get you feeling like yourself again.

Consider infusing one or a combination of these herbs as a comforting and calming complement to your healing tea.

The amazing idea about these herbs is they can be found right in your kitchen pantry, local grocery store or health food store. I myself, enjoy growing these herbs in my herb pot and harvesting them for later. I appreciate their medicinal properties and use them all year long. This way I am being proactive rather than reactive to whatever bugs come my way.

Happy tea time!