3 Best Teas to Sooth Your Cold at Home
When you have the sneezes, coughs, aches, and pains of a winter cold or flu, you may not want to do much more than curl up on the sofa under a fleece blanket with a box of Kleenex. But add one more important image to that sniffly scenario: a steaming mug of hot tea.
Grandma’s favorite home remedy has been helping cold-sufferers feel better for thousands of years. First of all, the hot liquid can soothe your throat and break up congestion. And if you add a few drops of local honey, you have a natural cough suppressant. Or, squeeze in a lemon and get a burst of vitamin C, which may reduce the duration of your cold.
Here are 3 of the most soothing varieties:
1. Peppermint
Just a few sips of peppermint tea can start to make you feel better. The menthol in the peppermint leaves can have a slight anesthetic effect on your throat, suppressing your cough. Plus, scientists report that when tested in a lab, peppermint has been found to have significant antimicrobial and antiviral activities. While we don’t know for sure if those lab results translate to humans, a cup of minty tea certainly couldn’t hurt!
2. Chamomile
The dried flowers of chamomile have been used for centuries to help lull you to sleep — flavonoids from the plant have a tranquilizing effect. Since getting a good night’s sleep is an important part of your cold-recovery mission, chamomile is an excellent choice. There is also some evidence the tea acts as an anti-inflammatory, so sip away.
3. Ginger
Ginger tea is a favorite with singers to soothe their throats — the bioactive ingredients in it act as an anti-inflammatory and may also inhibit microorganisms that can lead to infection. And if your cold comes with an upset tummy, ginger is also known to relieve nausea.
