Kick that cough, cold, or sore throat to the curb with this easy, immune-boosting sore throat tea! Made with nourishing herbs, it’s naturally packed with the vitamins and minerals your body needs while fighting a sore throat.
It’s that time of year again.
You know, the time when everyone and their mom is getting sick (is it just me, or do dads never seem to get sick?). Every kid in school has a runny nose and/or cough, and moms freak out about their kids catching something. In other words, it’s time to build up your immune systems people! (Not that you shouldn’t be doing that any other time of the year…)
Even though my kiddos are homeschooled, they’re not immune from the viruses that go around the local schools. They still play with the neighbor kids (public school), and hang out with their cousins (charter school) and friends from church (private & homeschool). Stuff gets passed around, no matter how often you wash your hands!
And the fact that the holidays are around the corner (seriously? already?) doesn’t help, either. All that extra sugar breaks down immune systems, making us susceptible to sickness.Â
Let’s get to work!
There are plenty of ways to boost your immune system. My kids love my homemade elderberry syrup, and during the fall season we also down more bone broth, since soups are more popular now that it’s not 5 million degrees outside. Another delicious way to strengthen your immune system is to eat more probiotic filled foods, like ferments. Sauerkraut, kombucha, yogurt, pickles, and lacto-fermented chutneys are a great way to help give your body the immunity it needs during the fall and winter.
But what if you missed all that and it’s too late? (Hint: it’s never too late.) Your nose is stuffy and your throat now hurts. What do you do?Â
First: cut out the sugar! ASAP!
Second: make yourself some herbal, immune-boosting sore throat tea!
The other week when my 5-year old son came down with an awful cough from nasal drainage (we’re still working on proper nose-blowing technique) his throat was sore in no time. So I mixed him up a bunch of this easy herbal sore throat tea. He’s been drinking it like crazy the past week, not because he still needs it, but because he loves it! And since it not only soothes his throat, but also boosts his immune system, I don’t mind making him a fresh pot every day.
The immune-boosting players.
Full of amino acids, carotenoids, flavonoids, vitamins A & B and copious amounts of vitamin C, elderberries are an anti-viral, antibacterial, antioxidant and immune-boosting powerhouse even capable of destroying cold and flu viruses!
Licorice root a newly-found anti-viral that is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatoryproperties. It is also an effective expectorant, helping to loosen and expel mucous. Its soothing anti-inflammatory properties can quickly relieve a sore throat.
Add in some herbs.
Afraid of stinging nettles? Don’t be. (Well, you still shouldn’t try to pick them without gloves…) Nettle has been used for centuries to treat allergy symptoms and contains biologically active compounds that reduce inflammation and as well as the amount of histamine that the body produces as a response to an allergen.
Echinacea, or purple coneflower, stimulates the cells responsible for fighting infections, making our immune system more effective at attaching viruses and bacteria.Â
Packed with vitamins C, A, K & E, potassium, iron, calcium, manganese, magnesium, and selenium, and containing flavonoids, thyme is rich in antioxidants. It’s also an effective antibacterial and has a relaxing effect on muscles, making it effective for relieving asthma, whooping cough, laryngitis, bronchitis and dry coughs.
Sweet goodness.
Top it all off with a dab of raw, local honey, which is full of vitamins and minerals (niacin, thiamine, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, vitamin C & B6, calcium, and iron, to name just a few)! Honey also has large amounts of friendly bacteria and is anti-fungal, and probiotic.Â
Ready for the recipe? Get yourself a pot of hot water and a mug and let’s heal those sore throats!
Note on the herbs:Â I usually purchase my herbs from Frontier Herbs or Starwest Botanicals, both of which I buy through amazon.com. I also like Mountain Rose Herbs and the Bulk Herb Store, as well.
In the recipe card I’ve linked to some of the products from my affiliate partners that I like to use. Purchasing through these links won’t cost you anything extra. Thanks!
Herbal Immune-Boosting Sore Throat Tea
Free from grain, gluten, eggs, dairy, and sugar.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried elderberries
- 2 tablespoons licorice root
- 3 tablespoons nettles
- 3 tablespoons echinacea
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon raw, local honey
Instructions
Measure herbs and berries into a glass jar and seal. Shake well to mix.
Steep 1 tablespoon of herbal tea mix in 12 ounces of boiling water.
When steeped, stir in a drop or two (or three) of raw, local honey.
Serve warm or chilled.
Notes
This recipe makes about a cup of herbal tea blend, which makes about 16 cups of herbal tea.
Pin this DIY, Herbal Immune-Boosting Sore Throat Tea for later!
You might also want to check out these other wonderful home remedies for colds and flu!
What a perfect recipe as we enter into cold season! Looks so soothing!
Thank you, Emily! It is very soothing.
What a great and helpful idea! For some reason, nothing tastes better when your nose is stuffed and your throat is hurting than a good cup of hot tea.
I agree, Linda. 😉 Tea and a pot of chicken soup.
this sounds soothing and delish!
Thank you KC! I sure think it is. 😉
Thanks for the very interesting tutorial on some of the medicinal benefits of these herbs. I had no idea about licorice root. Cool. I like using raw honey after the brew, also. Will get these in my pantry so we’re prepared for the “seasos”.
You’re so welcome! They’re good herbs to have on hand. Adding the honey afterward is rather important, as too much heat can damage the benefits of raw honey. 🙂
This tea sounds so soothing! I am definitely bookmarking it for cold season. I love the combination of thyme and honey!
Thank you, Lucy! I hope you find it helpful!
What a great recipe and so much helpful information! I’m going to get what I need to make this, as I enjoy a cup of tea most every evening. I may as well boost my immune system at the same time!! Thank you for the perfectly timed post!
Thank you, Lisa! I hope you enjoy it. 🙂
I wish I’d seen this recipe 3 days ago! What I thought was allergies has turned out to be a summer cold, sore throat and all. I’ll be holding onto this recipe for the next time!
Oh sad! I’m glad you’re better, though. Hope this helps you next time around!
Thank you so much for this recipe!
I will be trying it both hot and cold!
I fell victim to the first month of school sickness- I got bronchitis and I’ve been miserable. Soooo looking forward to trying this!
Thanks
Michelle
So sorry to hear that, Michelle! I hope you find this tea helpful and feel better quickly!
Unfortunately I really needed this last week. I am pinning for when the next round of sickie germs come creeping in. Thanks for sharing on Creative K Kids #TastyTuesdays
Thanks for pinning, Audrey! I hope you find it helpful!
This is such a great blend Raia! Love all of those herbs!
Thank you, Emily! They are such wonderful ones, aren’t they?
This looks like a wonderful blend, especially as we head into cold season! That raw, local honey is so wonderful too. 🙂
It is a very helpful blend to have on hand, CJ. 🙂
Hi Raia,
I know that elderberry is great for the immune system. This tea recipe sounds like the perfect solution to warning off sore throat or stopping them before it too bad. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & tweeted!
Glad to share, Marla! Thank you so much for stopping by.
These are really great tips for boosting your immune system! Learned a bunch from your post!
So glad to hear it, Lex! I hope you find all the tips helpful this fall/winter!
Perfect…I’ve had an irritating scratchy throat this past week. Will have to whip some of this up! Is there an alternative to licorice? It’s neither my favorite, nor do I have any!
I’ve not tried an alternative, but I would go with marshmallow root or slippery elm bark, instead. I hope your throat feels better soon!
This looks like a great tea! So supportive and nourishing. I love the thyme and nettles in there.
Thank you, Emily. 🙂 They are both wonderful herbs.
This is good to have on hand!
Definitely!
This looks so easy to make! I’m going to mix some up to have on hand.
I have one question though. What is the difference between Echinacea Purpurea & Echinacea Angustifolia? I see them both, but different recipes call for different ones. Since it’s not very cheap, I’m just wondering which one I should invest in. 🙂
Thank you!! I can’t wait to try this!
Though echinacea purpurea and echinacea angustifloia are different plants, they both have the same general effect in herbal medicine. Some people think that echinacea angustifloia is more potent, but that’s not really ever been proven. They would work interchangeably in this recipe, so I would probably just go with whichever one is more affordable for you at the moment. 🙂
Could this be made into a tincture?
Yes, definitely! Just follow my tutorial on making a tincture linked below… but use these ingredients. (Leave out the honey.)
https://raiasrecipes.com/2017/01/easy-immune-support-tincture.html