We are right in the heart of cold and flu season, which means it’s time for all the natural remedies. These 5 best herbal teas when sick are my go to’s!
There are a number of home remedies that I do around here like this garlic salve, when we are congested, or different essential oils, for head aches and colds.
But one remedy I feel people forget about when sick…is delicious teas.
I’ll admit, I used to be one of those people. I would be quick to grab my essential oils when we came down with cold symptoms but would forget about making a hot cup of tea.
Not only is a warm cup of tea soothing when sick, there are also so many health benefits to drinking teas for herbal medicine. Teas can benefit your overall health which is highly important in our house.
I am not a medical doctor. I am a mom on a journey to healing her family as naturally as possible. Please remember to do your own research for your family and whenever in question always consult your doctor.
Tips for making the best herbal teas when sick.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualified purchases at no additional cost to you.
There are some important things to remember when you are making soothing teas to get the maximum medicinal power.
- When making hot tea, you don’t want to boil the tea. This removes some of the medicinal properties and makes your tea bitter. You want to simply boil your water and then remove it from the heat before adding in your tea. I like to use a cup with a fitted tea strainer for loose leaf tea.
- When your tea is steeping make sure to cover it with a lid. This will ensure that all the good medicinal properties stay in and don’t evaporate with the steam.
- If adding honey for natural antibacterial properties, and not just for sweetness, make sure to allow your tea to cool slightly so it is not too hot. Otherwise it will kill off the good properties of the honey.
The list below is some of the best herbal teas when sick. I have placed them in the order I like to use them, with links to them all! Although some of the types of tea listed below I like to grow in my garden.
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea is good for:
- sore throat
- cough
- congestion
- anti-inflammatory properties
- digestive issues
- headaches and migraines
Peppermint tea is my #1 go to tea. In my opinion it is the best herbal tea for almost all sicknesses. I linked above a good one from Amazon, however peppermint is so easy to grow in your garden that I always have it in my garden. It is a perennial so plant it once and it comes back year after year! I simply harvest it, dry it, and store it in a jar for the winter months to use every time we are coming down with a sickness.
The reason I like peppermint tea so much is you can pretty much use it for every ailment and it tastes really good. From colds to stomach issues, peppermint tea is your friend!
In ancient times they used to use mint as medicine, because of its amazing properties. Mint has antiviral properties which is why it is so good for inflammation and reducing pain. The menthol in the peppermint leaves is what makes this tea good for clearing up congestion, coughs, and sore throats.
There is also a number of vitamins, minerals, and powerful antioxidants in peppermint which makes it an excellent choice to have on your herbal shelf.
*It is important to note that peppermint can interact with certain medications, so if you are taking any medications consult your doctor before drinking peppermint tea.
Elderberry Tea
Elderberry tea is good for:
- boosted immune system
- lower blood pressure
- reduce swelling, joint pain, and muscle aches
- reduce cold and flu symptoms
Elderberry tea is my #2 go to tea because you don’t need to wait until you are sick to drink. Elderberries are full of antioxidant properties. Studies have shown that elderberries can boost your immune system to reduce cold and flu symptoms or even shorten the length of a cold.
This nice purple tea is so delightful to sip on. It has a sweet yet slightly tart taste. Some other ways we use elderberries is by making elderberry syrup. We will use this syrup to add to our kombucha for flavor or just drink it by the teaspoon when feeling a cold come on.
Getting elderberries into your diet either by tea or syrup is a great way to help boost your immune system and try and avoid sicknesses all together.
Side effects of elderberries can happen when they are not properly cooked or dried. An upset stomach can occur so make sure you buy from a reputable source.
Dandelion Root Tea
Dandelion Root tea is good for:
- promoting liver health
- relieves constipation
- digestive aid
- eliminates toxins and infections
- Immune system support
Dandelions are everywhere! While some people see them as a weed, it is important to know that they have some powerful medicinal properties. The flower, leaf, and root are all great medicinally in a tea.
First, dandelion root tea is packed with vitamin c, which is incredibly helpful in supporting your immune system. The large amount of potassium in dandelion root is what helps the kidneys filter toxins.
Some other great vitamins and minerals that are in dandelions are vitamin A, magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc.
Dandelion root tea is so potent that it’s a good idea to consult a doctor before drinking it while taking other medications. If you are allergic to other plants in the daisy family, like daisies, marigolds, or chrysanthemums, then you will likely be allergic to dandelions. Be aware!
Ginger Tea
Ginger Tea is good for:
- digestive aid
- nauseous
- inflammation/pain
- improved brain function
- heart health
- motion sickness or morning sickness
Ginger is something I reach for with any stomach ailments. For a quick remedy, when one of the girls has stomach ache, I will rub some ginger essential oil on their tummy. It usually gives quick relief.
But when someone comes down with a flu bug and has nauseous and stomach pains, I will reach for the ginger tea. Gingerol is a bioactive compound in ginger that has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants that help with reducing the symptoms of digestive issues and nauseous.
By drinking ginger tea you are helping support healthy microbiome. Ginger tea has a distinct taste that is both warming and slightly spicy.
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea is good for:
- Digestive aid
- colic
- croup
- fever
- sleep/relaxation aid
- reducing menstrual pain
I’m pretty sure everyone has heard of drinking a hot cup of chamomile tea for sleeping. If you drink teas at all, you know that this one has great benefits it helping you relax and get some sleep. But there is more that this tea is good for!
Chamomile contains chemicals call flavonoids. These flavonoids are what makes up the medicinal benefits of chamomile. Studies have shown that by drinking chamomile tea you can reduce menstrual cramps, get better sleep, reduce nauseous, gastrointestinal issues and reduce a fever.
There is some evidence of chamomile having anti-inflammatory properties, although there isn’t enough data on this yet. Either way when you are sick and have body aches, relaxing and sleep are highly important to getting well soon, so adding chamomile tea to your sickness routine is a great option!
Chamomile plants are great to grow in your garden as they are simple and beautiful along with having medicinal properties.
If you have severe allergies to pollens, this may not be the right tea for you.
Be safe when consuming teas.
Remember that all teas come from plants, so if you have allergies to pollens or specific flowers it is important to not take the teas that correlate with those allergies.
If you are a pregnant women, make sure to consult your doctor before drinking large amounts of any tea. Teas have great healing and medicinal properties but you want to make sure your body is reacting in the right way.
If you are having any sort of reaction such as extreme diarrhea, vomiting, rash, etc after consuming a tea seek medical treatment immediately.
We like to drink these 5 best herbal teas when sick with a dash of honey and sometimes a squirt of lemon juice or splash of raw milk. You can drink your tea plain or add in some goodies. Either way teas are a great way to help heal!
The next time a sickness plagues your house, don’t forget to add some teas to your healing routine along with plenty of rest. Something as simple as a warm drink can be so powerful in healing quickly and reducing the symptoms.
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